Lime is today celebrating the global launch of its new vehicle offering – the Gen4 seated scooter.
Already available in San Francisco and Chicago, the design is based on Lime’s traditional Gen4 e-scooter but includes a padded seat with dedicated storage space to appeal to a wider customer base.
Previous internal research by Lime points to storage space as a key factor when riders select their transportation mode. Initial pilots of the Gen4 Seated in Nashville and Chicago earlier this year revealed an uptick in use-per-day when compared with Lime’s standing e-scooters.
The results showed that its seated e-scooters appeal more to older riders, women and riders with limited mobility.
“The Gen4 Seated attracted +33% more first-time female riders than Lime’s Gen4 e-scooters,” Josh Meltzer, Lime’s Head of Government Affairs for the Americas and Asia-Pacific, told Zag Daily. “We also expect that commuters and riders who typically use our standing e-scooters will now enjoy the seated option, allowing more comfort for longer distances and durations.
“People carrying heavier loads such as grocery shoppers or college students with backpacks will enjoy the added convenience of the rear compartment.”
Its swappable batteries incorporate a modular design that makes replacing parts simple and efficient. The seated e-scooter features a number of safety innovations like enhanced suspension, larger wheels for a smoother ride, and a lowered baseboard for optimised centre of gravity to stabilise riders getting on and off.
“We believe that our seated scooter will further diversify our rider base, allowing our vehicles to attract a broader audience,” said Meltzer.
The Gen4 will launch in more than a dozen cities across North America, Australia and New Zealand in the coming months.
This news follows Lime’s recent achievement of a positive Adjusted EBITDA of $27 million, the first time it has reached this milestone in the first half of any year to date.
