Daas Yochid: Your statement defies logic.
No, it’s just outside your realm of knowledge.
DY and Joseph: As of now, escalators (in the US, at least) do not change how much energy they use regardless of who or what is on it.
How would they not? Unless specifically constructed for Shabbos, it would seem to be a waste of energy to carry less weight at the same speed using the same amount.
DY: I don’t see how it’s Uvdin D’chol. It’s not related to any Asei at all, really. Escalators are not bicycles.
It seems not everyone holds it needs to be. There are definitely poskim who consider elevators to always (no matter how they’re constructed) be zilzul Shabbos – Rav Vosner seems to say it, the Tzitz Eliezer I linked seems to be using reasoning which would apply to any case where a human is being transported by non-human power, and there are probably others.