At the beginning of July, in an attempt to promote not only sustainable but safe travel in the UK, the government gave the green light to trial E-scooter rentals in some cities.
The opinion of E-scooters in the UK so far has not been one without controversy. People believe they have the potential to cause anarchy on our roads and bike lanes and could result in more road accidents, whilst others seen it as a green way to travel around the city.
If E-scooters do pass the test, one challenge brands in this market could face will be educating consumers that E-scooters are a safe mode of transport.
In recent weeks, there has been national media suggesting that the batteries on E-scooters are not safe and have the potential to catch fire or even explode – not quite what you look for when purchasing a new vehicle…
However, that being said, shared micro-mobility solutions are increasingly popular across European cities, and the benefits of a greener way of travel and taking more cars off the road is a big win.
We’ve identified five rental brands that have the potential to lead the market and conversation around E-scooters.
One of the giants in the mobility sector is Swedish firm Voi Technology, whose pioneering work focuses on providing an affordable, sustainable, and exciting way for people to commute.
Voi’s scooters which are currently available in 38 cities across ten European countries, actively work on reducing air and noise pollution levels, whilst also reducing the carbon footprint in cities in the process.
Since their inception in 2018, Voi Technology has raised over €122m, largely thanks to a huge €77m raised from both new and former investors at the end of last year.
As the brand continues their journey of development, it will be fascinating to follow their progress and what functionality their next line-up of vehicles will include.
Micro-mobility start up Tier has set bold ambitions to match their current levels of funding (so far they have raised over €130m). The German-based business aspires of leading the way towards smooth and sustainable mobility for all.
At the beginning of this year, Tier was named the first micro-mobility company to be fully climate-neutral, meaning they have a net-zero carbon footprint.
But whilst they might be pioneers in their own right, Tier acknowledges that they can’t change mobility for good on their own alone. Meaning they actively welcome partnerships with cities, public transport providers as well as communities to help achieve the end goal which is to create a cleaner and sustainable future.
Last month it was reported that Tier won Paris’ competitive E-scooter tender process, meaning they will be able to operate up to 5,000 scooters in the French capital.
Like the previously brands, Wind’s e-scooters provide a fun and zero-emission based alternative for consumers. Interestingly though, as part of Wind’s offering, they’re on the lookout for consumers to apply to become part of the Supercharger community, which if your application is successful means you could get paid to power up the fleet ready for the next day of riding.
Towards the end of 2019, Wind announced that their latest model of scooter which had taken eight months to develop included an ‘industry-first’ swappable battery which aims to better battery life and hardware durability.
Originally known as Flash, before re-branding to Circ in the summer of last year. When asked why the new name, a spokesperson for the brand suggested the switch better reflected who the brand is and how seriously they take the responsibility of moving people.
‘Circ is all about circles, connections and there is a great symmetry between the brand and helping people to move around their cities in a reliable and safe way.’ The representative went on to add.
If E-scooter rentals do get the green light in the UK, it couldn’t be easier to use Circ. Simply download the app, find an e-scooter nearby on the map and let the ride experience begin!
There’s a couple of interesting features on the Circ E-scooter which help it to stand out from their competitors including a headlight and a motor which a range of power depending on the journey.
Newly founded mico-mobility business, Dott, is on a mission to improve European city life. Their dockless, shared electrical scooters are a convenient alternative for short-distance travel. They believe they can create a future where inner cities will be free of both cars and pollution.
Last year Dott raised $34 million in a Series A funding round, we’re excited to see how they develop and launch across Europe’s most popular cities.
Do you work at an e-scooter brand that wants to reach a new audience in the UK? Speak to our team today to find out how we could do just that.
