Folding bikes are either clumsy or expensive compared to electric scooters like the Xiaomi. The folding mechanism is rarely anywhere near as nice as a scooter.

What? Decent folding bikes have excellent mechanisms these days. Meanwhile most electric scooters don’t fold at all and have a tendency to topple over if you touch them wrong.

All the rental scooters have been modified so they don't fold for durability. The consumer grade ones all fold. Folding bikes are a lot pricier than the $300 xiaomi m365 that I regularly see on craigslist for $150.