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Google Maps gives you more ways to find Lime scooters
Google Maps is making it easier to find a Lime bike or scooter on your own terms. As of today, the Android version of Google's app (iOS is due in the "coming weeks") can help you find Lime rides in the cycling and walking tabs, not just transit -- helpful if your leisurely stroll to work suddenly becomes much more urgent. You'll get detailed info like the time to walk to a scooter, the estimated ride cost, battery range and the all-important ETA. On-foot travelers will receive suggestions for Lime rides as an alternative when it's viable.
Audi's E-Tron Scooter is a skateboard with a handle
If Audi's E-Tron SUV is too big or pricey for you, don't worry... the company has something decidedly more accessible (and possibly fun) in store. It just unveiled an E-Tron Scooter meant to serve "multi-modal" travelers who only rarely hop into cars, if at all. You won't confuse this with any other electric commuting machine, though. While the e-tron has the profile of a scooter, you ride it like a skateboard by shifting your weight. Yes, it's a scooter you can carve. And when it only needs one hand, your other hand is free to signal or hold on to a shopping bag.
Bird's latest rideshare scooter is designed to thwart vandals
Rideshare scooters are designed to be a quick and convenient way to get around town, but because we're not allowed to have nice things, many are falling foul of damage and vandalism -- there's even an entire Instagram account dedicated to trashing them. But Bird is taking a stand, and has unveiled its next generation e-scooter that boasts an arsenal of anti-vandalism features.
Boosted’s Rev scooter is an inconveniently fun powerhouse
Boosted made its name by becoming the de facto electric skateboard. When rumors emerged that the company was working on a scooter, I had mixed feelings. I worried Boosted might bring out a me-too product and, well, scooters tend to be a little dorky. When the $1,599 Rev was finally revealed earlier this year, I was proved wrong (at least about the first part). The Rev is clearly inspired by San Francisco, the city Boosted calls home. Most garden-variety scooters offer somewhere between 250 and 500 watts of power. At the high end, that's enough to get you up some pretty decent inclines, but you'll feel every slow, meandering yard. The Rev offers a whopping 1,500 watts.
Gogoro brings its on-demand electric scooter rentals to Taiwan
Gogoro is expanding its on-demand scooter rental service. In August, the two-wheeled, electric Smartscooters will be available as part of a ridesharing program in Taiwan called GoShare. The scooters will use Gogoro's swappable batteries, so instead of stopping to charge the vehicles, riders can pick up a new battery at a GoStation and be back on the road in a matter of minutes.
India tells scooter makers to prepare for a switch to EVs
Indian scooter and motorcycle manufacturers have to draw up a plan to switch to electric vehicles, and they only have two weeks to come up with one. According to Reuters, Indian officials have met up with the companies, including Bajaj Auto and Hero MotoCorp, to ask them to participate in the authorities' electrification efforts.
New York set to legalize e-scooters and e-bikes
New York lawmakers look set to legalize electric scooter and bike sharing services throughout the state. A vote on a Senate bill is likely to take place Wednesday, just before the end of the legislative session. Since Governor Andrew Cuomo seems to support the legalization of electric scooters and bikes, the bill looks likely to come into effect.
Lyft built a scooter for sharing that's tougher and more comfortable
Lyft is the next big scooter sharing service to unveil a two-wheeler that's better at enduring real-world abuse. Its new model touts a "more durable build" that stands a greater chance of surviving the outdoors. Your ride should be less jarring, for that matter, with a 20 percent wider base, thicker air-filled wheels (which are 'finally' Lyft pink), a base-integrated battery that should refine the balance, and a kickstand at the front.
Bird's purchase of Scoot lets it back into San Francisco
You knew it was just a matter of time before there was further consolidation in the e-scooter world. Bird is acquiring Scoot in a move that both describe as a matter of "scale" -- that is, it'll help them take on heavyweight rivals like Lime. Scoot will continue to operate under its own name as a subsidiary of Bird. It's not certain how much Bird paid for the deal, but TechCrunch noted that Scoot was valued at $71 million.
