Banning shared e-scooters: A Safety Threat or a Lifeline for Disabled Riders? | April 21, 2023

Plus, don't miss this incredible opportunity to connect with the shared mobility community and register now for the 2023 National Shared Mobility Summit!

Issue [#184] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

What are the new and creative ways to expand and sustain shared mobility? Get the latest insights and best practices during the 2023 National Shared Mobility Summit. From May 2-4 in Chicago, attendees will experience speeches, workshops, panels, networking, and field trips, to learn about best practices that put people first. Register today.

Micromobility

Chris Sturm, the Policy Director of Land Use at New Jersey Future, says traveling “car-free” is living more “care-free,” and she learned that during her four-month sabbatical where she lived in England, Germany, and Japan. She experienced the benefits of car-free magic life during her vacation and hopes that more people like her will have a chance to live that life with New Jersey’s continuous efforts to improve walk-bike-ride opportunities in the city / StreetBlogsUSA

Paris decided to ban shared e-scooters on the city streets, declaring them a threat to road safety, but they might hold an entirely different meaning to disabled riders. Neuron Mobility, a rental e-scooter company, and micromobility technology developer, revealed through their latest survey data that disabled e-scooter riders relied on the shared e-scooters for their daily activities more than their non-disabled colleagues. The riders reported they used the vehicles to relieve the pain and fatigue caused by their disabilities during mobility / Forbes

The CitiesFirst Podcast's new webinar has taken off with a bang, and it's all about decarbonizing the transport sector! In their inaugural episode, host Scott Shepard sat down with three industry gurus, Tiya Gordon, Jennifer Lenhart, and Stephen Lorimer, to discuss the nitty-gritty of reducing emissions in the transport sector. From exploring the quickest modes to reach net zero to leveraging electrification and autonomy tech for good, this discussion covers it all / The #CitiesFirst Podcast

The automobile community will be able to interact, touch and feel the technology that is transforming the way we move at Curbivore's upcoming in-person event in Downtown Los Angeles in March 2024. You will interact with influential community members and visionary entrepreneurs who are transforming our transit infrastructure. Not only that, you may test-drive innovative delivery, mobility vehicles, and technology / CVENT

Product Launches & Updates

Mercedes’ latest electric SUV, the Maybach EQS SUV, is here to impress with its boosted power, extended range, and all the luxuries it presents to its buyers. Designed based on EQS SUV, the power is boosted with an AWD, dual-motor affair offering 649 hp and 700 lb-ft, and the range is increased to 372 miles on a single charge. But that’s not all! This highly anticipated SUV is jam-packed with other ultra-luxury features as well, making it a perfect road trip companion! / TechCrunch

Denago eBikes will debut its two groundbreaking performance mountain bike models – the eXC1 and the eXC2 - at the Sea Otter Classic. Both innovatively feature mid-drive motors, with specifications tailored to meet even professional riders' needs; including a Bafang M410 motor (eXC1) or an upgrade of that model in form of a stronger Bafang M510 Motor (eEXCT), 500Wh/672Wh batteries respectively and additional features like Suntour XCM32 fork for full suspension on one side, as well as dropper seatpost for better control on tougher terrains on another / InsideEVs

Polestar has unveiled its latest electric vehicle, the Polestar 4, an SUV coupé that is the second SUV in their line-up. It is positioned between the Polestar 2 and Polestar 3 in terms of size and price. The design of the Polestar 4 incorporates elements from the Polestar Precept concept car, including the removal of the rear window to create a unique experience for rear passengers / Polestar

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

People should be paid the same wages for doing the same work to create an unbiased labor market, but that might be different if you work for Uber or Amazon. Here, you may encounter an undercut in your wages by the companies' algorithm, known as 'algorithmic wage discrimination,' and with its new system of 'upfront fares' and the advancement of AI, this phenomenon will likely escalate further / Los Angeles Time

