California Takes Step to Ban Kids from Riding E-Bikes
Plus, Voi receives €50M bond-issuance to fuel shared scooter growth.
Welcome to the Micromobility Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and industry news in the world of personal transportation.
30 Days to Go…
ICYMI: Micromobility America, the world’s premier trade show for small EVs, is coming to Southern California (Costa Mesa) on Nov. 14-15 for two days of cutting-edge insights, executive networking, valuable commercial opportunities, and of course, opportunities to test ride all the coolest new electric bikes, scooters, boards, buggies, and more.
The event will feature over 50 speakers from different areas of the alternative transportation universe, including micromobility company founders, journalists covering the industry, politicians and policymakers, investors, and more. Over 500+ companies are expected to join the event, taking part in presentations, product launches, award shows, test rides, networking events, and more.
Don’t miss your chance to meet and do business with a veritable who’s who of industry titans…
That’s not all. After the first day of Micromobility America ends, the festivities continue at our unmissable After Party. Join us for a lively evening at Newport Beach’s historic Stag Bar—a turn-of-the-century saloon located just steps from the beach—in collaboration with our partners at McKinsey & Company. Once you buy your ticket to the main event, you can RSVP to the After Party here 🍻
What You Need to Know Today
California micromobility users are celebrating as Gov. Newsom signed nine cycling- and pedestrian-friendly bills into law. But it’s not all good news for safe streets advocates, because he also vetoed two bills that would have reduced motorist speeding.
In addition, Gov. Newsom signed AB 2234, which will allow cities in San Diego County to prohibit children under 12 from using Class 1 and 2 e-bikes. With fears rising about e-bike injuries for kids, it will be interesting to see if more counties, or states, follow suit.
Swedish shared micromobility operator Voi has completed its first €50M bond issuance, part of a €125M plan to expand its e-scooter and e-bike fleets while refinancing current debt. Voi is optimistic about continued growth after cutting its overhead by nearly 50% since 2022 and achieving record rides in 2024.
Accell Group, owner of numerous e-bike brands, including Raleigh UK, Haibike, Babboe and Ghost, struck a recapitalizing deal with its investors to reduce its debt by €600M.
A new NYC law is going into effect that mandates stores display fire safety signs on e-bike certification and charging, while also granting the city the power to padlock stores that repeatedly sell uncertified batteries.
Pure Electric raised over $2.9M in its latest crowdfunding campaign, bringing its total investment to more than $91.3M. The e-scooter maker plans to use the newly raised funds to expand into Germany and Japan.
Outdoor recreation conglomerate Vista Outdoor is selling off Revelyst, a collective that includes QuietKat e-bikes and other cycling-related brands, to Strategic Value Partners for $1.125B.
The National Park Service released a study that confirms the use of e-bikes does not have a significantly greater impact on wildlife or visitor experience at National Parks than traditional bikes.
The Netherlands has dropped its criminal investigation into e-cargo bike maker Babboe following allegations that the company withheld information about frame issues. However, a law firm is planning a civil suit on behalf of 14,000 people, likely seeking compensation for damages related to the alleged frame issues.
The Spanish electric motorcycle industry is appealing to the government for more incentives, citing that monetary assistance is critical for the two-wheeler industry to realize its full potential.
Washington, DC, is testing solar-powered Capital Bikeshare docking stations around the district. The pilot program will alleviate the need for Capital Bikeshare employees to retrieve and exchange depleted e-bike batteries for charged ones.
Relatedly, Beam has unveiled the BeamBike, a solar-powered charging station that can handle up to 12 e-bikes at a time.
P.S. Does your work involve managing fleets of e-bikes, e-scooters, and the like? This interesting new whitepaper discusses the advantages of combining GNSS modules with a broad range of connectivity options (antenna, RTK correction services, design review) into a “one-stop-shop” solution that could transform your high-precision IoT projects.
Download the whitepaper for your chance to enter to win a free ticket to Micromobility America next month in Southern California.
Like what you’re seeing here? Ride along with us every week for free.