E-Scooter market getting ready to change our commute

The competitive business of providing an eScooters rental platform is ramping up.

Who are the main contenders?

Following the Government’s recent announcement that it will legalise e-scooters on roads (the legislation is expected to be passed in the coming months followed by city tenders), companies are moving fast to supply the Irish market with a service.

This week, the leading multi-mobility platform FREE NOW has partnered with micro-mobility operator TIER to launch in eight German cities next month, followed by France before a wider European roll-out, meaning people in Ireland could soon book e-scooters through the FREE NOW app soon. Founded in 2018, TIER was the first micro-mobility provider in the world to go climate-neutral.

Anyone booking a TIER e-scooter through the FREE NOW app will get the benefit of safety features which minimise the risks to riders and the public, including an integrated helmet, indicator lights, shock absorbers, and the largest front wheel in the market to better handle the varied terrain. They also have triple brakes and a double kickstand which help TIER to lead the sector when it comes to stopping-distance and wind resistance.

Commenting on the announcement, General Manager for FREE NOW Ireland Niall Carson said:

“Our new partnership with TIER is another key milestone in the growth of FREE NOW’s multi mobility offering to passengers in cities across Europe. In the Irish market, we welcome this announcement and are working closely with TIER and other leading micro-mobility providers to offer passengers a broader range of transport options in the future.”

Bolt is the Estonian start-up that launched its taxi-hailing service here last December. It plans to roll out its e-scooters here too, with 10,000 of its carbon-negative e-scooters. The roll-out would lead to an estimated 130 new jobs, the company said, across charging, maintaining and distributing the scooters. The company plans for Irish customers to have access to an integrated “multi-modal transport platform”, giving them the choice between a car, an e-scooter and an e-bike.

Its Bolt Four e-scooter was launched last December and has a maximum speed of 25kph, a 40km battery range, and a five-year lifespan. It also has a low centre of gravity as well as in-built audio guidance, dual mechanical and electronic brakes, and sensors to detect and automatically report accidents or falls. Bolt has 50m customers in more than 40 countries and its e-scooters are currently available in 53 European cities. It plans to bring its e-scooters to more than 175 cities across Europe in 2021, with the aim of becoming the continent’s largest operator.

Luke Mackey, Bolt’s country manager for Ireland said Bolt was ready to provide 10,000 of its proprietary, fourth-generation, sustainable e-scooters to Irish towns and cities, with e-bikes to follow at a later date.

“In the future, journeys can begin from the multi-modal Bolt app. Some trips make more sense on an e-scooter, some in a taxi. Bolt can combine them all, and you don’t have to use multiple apps for each service and type of vehicle. Once a person enters their destination in our app, we’ll recommend different ways to get there based on time, price or weather.” said Mr Mackey.

Header Image – Pexels /Markus Spiske

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