Welcome to the Micromobility Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and industry news in the world of personal transportation.
📆 The biggest news this week is that the first edition of the agenda for Micromobility Europe 2024 is live!
Join us in Amsterdam on June 5-6 for two jam-packed days of inspiring panels, newsworthy launches, in-depth workshops, and the return of our fan-favorite Startup Awards.
Featuring 50+ speakers (and counting) spread across two stages, the program includes top leaders from global brands in small EVs, like Segway, Autodesk, Yamaha, Tier, Dott, Specialized, Cannondale, Riese and Muller, Zoomo, Swing, Ryde, Hop, Tembici, Decathlon, Laka, Cooltra, Comodule, Veloretti, Navee, EIT Urban Mobility, McKinsey, Voltaire, Voi, Cowboy, and more—not to mention, opening remarks by luminary analyst Horace Dediu (coiner of the term “micromobility”) and closing remarks by Formula E champ Lucas Di Grassi (pioneer of electric scooter sports).
And this is only the beginning. Watch this space as we announce more speakers and sessions in the coming weeks.
Ready to sign up? Tickets are on sale with a 70% discount this week. Book your passes before EOW and pay just €1,000 €295!
Gogoro's global expansion potential has been significantly boosted with a newly inked partnership with Sumitomo Corporation and Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Co., Ltd. (SMFL), a leading Japanese multinational. Sumitomo, which owns 900 subsidiary companies with 80,000 employees across a broad range of industries including auto, construction, and real estate, will gain access to Gogoro's innovative battery-swapping platform through this collaboration.
Plus the recently launched Gogoro Jego electric moped has received a record number of pre-orders and will begin shipping soon in Taiwan. The Jego will be sold for $760 (after gov’t subsidies); riders will subscribe to Gogoro’s battery swapping network for energy.
Image Credit: Gogoro
Take an inside look at one of the world’s largest EV motorbike producers. This Yadea factory in China, which is the size of 750 American football fields, is one of eight facilities that collectively produce more than 16 million two-wheelers every year.
Vinfast’s founder is committing to invest at least $1 billion into the struggling EV company so it can expand. The Vietnamese company is known for producing cars, but it has strong background in two-wheelers too, as we saw at CES this year.
Oonee, the builder of enclosed bike parking facilities, announced that it would install facilities in Minneapolis, MN. This expansion marks Oonee’s first operation in a metropolitan area outside NYC and New Jersey.
Image Credit: Oonee
Latin America depends on two-wheelers for much of its transportation and commerce. Vammo is building a two-wheeler battery swapping network in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to support the development of electric mobility. In its 1st year of operation, most of its business is focused on delivery drivers, but commuters are a growing segment.
Despite advancements, vehicle front crash prevention systems aren’t detecting motorcycles (and cyclists?), which is contributing to dangerous rear-ending crashes with stopped motorcycles.
New Webinar!
Join us on May 9th for a new insightful webinar where we delve into the intersection of micromobility and cutting-edge AI simulations to drive revenue growth. We'll explore how AI-powered simulations can revolutionize business strategies, optimize operations, and maximize revenue streams in micromobility. Register here.
An e-bike library pilot opens in South Central Los Angeles with 250 e-bikes available for public use. The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator and the LADOT will coordinate the program, which is funded through a $2.7 million grant from the Califonia Air Resources Board.
Known for its strong cycling culture, Portland, OR, is seeing a growth in e-bikes, which now account for 17% of the city’s total number of bikes.
Close City is an interactive map app that shows the travel time by bike and foot to essential services like grocery stores, schools, and public transit.
Image Credit: Close City
Driving in Florida is miserable, and getting rid of bike lanes isn’t going to fix the problem.
In an effort to create safer city streets, European city leaders write an open letter to the European Transport Safety Council to defend the right of local governments to set speed limits within their towns.
Bolt, in collaboration with the African fintech platform M-KOPA, will deploy 5,000 electric motorcycle-taxis in Kenya over the next 3 years.
Image Credit: Bolt
E-bikes continue to outsell pedal bikes in Germany and Belgium.
Bafang reports a 42% decline in operating income in 2023. Despite the setback, Bafang projects a positive outlook for long-range growth potential, armed with a diverse portfolio of products and an untapped market in China.
Does your job involve overseeing electric scooters, bikes, and mopeds? You should check out this whitepaper about how the latest advancements in GNSS tech are poised to shake up micromobility fleet management.