BrightDrop is making its mark by remodeling the delivery sector, and not just with its electrified delivery vans. Travis Katz, CEO of the General Motors' subsidiary, sat down with Nilay Patel from Decoder and shared insights on how BrightDrop operates differently from GM, what challenges he faces while being part of a big startup company, and his plans to revamp the entire system into something more efficient for its customers / The Verge

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has started a pilot program to test local delivery hubs. Under this program, items will be carried using environmentally friendly modes of transportation rather than trucks, aiming to reduce emissions and make the delivery process more sustainable, safer, and less congested / ZAGDaily

Uber and Cartken are teaming up to bring autonomous food delivery robots to Fairfax, Virginia. The program will start with a few merchants at Mosaic District, a shopping and dining area managed by EDENS. Some of the participating merchants include Our Mom Eugenia, Pupatella, and RASA. This expansion of Uber and Cartken’s partnership is another step towards their goal of using autonomous technology to bring innovation to consumers and merchants in Fairfax and beyond / TechCrunch

Zipcar has announced its participation in the White House EV Acceleration Challenge. As part of this initiative, the company has pledged to dedicate 25% of its electric vehicle fleet to serve disadvantaged communities in 2023. This will provide these communities with access to affordable and convenient transportation options for various purposes. Zipcar has a track record of supporting disadvantaged communities and was the first car-sharing provider in the U.S. to offer EVs to its shared fleet and to overburdened communities / Zipcar

Investment & Deals

In order to hasten its international expansion and growth, MOBY Bikes Holdings Ltd. (MOBY) has announced the first closure (€4.1 million) of a €5 million pre-Series A round / MOBY

Skarper, a firm located in London, has raised £4 million in finance for its patented technology that converts standard bicycles into highly effective e-bikes in a matter of seconds / ZAGDaily

Federal Funding Amounting to More Than $14 Billion Announced by FTA to Support Public Transportation Across U.S / Federal Transit Administration

Kate, a French startup, recently secured $7.6 million (€7 million) in funding from a group of business angels. The company has set its sights on revolutionizing everyday mobility by using the funds to create electric micro-cars as an alternative to traditional vehicles / Tech.eu

Chargel, a logistics tech startup based in Senegal, has successfully raised $2.5M in seed funding. Founders Moustapha and Alioune Ndoye built on their expertise from previously selling Teranga - a hospitality tech business- to develop an innovative solution for managing fleets of trucks that helps owners maximize profitability / TechCrunch

E-bike subscription service launch In a fresh round of fundraising, Whizz has raised $3.4 million to support the last-mile delivery industry / Forbes

Cities & Policy

The NY City Council introduced two additional bills in response to the city's increasing number of lithium-ion battery fires / Bicycle Retailer

In an effort to curb fare evasion and win back riders, cities such as New York and Washington D.C. are implementing high-tech barriers and stricter enforcement measures. However, some critics argue that there are better alternatives. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York views fare evasion as a major issue and has increased enforcement by 60%, resulting in more arrests and summonses. The cost of lost fares to the agency was estimated at $500 million last year / Bloomberg

A Texas bill would ease local governments' ability to lower speed limits in residential areas / The Dallas Morning News

New Products, Features, and Data Points

The new Virvolt 900 E-Bike Motor focuses on versatility and repairability. Renault is producing the new bicycle with an electric motor in state-of-the-art facilities / InsideEVs

Since global automakers have been unable to meet the demand for electric cars and SUVs from Chinese consumers, domestic automakers are now outselling them / The New York Times

Waze has recently launched its popular in-vehicle app to all Volvo models that have Google built-in, including drivers in the U.S. and Asia Pacific regions who will experience the app for the first time. The app offers real-time routing, navigation, and alerts, all available with a quick setup after downloading from the Google Play Store. Whether it's the driver or a passenger using the app, they can easily access Waze's navigation features with just one tap / Telematics News

Jobs Board

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