OneDock Push from $500,000 iMove Grant
Melbourne, Victoria
MicroFleet’s development of the OneDock system gained a major boost this month when the Melbourne-based company received $500,000 in funding from Australia’s national centre for collaborative R&D in transport and mobility, iMove.
“microFleet’s OneDock is the embodiment of the future of urban mobility and transportation. It’s sustainable, user-centric, and primed for global adoption. It’s green, it’s smart, and it’s what cities need,” iMove’s managing director, Ian Christensen, said.
microFleet, a new parent company for long-standing operations Cargo Craft and Electric Vehicles, has been talking to a number of investors to help complete the development of the OneDock system, which can be used to dock and charge all types of bicycles, scooters and light electric vehicles, and is on track to be in the market in early 2024.
“It has been estimated the global e-micromobility charging market will be worth $67 billion by 2030, and microFleet aims to capture two percent market share worth $1.35 billion”
Chief operating officer Al Reid said the backing would also help accelerate the OneDock’s production and export, as well as rolling out the company’s complete smart fleets package of e-bikes, e-cargo bikes and patent docking system.
A statement from iMove said the OneDock technology presented Australia with a golden opportunity to grab a share of the “booming e-micromobility market tipped to be worth $300 billion by 2030”.
“It has been estimated the global e-micromobility charging market will be worth $67 billion by 2030, and microFleet aims to capture two percent market share worth $1.35 billion,” it says.
“The technology’s implications for urban transportation are profound, promising cities a future where the integration of e-micromobility is not just seamless but also sustainable and efficient”.
“For users, it means no more hunting for charging points or worrying about running out of power mid-ride.
“microFleet is in talks with New York City representatives, with aims to be among an elite cadre of companies to roll out e-micromobility charging systems in 2024. A successful negotiation could translate to a staggering 70,000 OneDocks gracing the streets of the Big Apple.”
The company aims to install 100,000 smart docking points in Australia and one million globally by 2030.
iMove says the innovation comes at a crucial time, “especially considering the alarming trend from New York in 2022, where ad hoc lithium battery charging resulted in 216 fires, 147 injuries, and six fatalities”.
Segway Charging Station
Chinese company Segway has unveiled its own ChargeLock Station, that uses flexible cables to secure and charge bikes, scooters and light electric vehicles.
Segway says the ChargeLock Station is less expensive than other docking station options, a selling point also highlighted by microFleet with its OneDock station.
The ChargeLock, developed in collaboration with US business Metro Mobility, has four touch points with the ground so it can be installed on many surfaces, without needing a hard and level base.