Uber is Adding Electric Bike & Scooters to Its App

Uber is Adding Electric Bike & Scooters to Its App

The time we’ve all been waiting for is here! Tired of waiting in rush hour traffic especially during short rides – now you can order an e-scooter or bike that will get you there faster without having to sit in traffic. This is a win for any busy city. Adding electric bikes and scooters to any city will help get rid of congested roads and minimize traffic.

What’s the Game Plan

Uber plans to shift focus from cars to these two-wheeled vehicles for shorter, inner –city rides as part of its long-term strategy. This is a win for the user and the city because it’s quite inefficient for one car to take a person 10 blocks during rush hour. Since rates will be lower for scooters and bikes then cars, there will most likely be a decrease in profits.  Uber feels that this new venture may not be a win short-term financially, but strategically it’s where they want to be headed long-term. This decision could also have an impact on Uber drivers, who already face lower wages. But over the longer term drivers will be hired for more lucrative longer rides, while facing less congested roads.

Lime and Uber Partnering Up for E-Scooters

Uber is investing in Lime in a new $335 million round of financing led by Alphabet’s venture arm, GV, that values the electric scooter company at $1.1 billion. Under the deal, Lime’s e-scooters will become available to rent on Uber’s app. Uber plans on putting their logo on some of Lime’s electric scooters, but it’s not clear yet how many or which cities will get the chance of enjoying this partnership first. Lime is based in San Mateo, California, and its scooters can be found in 70 cities in the US and Europe. Uber wants to incorporate scooter in hopes that consumers have another fast, affordable option to get around their city, especially to and from public transit.

Uber Buys Bike-Share Company

Uber acquired Jump, the New York City-based e-bike startup that has been working with Uber to integrate bike-sharing options into Uber’s app. Uber’s goal is to bring together multiple modes of transportation within the Uber app, so the user can choose the fastest or most affordable way to get to where you’re going. The deal gives Uber access to Jump’s 12,000 dockless, GPS-enabled bikes in 40 cities across six countries. According to Uber, the addition of a bike option in Uber’s app raises the possibility that other transportation options, like subways and buses, will also be integrated into the ride-hail service’s app down the line. Uber wants to make beneficial for the users and cities.