🌍 Last Chance: Micromobility World

Plus, Paris calls referendum on scooters, Washington DC considers eBike rebate, and Rider's Choice Awards end today.

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. 19th). For our largest-ever online event, expect stellar speakers (Kara Swisher, Horace Dediu, Gabe Klein, Matthew Yglesias, and more), incredible relationship-building opportunities, and the live results of the Rider’s Choice Awards. Tickets are free for just a tiny bit longer. 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 comes to an end today (Jan. 17th). 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 for a stacked lineup of talks, demos, press tours, networking, expos and more, and from now until Friday, Jan. 20th, you can snag Early Bird tickets for ⅙ the full price. Book now.

What You Need to Know Today

A bill introduced in Washington D.C. would create 3,000 rebates for people to buy electric bicycles. The proposed legislation would offer residents $400 in savings, plus an additional $500 for cargo models and larger rebates for low-income applicants, when buying from local brick-and-mortar retailers. With this modest-sized program, Washington may find that demand quickly outruns supply. Denver, a city of almost identical size, used up 4,100 eBike vouchers in a matter of months last year.

Along with financial incentives, one of the best things cities can do to spur eBike adoption is build the proper infrastructure. One shining example of micromobility-first planning is Barcelona, where nearly all residents now live within a thousand feet of a cycling lane.

The fate of shared scooters in Paris, one of the largest markets for such devices in the world, will come down to a public vote. After months of fierce debate, the city’s mayor has scheduled a referendum for April 2nd in which Parisians will decide whether or not to ban scooters from the city.

If it’s any indication of how the voting will go, the data shows Parisians seem to really like using scooters. The 15,000 vehicles that are currently in the French capital are ridden extensively (each one sees about five trips per day), with 85% of registered users being local residents.

While Paris debates, the rest of the world continues to ride. The global shared micromobility market is projected to generate up to $90B in 2030, a 90x increase from 2019, according to a new study by McKinsey & Company. (McKinsey’s analysts will shed light on their even higher market estimates for owned micromobility this week at Micromobility World.)

Is the problem of scooter clutter as severe as critics say? A new study finds that passersby tend to overestimate the share of dockless scooters that are parked improperly on the sidewalk.

It seems safety is another issue that is rapidly improving for scooter users. According to a new report, the number of electric scooter accidents requiring medical treatment in Europe fell 60% in two years.

Speaking of safety, Bosch could soon start equipping its eBike systems with ABS, which it says could reduce up to 30% of injuries.

On the latest episode of The Micromobility Podcast, Oliver Bruce talks to Robin Eriksson of Cogo, Europe’s largest MaaS app, about his vision to build the Kayak of shared micromobility.

Specialized, the global bike brand, announced it will lay off 8% of its employees. (For career openings in micromobility, consult our jobs board.)

Taiwan’s bike and bike parts exports grew 23% last year, with electric bike exports rising almost 18%.

U.K.-based Boost has secured angel funding to bring its eBike conversion kit to bike shops.

Uber Eats will use tiny sidewalk robots to make food deliveries in Miami.

New legislation would allow New York City to lower speed limits below 25 mph.

Electric vehicle sales keep defying predictions, especially small electric vehicles: “Globally, there are 10 times as many electric scooters, mopeds and motorcycles on the road as true electric cars... It’s been something of a secret revolution here, too: In 2020, Americans bought twice as many e-bikes as they did E.V.s.”

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board warns that bigger, bulkier electric vehicles (such as SUVs and pickup trucks) will make America’s road-safety crisis worse.

No one is safe from the menace posed by automobiles, not even former Beatles. Paul McCartney was almost run over by a car in London while trying to recreate the iconic Abbey Road album cover.

Browse the best jobs in micromobility—and post your own—on our Jobs to Be Done board.