Cool IoT Use Cases: Electric scooter sharing in downtown Washington DC
Market overview
Urban space is a precious commodity that needs to be used efficiently. Cycle hire schemes are becoming increasingly common. Dockless electric scooters are new and ideal for short-distance trips.
The problem
Regular personal transportation services allow users to leave cycles and scooters anywhere, which results in cluttered pavements (sidewalks) and complaints from local residents and retail outlets, says Bob Emmerson.
The players
Skip, a new company that is currently marketing a shared dockless electric scooter service. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) in Washington, DC, which has created the first legal pilot program for electric scooter sharing. The DDOT was one of the first US cities to create a dockless bike-share pilot program.
The solution
The scooters enable personal transportation at up to 18 mph (29 km/h) on a 36 V, 350 W hub motor, with each battery charge providing a 30-mile range (48 km). They are fitted with dual suspension and LED headlights, taillights and brake lights for safety. Usage starts by downloading the Skip app, followed by locating a scooter on the street. After scanning a code on the handlebars the system starts logging the users’ route and charging them accordingly.
Skip has addressed the critical issue of leaving the scooters on the streets by the use of gig economy staff that collect Skip scooters from the street, take them home, charge them overnight and then drop them off at designated locations in the morning.
In addition the company has invested in onboard vehicle technology. Location tracking sensors and software ensure that vehicles are where they should be. In addition remote diagnostics and fleet management tools help keep the system running in good order. This is reflected in the fact that the scooters average seven trips a day.
Business benefits
- Convenient, low-cost, reliable personal transportation
- No cluttered pavements; tiny footprint
- Energy efficient operation
- Connection to and extension of public transit systems
The author is freelance IoT writer, Bob Emmerson
Comment on this article below or via Twitter @IoTGN