East Bronx Launches Electric Scooter Sharing Progr
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America’s green-energy goals recently became clearer after President Joseph Biden announced a new national target for electric vehicles (“EVs”) that would require one-half of U.S. vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. It is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to cut down the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by replacing conventional internal combustion engines (“ICE”) with zero-emission electric vehicles. With the effects of climate change becoming increasingly clear across the country, eliminating carbon emissions is becoming a matter of life and death.
The draw is that while nearly 40% of Americans say they would seriously consider going electric the next time they purchase a vehicle, EVs are too expensive for most car owners. Some cities and municipalities have taken to offering incentives and rebates to subsidize the high purchase costs, but a New York borough has gone a different way. The Bronx, specifically East Bronx, recently launched a pilot-sharing program that would see residents rent electric scooters at an affordable rate. The pilot-sharing program has around 3,000 e-scooters available for rent.
The New York Department of Transportation is behind the program, having partnered with operators Lime, Bird and Veo to supply the majority of the battery-powered scooters. Each company will provide 1,000 scooters for the program. Residents interested in renting an e-scooter will need to download a mobile app and scan a bar code to unlock the scooters, typically for $1. Veo will charge $0.39 per minute to use the scooters while Lime will charge $0.30 per minute to ride. Bird will charge $0.30 per minute, and it will also provide discounted community pricing for qualified riders.
According to Lime, its electric scooters will have a maximum speed of 15 mph with first-time riders being capped to 10 mph for the first three rides. Lime will be launching its brand-new Gen4 scooter featuring a lower, wider base; better suspension; curved handlebar; and more reflective surfaces to boost visibility.
Bird’s and Veo’s e-scooters will also have a speed limit of 15 mph. Veo will offer riders the choice between two kinds of e-scooters: the seated Cosmo scooter, which allows riders to sit while on the move, and the Astro VS4, which is a more traditional scooter featuring safety features such as turn signals and bright lights for nighttime riding.
The announcement has been met with mixed reactions. For instance, helmets are neither required nor provided with the scooters, and riders are highly advised to bring their own. They can also request one for free on Bird’s website if they opt for the Bird e-scooter.
Electric scooters can play a vital role on the last mile of people’s commutes, and companies such as DSG Global Inc. (OTCQB: DSGT), which have entered the sector to distribute these two-wheelers are likely to help attain the desired goal of electrification of travel.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to DSG Global Inc. (OTCQB: DSGT) are available in the company’s newsroom at http://ibn.fm/DSGT
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