E-bike Subsidies Work: Bike Mode Share is Rising
Plus new delivery EVs and two-wheelers for the Market, successful fundraising by LAND & The International Battery Company, and more.
Welcome to the Micromobility Newsletter, your weekly digest of important events and industry news in the world of personal transportation.
Hi there - We have a trio of time-sensitive updates to share before we get moving…
🌍 First, Micromobility World goes live in 48 hours (Thursday, Jan. 25th). Tune in to learn from stellar guest-experts and find out the results of the Rider’s Choice Awards. Tickets are free, but space is limited. Sign up asap.
🏆 This is also your final chance to vote in the Rider’s Choice Awards. After three months and tens of thousands of ballots, the race is coming to an end soon. Winners will be determined by popular vote and announced live at Micromobility World. It all comes down to this. Get your votes in right away.
🇳🇱 Are in-person events more your thing? Our next physical show, Micromobility Europe, is coming to Amsterdam this June 5-6 for a stacked lineup of talks, demos, press tours, networking, expos and more. And this week only, you can snag tickets for just €175. We call it our “Almost Free” sale. Book now.
What You Need to Know Today
LAND announced a $3M anchor investment which will help scale production and improvements to their battery system. Called CORE, this system features swappable batteries and a cloud-connected charging infrastructure.
Omega Seiki Mobility and Kissan Mobility are partnering to bring electric three-wheeler cargo vehicles to the Indian market. The companies will begin with a fleet of 500 vehicles designed for last mile delivery operations.
Also coming to the Indian market are 30,000 electric mopeds from Bounce Infinity. They will be deployed via a partnership with SUN Mobility, utilizing their battery swapping technology and large charging network.
Making cities friendlier to pedestrians and micromobility isn’t just about safety or efficiency of travel. Shared streets and pedestrian malls are powerful catalysts for economic growth, as well as improving social connectivity.
Stellantis Ventures announced their investment in Tiamat, a French company that specializes in commercializing sodium-ion battery technology. The funds will enable the construction of a sodium-ion battery plant in France, producing batteries for power tools, stationary storage, and BEVs.
Electric mopeds from AIMA will soon be on the market in Pakistan. It’s made possible by a partnership with Pakistani company SIWA, with the companies signing a Memorandum of Understanding and preparing to open their first storefront.
Damon Motorcycles has selected E-One Moli as its supplier for lithium-ion battery packs, which will be used in its flagship electric motorcycle, the HyperSport. Both companies are based in British Columbia and E-One Moli recently announced plans to build a battery plant in Maple Ridge.
Electric bike subsidies are increasingly popular, but how effective are they? This study of mode share in transportation - that is, how many people are using different types of transport - shows a subsidy program leading to a significant 12.6% increase in bicycle mode share.
Electric bike manufacturer Himiway announced their first official service center in the United States. It’s located in the City of Industry, California, and Himiway plans to open up more service centers in other locations around the US.
The International Battery Company has raised $35M in funding with a pre-Series A round. The company intends to manufacture lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles in India, and plans an additional funding round with hopes of raising another $70M.
Car drivers love to complain about cyclists breaking the law, but are they really a problem? Camera-based studies have shown that while 66% of large vehicle drivers routinely violate traffic laws, only 14% of cyclists do so. That second figure drops to only 4.9% in cities with bike paths and other cycling infrastructure. An article commenter said it best:
“I think it's worth mentioning that some cyclists break traffic laws due to safety concerns. Intersections that are only designed for cars are one of the most dangerous places for cyclists so many will ride through a red light if traffic is clear to get out of the area.”