Movements | October 16th, 2020
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Micromobility
The current state of retail scooters in Germany Report. This a great breakdown of retail scooter availability broken down by specs including power, suspension, and braking. | Augustin Friedel
Product Launches & Updates
Voi launches a ‘reaction test’ game to discourage drunk scooter riding. “In a 2019 study by Brussel’s Saint-Pierre Hospital, 35% of e-scooter users admitted to the hospital had consumed alcohol. In the in-app reaction test - active on Saturdays and Sundays between 1 and 4 a.m. - the players need to tap helmets on the screen as they appear in a random sequence. If a player receives a certain score, they pass the test.” | Voi
Radar is becoming a location platform for every app to help connect digital experiences to the physical world. | Radar
Ridehailing, Carsharing, & Delivery
Does free-floating carsharing reduce private vehicle ownership? A new research paper studying 11 cities in Europe found that each carsharing vehicle replaced up to 20 private vehicles. Other factors include the length of carshare trips, whether people had multiple carsharing and bikeshare memberships, and if people live in larger buildings. (h/t David Zipper) | Science Direct
Americans still like to drive to retail stores, even if they have to pickup items at the curb. It turns out that curbside pickup is profitable for companies where ecommerce iis not, because they outsource last mile delivery to the customer. “Beyond satisfying the need for contactless shopping in the pandemic, it taps into Americans’ desire to drive to a store, a pull that can be just as strong as, or even stronger than, the convenience of home delivery.” | NYT
Investment & Deals
ONO, a Berlin-based cargo eBike startup co-founded by the former head of design at Mercedes-Benz, raised a $3 million round. Their first electric pedal-assist vehicle “combines the flexibility of a bicycle, with the capacity and durability of a transport van”. | Tech EU
P2P carshare provider Getaround raised an additional $140 million in Series E financing. | Techcrunch
BMW and Daimler are exploring selling Park Now. It’s interesting to see how many of the major auto brands are divesting themselves of ancillary mobility services brands at the moment. | Bloomberg
Uer and SK Telecom are partnering on a joint venture that combines T Map Mobility and Uber’s technology to form a ridehailing service in South Korea. Uber is investing $150m in the venture. | Bloomberg
Cities & Policy
Against the advice of his own panel of experts, Mayor Bill De Blasio is doing the bare minimum to embrace changes to NYC’s transportation system and make cycling easier and safer despite its massive growth in the past 6 months. | Gothamist
In San Francisco, you can pay a parking garage $450 per month to store your car or just pay around $112 per month in parking tickets to the SFMTA. | Lan
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