How Micromobility Kept Taipei Moving After Earthquake

Plus, the EU makes big moves to prioritize cycling.

April 09, 2024

Welcome to the Micromobility Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and industry news in the world of personal transportation.

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What You Need to Know Today

Micromobility demonstrated its resiliency during last week’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Taiwan. While trains and buses were shuttered, Gogoro kept its mopeds and battery stations 100% online to provide Taipei residents with an essential mobility lifeline.

Image Credit: Gogoro

The European Union signed a landmark declaration prioritizing cycling, with plans to create cycling-friendly infrastructure and legislation across member states. This policy shift is expected to generate over one million jobs in the cycling industry by 2030. 

Paris is a shining example of how strong cycling policies can lead to positive change. A new report from the L’Institut Paris Région shows that more people now ride bikes than drive cars in the French capital.

Dutch cargo bike company Babboe found itself in hot water when it was investigated for hiding defective frames from officials during inspection visits. A few days later, Babboe issued a recall, offering a replacement frame or new bike to approximately one-third (or 22,000) of its customers.

Heads up: Our annual Micromobility Europe conference is coming to Amsterdam in less than two months. Join us on June 5-6 for two stacked days of networking, demos, test rides, knowledge-sharing, and more. And best of all, tickets are on sale for a limited time for €295/each, i.e. 70% off the full price. Don’t miss out.

Lime continues to show growth, with a noteworthy 32% YoY increase in bookings for 2023, marking its second consecutive year of profitability. Building on that momentum, the shared micromobility giant says it will expand its fleets by adding 30,000 e-bikes across North America, Europe, and Australia in 2024.

Airbnb for e-bikes? A Seattle-based startup called Spokeo has created a new peer-to-peer rental platform for bicycles, both acoustic and electric.

The Dutch cargo bike producer Cargo Cycling has partnered with UK-based Delivery Mates to pilot their Chariot FS2 e-cargo trike. This innovative tilting e-trike is designed for durability and high operational uptime, aiming to reduce last-mile maintenance costs and improve delivery efficiency.

Credit: Zag Daily

The CEO of Ather Energy, one of the largest moped manufacturers in India, is critiquing the Indian government’s surprise decision to slash cash incentives for mopeds by 25%. He argues  increased subsidies will be necessary to meet the country’s goal of electrifying 70% of 2-wheelers by 2030.

After filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2023, a reorganized Bird will operate under a new parent company, Third Lane Mobility. Bird and its sister brand, Spin, say they plan to resume and expand service.

Following a safety-certification scandal, Daihatsu, Toyota’s kei car subsidiary, will reorganize its business structure and focus on making mini EVs.

Image Credit: Daihatsu

It’s still illegal to ride a privately-owned electric scooter on a public road in the U.K., but that hasn’t stopped many Brits from doing it anyway. In response, law enforcement is now cracking down and police seizures of e-scooters are on the rise.

In an effort to offset sky-high third-party delivery fees, Cambridge, MA is exploring subsidizing cargo e-bikes for restaurants, making local deliveries carbon-less and cheaper.

U.S. traffic deaths fell 3.6% in 2023, but they remain historically high. In addition, a new report from NHTSA finds that, in 2022, American cycling deaths hit an all-time high, even as overall traffic deaths declined.

Credit: The League of American Cyclists

Colorado's e-bike rebate program has seen a tepid response from local bike shops, largely because the state doesn't reimburse them for a full tax year. Colorado will introduce quarterly reimbursements from 2025 onward to boost local retailer participation.

Minnesota is the latest state to offer generous e-bike incentives with rebates of up to 75% of the cost of a new e-bike. Minnesotans can apply for the rebate starting on June 5.

Are you looking for up-to-date information on e-bike incentives in your area? Check out our interactive Electric Bike Incentive Guide on Ride Review.