Petrol scooters have been popular for a long time now especially in overcrowded cities. However, in a way of replacing the conventional petrol scooters, the electric scooters are taking shapes with steadily growing choices.
These battery-powered machines are fun to ride with, make lesser noise, have reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and can be parked easily. Having said that, Europe is becoming a potential market for electric scooters as the investors like Atomico and Index Ventures invested in Lime and Bird respectively.
While the Atomico investment is undisclosed on Lime, the Index Ventures has invested around $100 million Series B round earlier this year in Bird.
In a recent development, the Netherland’s Swheels2Go, an electric scooter sharing platform, which is a part of the WeFutureCompany is set to go live in Amsterdam early next year, according to founder Jair van der Reis Cohen.
How SwheelS2Go works?
To book the scooter, the user needs to install SwheelS2Go app, where they can identify the live location of the nearest SwheelS2Go and then reserve it.
It’s worth mentioning that the SwheelS2Go will be equipped with a scan code that allows the user to unlock the scooter. Once the destination is reached, the user must end the journey through the app and park the SwheelS2Go in a specified place.
With this electric scooter, the SwheelS2Go, WeFutureCompany hopes to support the Dutch government in the road towards a fully circular economy by bringing attractive sustainable sub-transport to the market.
In the recent scenario, investors are bidding high on the scooter startups. Tech giants like Uber and Google are pumping in money and have high hopes from the electric scooter industry. Let’s take a look at the bustling scooter startups which are getting a lot of attention and have forayed in Europe to heat up the market.
#1 Bird
Founded by a former Uber and Lyft executive Travis VanderZanden in 2017, Bird offers electric scooters for hire that can be picked up and parked anywhere.
People can book scooters through the app, ride for as less as 15 cents per minute and leave the scooter anywhere at the end. Headquartered in California, Bird has raised a total funding amount of $415M in four funding rounds.
#2 Lime
In an attempt to eliminate the carbon footprint, with a sustainable solution in an affordable way, Lime has deployed electric scooters across cities. Founded in 2017, by Adam Zhang, Brad Bao, Charlie Gao, Toby Sun, the Lime electric scooter comes equipped with GPS, wireless technology, and anti-theft locks.
Since launching in June 2017, the company has logged over 1.5 million trips and deployed electric scooters, electric-assist bikes, and multiple models of their standard pedal bike. Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, Lime has raised a funding amount of $467M in five funding rounds.
#3 Spin
Spin provides the dockless bike, scooter, and an electric-assist bike rental with a team based across San Francisco, Miami, Austin, Seattle, and DC. The fleet of Spin’s scooters is equipped with GPS, and can be unlocked by scanning a QR code with the app.
Founded in San Francisco in 2016 by Derrick Ko, Euwyn Poon, Zaizhuang Cheng, Spin has raised a $8M Series A to launch operations in dozens of US cities and campuses.
#4 Troty
Another entrant to join the e-scooter race is the Belgian startup Troty. In the initial stages, Troty will be available only in a few places including Etterbeek, Ixelles, and Brussels-City with just 50 vehicles available in all.
The company has already reached around 2500 subscribers. Just like other services, the Troty scooters can be rented through an app with the initial charge of one euro, and a running charge of 15 cents per minute.
This rise in e-scooter services can contribute to reducing car dependency. In addition to the zippy, sweat-free way to get around, scooters can move people efficiently and safely than a big car carrying just one or two people.
So do you think, the European market is ready for the scooter revolution. Do share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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