Lime announced today that it will launch a comprehensive fleet swap in Richmond, rolling out its industry leading Gen4 e-bike in the next two weeks and then its Gen4 e-scooter in the following weeks. Richmond residents and visitors have taken to Lime’s shared electric vehicles in large numbers since their launch in May of this year and Lime believes ridership will continue to grow. Lime plans to end the warm weather parts of the year by offering a glimpse of the long term future of micromobility in Richmond and British Columbia with these new industry leading vehicles.
“Richmond continues to show the way forward for micromobility in British Columbia, running a safe and successful e-bike and e-scooter sharing program since May,” said Chris Iuvancigh, General Manager at Lime. “These brand new e-scooters and e-bikes will offer a smoother and more sustainable rider experience and they’ll decrease street clutter and promote safety. They’ll also attract more residents and tourists to hop on an e-scooter and ride green, offering a preview of the bright long term future of micromobility in Richmond and all of British Columbia. It’s a win-win for riders and the city together.”
The Gen4 vehicles will provide riders with the smoothest and most environmentally friendly shared scooter ride available. The most significant advancement is the swappable, interchangeable battery, that is shared between both Gen4 models. This significantly enhances the efficiency and sustainability of our operations, while improving vehicle availability for riders. Swappable batteries mark a huge step for the broader shared micromobility industry and Lime is leading the way right here in Richmond.
Since Lime launched in Richmond in May of this year, over 15,000 Lime riders have taken over 32,000 trips on Lime vehicles. Lime riders have traveled over 76,000 kilometres, keeping over 8,000 car trips off the road, and saving up to 4 metric tons of carbon emissions as well as nearly 1724 litres of gas.
Hardware
The goal of the Gen4 scooter is to provide the smoothest and most sustainable Lime scooter ride in our history. Highlights of the new vehicle model include:
- Swept back handlebars, a first for shared e-scooters and reminiscent of bike handles, allowing for more a comfortable grip.
- Dual hand brake system to make slowing and stopping easier and more immediate when needed.
- Lowered baseboard to optimize the center of gravity on the scooter and make getting on and off easier.
- New kickstand with two legs to help avoid scooters from being tipped over when parked, which can help to reduce clutter on sidewalks.
- Enhanced suspension and larger wheels mean a smoother ride over cracks, warped pavement and anything else the cityscape can throw at you.
Most important of all is the addition of a swappable battery, which will drive even greater efficiency in our operations and further reduce the carbon emissions of scooter riding.
Upgrades to the Gen4 e-bike include:
- Increased motor power to help riders easily climb hills;
- A phone holder, allowing riders to easily navigate and follow directions without having to stop and look at their phones;
- A new handlebar display mirroring the one on Lime’s scooters for a standardized display across vehicle types;
- An automatic two-speed transmission that eliminates the prior generation’s gears for easier acceleration and smoother ride;
- A modular design, extending the usable life to five years.
