Micromobility operator Wind will replace its e-scooter fleets in the UK with LINK devices, the model produced by US technology firm Superpedestrian.
The rollout of LINK e-scooters in Nottingham and Derby will take place this week, replacing the Wind models that have been available since last year.
Wind UK will continue to operate the trial scheme on behalf of Nottingham and Derby City Councils, with the deployment of LINK e-scooters part of a £3 million investment by Superpedestrian.
This is designed to help Wind address the most common complaints seen in the e-scooter trial so far, including pavement riding, incorrect parking, damaged scooters and safety concerns for people with visual impairments.
Riders in Nottingham will need to download the LINK app to continue using the service, as the Wind app will no longer be available for use.
The minimum age to rent e-scooters in Nottingham and Derby has been raised to 18 years old, to bring the scheme in Nottingham and Derby into line with other major UK cities, including London.
“With more than one million rides over the past year, Wind’s Nottingham and Derby e-scooter trial has been among the most popular in the UK,” said Lukasz Rybak, City Operations Manager at Wind UK.
“Upgrading our fleet to LINK e-scooters will enhance the safety of the scheme, reduce repairs, cut waste, extend service life and increase fleet availability. Following the fleet upgrade in Nottingham and Derby, the current Wind scooters will be shipped to other markets, such as Israel.”
Haya Verwoord Douidri, VP (Global market expansion, policy and strategy) at Superpedestrian, added: “We’re delighted to introduce Superpedestrian’s leading-edge vehicle engineering and active safety technologies to Nottingham and Derby residents. This will contribute to the country-wide learnings being gathered by the UK through these forward-looking trial zones, supporting the DfT and Government. It’s a privilege to be working alongside the teams at Wind UK, Nottingham City Council and Derby City Council.”
