Amsterdam, we are unleashing the beats…

… because Micromobility Europe 2023 will culminate with an unprecedented, bass-boosted group ride through the streets of Amsterdam’s dynamic Noord neighborhood on Friday, June 9th. We are calling it Rave Ride ((d[-_-]b))

Dom Whiting, Europe’s hottest DJ on two wheels, will be there supplying drum’n’bass beats and good vibes (he’s a legend - check out his work). This will be a truly unforgettable chance to try out cool vehicles, meet new people, and celebrate our global community of riders, ending with a big party (details below)

Take the Ride of a Lifetime

🎟 Note: If you already have a ticket to the Micromobility Europe, you do not need to register separately for the Rave Ride. If you don’t have a ticket yet… well, this is just one more reason not to miss Europe’s premier small EV conference. Book now.

Today’s newsletter is brought to you by… Springtime Design

Springtime Design is a leading Dutch creative studio for new mobility design. We design and develop unique and exciting solutions in the micromobility and light EV space, such as the LEMMO One E-bike (2023 winner of both the Red Dot and iF Award). We would love to discuss your mobility dreams and see if we can support you. Meet us at the Micromobility Europe conference on June 8-9 in Amsterdam. Contact us.

What You Need to Know Today

On the most recent episode of The Micromobilty Podcast, Oliver sits down with Electra Bikes CEO Kevin Cox to discuss the influence behind their designs, the growth of the company through private equity, and their relationship with their parent company Trek.

Also, the latest episode of Ride On! includes TWO ebike giveaways, coverage of multiple vehicle launches, an interview with Kyle Ranson from Vvolt, and more.

UK-based Brompton, formerly a completely self-funded venture, recently received a ​​$23.6 million investment from BGF, who will assume a minority stake in the company. After company has seen roughly 20% growth every year for the last two decades, Brompton CEO Will Butler-Adams says the investment will help  continue growth and innovation

In Asia, electric two-wheelers are proving to be a more compact, affordable, and warm-weather-friendly alternative to EVs. As large automakers such as Honda begin to roll out more electric mopeds, the efficacy of electrifying small vehicles versus cars is becoming increasingly obvious.

… yet India is looking at lowering its subsidy for electric two-wheelers from 40% of the sale price to 15%. The government says the rollback is intended to spread the credit to a greater number of applicants.

Rumors surrounding TIER Mobility’s acquisition are continuing to surface, with one source claiming that Bolt is already in the process of acquiring the Berlin-based shared mobility operator. Despite recently losing Paris due to a public referendum banning all shared scooters, TIER still operates thousands of vehicles in 330 cities across Europe, which could make this an advantageous move for Bolt.

Image: Augustin Friedel

Just in time for the release of their fourth generation of ebikes, Cowboy has extended their retail network to 300 bike shops throughout Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. The move is intended to reach a broader consumer base outside of large city centers, in order to provide the best post-purchase customer experience.

British bicycle manufacturer Raleigh is expected to continue moving towards electrification of their vehicles, and their parent company Accell Group anticipates 2023 to be their first year selling more ebikes than mechanical bikes.

New York City is out with a new RFP for $30M “to create and sustain high-quality public spaces,” including micrmobility-friendly zones like Open Streets.

Electric bikes are expected to outsell regular bikes in Germany for the first time in 2023.

Image: Bloomberg

A study on the motivations behind bicycle commuting reveals two sides to the same coin: people are often discouraged by the lack of safety and infrastructure associated with cycling, but are motivated by its time-saving potential. Also, fitness can serve as both a barrier and an incentive to riding; the health benefits of cycling are known, but a low baseline fitness level can make bicycle commuting quite difficult.

…saving money can also be a big incentive for cyclists, and according to a new British study from CoMoUK finds, more than 60% of bikeshare users do just that.

An interesting where are they now… the founder of Chinese bikesharing pioneer Ofo has founded a high-tech coffee startup in NYC.

The Netherlands just opened its first micromobility path designed to accommodate trikes and side-by-side tandems.

Paved Paradise, a new book by Henry Grabar, examines the massive role that car parking plays in perpetuating the climate crisis, the housing shortage, and the privatization of public land.

Faulty batteries have caused 80 fires and 9 deaths in New York City this year, and delivery workers, who rely heavily on bikes, are at increased risk for these sorts of accidents. While less hazardous batteries exist, the problem for many workers is that they are simply not affordable without financial assistance. “Juan Ramirez, a delivery worker who emigrated from Guatemala to New York four years ago, said he makes anywhere from $100 to $180 a day. He said a new battery costs him five or six days of work.”

Boulder is emulating Colorado’s largest city, Denver, with an new ebike incentive that is set to roll out this summer. The vouchers will provide discounts of $300 for regular ebikes and $500 for cargo ebikes, while income-qualified residents will be eligible for savings of between $1,200 and $1,400.

The Christchurch City Council is backing ebike subsidization after climate protestors demanded it. If passed, the bill would be the first of its kind in New Zealand, according to our Global Incentive Tracker.

A report conducted by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety found that reduced speed limits resulted in 11% fewer fatal accidents, but slower speed limits paired with additional measures such as speed bumps resulted in a 40% reduction in fatal accidents.

Formerly gridlocked Brussels is slowly turning into a model city for successfully transitioning away from cars. Changes in cycling infrastructure, including some strategically-timed projects during the pandemic, have promoted a 3x increase in bicycle commuting in just four years. Although the city has endured some growing pains through the transition, Brussels has proved the possibility for completely changing existing transportation culture through policy.

Similarly, key policy changes throughout the past 50 years have turned the Netherlands from a car-centric country to a “Cycling Eden.” Protected bike lanes, ample parking infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, and well-adjusted right-of-way laws have helped transition the Netherlands into one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

Certain Hyundai dealers in France are now offering customers Rayvolt ebikes (pictured) as “courtesy vehicles” instead of cars.

Connectivity provider Comodule has partnered with Nexsurance to offer ebike owners a fully integrated security package. Now all ebikes that feature Comodule connectivity are eligible for a 40% discount on their insurance premium.

A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety finds that lowering e-scooter speeds has the unintended consequence of encouraging people to ride on the sidewalk to get away from fast-moving automotive traffic.

Related: UK Transport Minister Jesse Norman is facing growing pressure to regulate privately-owned scooters, with one MP urging Norman to “just get on with it” rather than continuing the consultation process.

Browse the best jobs in micromobility—and post your own—on our Jobs to Be Done board.

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