Bird is adding a shareable electric motorcycle to its fleet
Bird, the company that rents out electric razor scooters, is adding an electric motorcycle to its fleet of micro-mobility vehicles. The Bird Cruiser is described as a "seated electric vehicle," which can carry up to two adults at a time. You'll get a padded seat, a choice of pedals or pegs for your feet, and hydraulic disc brakes to ensure safe stopping.
Boosted's next electric ride is the Rev scooter
When Boosted launched a new series of boards in 2018, including the Stealth and Mini options, it claimed its mission was to redefine transportation -- at least from the electric rideable standpoint. Now, it's finally broken out beyond the skateboard mold and added the Boosted Rev electric scooter to its stable of products.
Apple Pay will support NFC stickers on scooters and parking meters
Apple is reportedly working on a new NFC feature that will allow iPhone users to make Apple Pay purchases by tapping special, NFC-equipped tags. That means retailers won't need bulky terminals, and iPhone users won't need to download a third-party app before, say, buying clothes or adding miles to their scooter rental. According to 9to5mac, Apple is partnering with Bonobos clothing store, PayByPhone parking meters and Bird scooters on the initial roll out.
Bird's monthly scooter rentals let you ride as much as you like
Bird isn't staying out of San Francisco just because it doesn't have a permit for its usual scooter service. It's launching a personal rental service in both San Francisco and Barcelona that gives you a scooter of your own for $25 per month. Order a scooter through the app and Bird will deliver it (plus a charger and lock) to a location of your choice, after which you can use it as much as you like. Bird will also pick up the two-wheeler when you're done.
Bird's big European expansion brings scooters to 50 cities
There's a good chance you'll have the option of riding a Bird scooter the next time you embark on a European trip. Bird has announced a "ten-fold" expansion of its scooter sharing fleet in Europe and the Middle East, with 50 new cities getting service starting this spring. The company didn't name the new cities, but it already has a presence in 12 cities that include London, Paris, Madrid and Tel Aviv.
Honda's big EV push now includes dirt bikes and scooters
Honda has shown an affinity for electric cars as of late, but what about the motorcycle crowd? Don't worry, you'll get your fix soon. The automaker has unveiled prototypes for both the CR Electric dirt bike (above) and the Benly Electric delivery scooter (below), offering a peek at how it will approach emissions-free transportation on two wheels. Honda didn't dive into the specs, but the CR Electric appears based on the CRF450 and uses a Mugen-developed motor along with Showa inverted forks.
Los Angeles is fighting for e-scooter data
The City of Los Angeles is fighting for access to data from an unlikely source: scooters. City officials want to use location data from Uber-owned Jump's dockless scooters to inform public transit policies. But the company says that could lead to "an unprecedented level of surveillance," which the city could wield over companies and citizens, Politico reports.
Google Maps can find you Lime scooters in more than 80 cities
Starting this week, you'll be able to use Google Maps to locate Lime scooters, bikes and e-bikes in more than 80 cities. In a trial-run that began last December, the app gave transit users a Lime option, but it was limited to 13 cities. By the looks of this expansion, the test-run went well.
Lime says it has fixed a dangerous scooter braking glitch
Lime is aware of the braking glitch that has thrown some scooter riders to the ground, and it's addressing that issue more directly. The transportation service is rolling out a "final" firmware update for its scooters to tackle the problem after releasing a series of patches. It should reach all of the vehicles "shortly," the company said, although it suggested that travelers use "extra caution" when riding in the next few days.
Uber is hiring robotics teams to work on bikes and scooters
Uber is only gradually resuming its self-driving car program, but it's already thinking about expanding that technology to its two-wheeled services. The Telegraph has discovered that Uber is hiring for a "micromobility robotics" team that would bring "sensing and robotics technologies" to shared bikes and scooters. While the exact plans aren't clear, the newspaper believed this would lead to rides that park themselves -- important when carelessly parked scooters are a plague in some cities.
Lime halts service in Switzerland over possibly dangerous glitch
Don't expect to travel around Zurich on an electric two-wheeler in the near future. Lime has halted services in Switzerland following reports of its scooters abruptly halting in mid-ride, throwing (and sometimes injuring) riders. In a message to customers, Lime said the move was temporary and that it was performing a "thorough security and quality check" on the scooters to ensure this didn't happen again. It promised 15 minutes of free ride time as compensation when service returned, although it didn't say when that would happen.
