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

Japanese kei car manufacturer Daihatsu has shut down its factories after admitting to forging safety certification tests for over 30 years. The Toyota subsidiary produced both electric and gas powered kei cars and was known for its tiny pickup trucks.

San Francisco is exploring the use of Glydcars as part of a new mobility option. These small electric vehicles can seat four passengers and are completely autonomous, making last-mile transit connections on their own dedicated roadways.

After a series of financial setbacks, iconic e-bike manufacturer SONDORS has entered receivership and is now seeking a buyer. Included in the company’s assets are over 10,000 cash deposits for its stalled Metacycle project.

Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority announced plans to develop sustainable infrastructure for the city’s commercial transportation sector. The plan includes new electric delivery motorcycles and establishing a network of charging stations.

Battery swapping is hot and Yamaha is getting in on the action, creating a new company named Enyring to offer battery swapping services in Europe. The company will also create a closed loop system for recycling spent batteries into the next generation of products.

Nidec is looking to further capitalize on demand for electric motorcycles in India. The Japanese motor manufacturer already has multiple plants operating or under construction in India, and is considering two additional plants as soon as 2025.

2023 saw a record number of bans on electric bikes and scooters. Reasons and methods vary, ranging from individual landlords concerned with fire safety to massive cities - like Paris - banning shared scooters due to rising rider injuries.

Rather than subsidizing the purchase of new EVs, Indonesia is taking a different approach with incentives for converting ICE motorcycles to electric. The incentive has also been raised from Rp 7 million to Rp 10 million per unit.

Colorado’s statewide e-bike rebate program was hugely popular, consuming all of its available funding after just four months. It’s currently on hold while the state works to re-allocate funds from other programs.

India’s HOP Electric has grown steadily and is expecting to triple sales in 2024. With two e-mopeds and an e-bike already in its portfolio, the company is looking to raise $25M to expand production capacity and add a new mass-market e-bike.

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