Melbourne, Victoria
e-Scooter hire trials were launched in Victoria on February 1st, as a State Government initiative to assess the suitability of scooters as a transport option in the long-term.
Lime and Neuron Mobility were selected to operate the 12-month trial in the inner-city council areas of Melbourne, Yarra and Port Phillip, and are rolling out 1,500 scooters in the three locations.
A statement from the City of Melbourne said its trial of the e-scooters as a low-emission mode of transport was a major step towards the municipality achieving net-zero emissions by 2040.
Lime’s General Manager of Australia and New Zealand, Hugo Burt-Morris, said the Melbourne trials were part of the company’s launch of its Generation 4 e-scooter. The new model features swept-back handlebars – a first for shared e-scooters – to improve handling, as well as dual handbrakes, larger wheels and a lower deck for a lower centre of gravity.
It also incorporates instant geo-fence technology and new swappable batteries that are compatible with Lime’s recently launched Gen4 e-bikes.
The Victorian trials also include the regional city of Ballarat, which became the first scooter trial in Victoria when Neuron launched its service on December 15th.
One week after the launch, and with 10,000 rides already recorded, Neuron Mobility representatives combined with Victorian police to encourage safe use of the scooters.
Neuron partnered with police to run a ‘ScootSafe’ event, after police took to social media to express “some concerns with the behaviour and compliance of a small number of users during the trial.
Neuron has deployed 250 e-scooters within a 25 square kilometre riding area, covering Ballarat Central, Ballarat North, Lake Wendouree, Eureka Golden Point and Redan.
