Great article interviewing Jay Walder of Motivate,
Post# of 22940
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/s...-of-cities
It looks like the potential, especially when talking about the world-wide market, is definitely there. It's all about marketing. Now looks like the advantageous time.
However, in L.A., for example, people do not really use mass transit. They are tied to personal modes of transportation, their car or motorcycle. Parking is hard to find or expensive, or both. Finding a parking spot further away from your work or destination in a residential area where the parking is free is fairly easy, but then how do you get from your vehicle to your destination? It's way too far to walk. But a foldable e-bike that would fit in your trunk or back seat makes sense. Having e-bike stations for public transportation is a good idea but they would have to be located close to parking structures or parking lots where you would park your car. And then you would have to pay for parking. If you're already paying for parking then that may not be such an issue but if you are paying for parking then you are probably parking close to work and wouldn't need the e-bike. Finally, there's the danger of competing for space on the streets with 3-4,000 pound cars.
The article was quick to note that cities are changing due to the impact of the green initiatives in transportation. However, it's a slow process. The e-bike industry will, no doubt, speed it along. But the thing Bill has to nail down or figure out is the logisitics of it all. I think the idea of providing the college and university campuses with a quick and convenient method of transportation is the key and a place to start. Generally, you're dealing with pedestrian walkways and bikeways on the campus. If there are streets, the vehicle traffic is usually slower than in the madhouse of a big city with buses, taxies, and personal vehicles all vying for the same space. Not so on the campus. I would hit every major campus and community college large enough to take advantage of the e-bike. Start with the campuses and then, when the cities add an appropriate amount of bike lanes to make cycling a safe alternative, hit the cities.
People are not going to find the Onebot by surfing the web.
Having the e-bike website for information and sales is great, but type in e-bike in your browser and look at the results. The Onebot doesn't even show up. So Bill must advertise in magazines, in papers, and on the radio channels of the campuses . Then, what becomes popular on the campus will extend to the rest of the market.
Live long and prosper my friends...but do it smart .