🏛 U.S. Paves Way for National Battery Standard

New York City remains in the spotlight after another fire causes death and destruction.

December 12, 2023

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

Rider’s Choice Awards + Micromobility World

🏆 The second elimination round of the Riders’ Choice Awards is this Friday (December 15th). Vote now to ensure your favorite nominees survive the cut!

👩‍💻 And don’t forget to sign up for Micromobility World—our largest virtual conference—which is coming up next month. We’ll be announcing the winners of the Rider’s Choice Awards live, as well as presenting visionary keynotes and ground-breaking insights from industry leaders. Register now while tickets are still free. 

What You Need to Know Today

All eyes are on New York City as the crisis of fires caused by poorly made LEV batteries continues to unfold after yet another fire in the Bronx resulted in six injuries and one death, the 18th fatality in NYC this year. City, state, and federal government bodies are attempting to address this issue from multiple angles:

  • NYC mayor Adams launched “Charge Safe Ride Safe”, a pilot program to allow a small group of delivery workers to safely charge their ebikes in public.

  • New York State’s controversial law increasing the minimum wage for app-based delivery workers was upheld by appeals court, surviving challenges from Uber, Doordash, and Grubhub. It is thought the increase in wages may help gig workers afford higher-quality and safer vehicles.

  • Most importantly, a bill requiring the federal government to establish safety standards for lithium-ion batteries is nearing completion after being advanced by the U.S. House of Representative’s Energy and Commerce Committee.

Amsterdam has officially lowered its speed limit to 30km/h (19 mph) citywide. The move is expected to reduce traffic accidents by 20-30%. (That reminds us - don't miss out on Micromobility Europe in Amsterdam on June 5-6. Tickets to the conference are on sale for €145 during the holidays.) 

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Residents of the U.K. are now required to submit name and license information in order to rent a shared scooter. The new law, which took effect on December 5th, applies to both new and existing riders.

Bike maker Canyon’s sales increased 23% in the first nine months of 2023, although profitability declined by 6% due to higher discounts and supply shortages.

Dockless bike fleets are steadily growing in Europe and ridership has increased by 44% in the third quarter of 2023, according to the latest European Shared Mobility Index report from Fluctuo.

Dott announces launch of e-bikes, with first vehicles in operation in Paris

Kenya’s president William Ruto is seeking investors to capitalize on opportunities as the country transitions from fossil fuels to electric power. The president’s plan is focused on micromobility and would replace some two million motorbikes - regionally known as Boda Boda - with electric motorcycles.

San Francisco is expanding its pilot program for ebike deliveries after receiving a $600,000 federal grant from the United States Department of Energy. The grant will enable safety training, data collection, and additional delivery participants.

Should the U.S. and Europe embrace Japan’s tiny cars? Kei cars are highly efficient and affordable compared to full-size vehicles, but typically don’t pass current US and EU safety standards.

Micromobility adoption rates are significantly higher when cities have infrastructure to support it. The United States lags far behind other countries in this area, and catching up is a uniquely challenging problem for even the most committed city governments.

India’s FAME subsidy for electric two-wheeler purchases was reduced in June but that hasn’t slowed adoption, with sales continuing to grow.

Velca secured €5.3M ($5.7M USD) in a Series A funding round. This will enable the Spanish two-wheeler startup to expand into other countries and add more models to their existing lineup of 13 electric vehicles.

Now is a great time to buy an electric motorcycle in Malaysia. A new incentive program was just announced by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, offering a rebate of up to RM2,400 ($513 USD) to encourage riders to switch from petrol.

Greaves Electric Mobility, the micromobility arm of Indian OEM Greaves Cotton, is expanding into Nepal.

Gogoro continues to expand, launching its popular battery-swappable mopeds in the Philippines. The new launch opens consumer sales, expanding from Gogoro’s current partnerships with B2B delivery companies in the Philippines.

Enertech’s integrated electric mobility solution CHRGR is officially launched in the United Arab Emirates. The platform integrates solar charging points with last-mile delivery vehicles, and its launch signifies the start of an expansive plan to electrify transportation in the UAE.

Lowering reliance on ICE vehicles is crucial for furthering micromobility infrastructure. A roadmap published by the Urban Freight Lab can help cities implement large-scale adoption of cargo electric bikes to replace ICE delivery vehicles.

Paris wants to limit emissions and air pollution by tripling parking charges for large SUVs, effectively pushing the vehicles out of the city.