Skip to main content

LimeBike wants to help you get around on its new escooters

If you thought your days of zooming about your neighborhood ended when you graduated middle school, think again. Here to prove that there is indeed a renaissance of two-wheeled vehicles (and not of the bicycle or motorcycle variety) is the escooter. It’s all thanks to LimeBike, a company that was initially dedicated to bringing bike-sharing to all corners of the U.S. But now, it’s expanding into other transportation options as well, and you better believe that includes electric scooters.

These scooters, called Lime-S, can go up 14.8 miles per hour and have a maximum range of 37 miles on a single charge. As far as pricing is concerned, you’ll need to pay $1 to unlock the scooter, and an additional $1 for every 10 minutes of riding. So if you’re looking to spend, say, an hour on a Lime-S, be prepared to shell out a grand total of $7 (not bad, if we do say so ourselves). Interestingly, LimeBike says that these scooters were all built in-house, rather than relying on a third-party manufacturer to provide the gear. That means that if something should go wrong with any Lime-S, LimeBike should be able to get things fixed quite efficiently.

Recommended Videos

But why would a bike-sharing company look to diversify its portfolio in such a manner? As LimeBike CEO Toby Sun told TechCrunch, “This is an exciting and competitive landscape. What you are beginning to see is that some players in the bike-share industry will not make it because of a lack of funding and operational excellence.”

It’s unclear as of yet where the new Lime-S scooters will launch, but the company does say that it’s having conversations with “a number of cities.” The company has been testing its new fleet as part of a sanctioned pilot program for the last couple months in hopes of becoming “the leading smart mobility solution provider” both in the U.S. and abroad.

Late last year, LimeBike began operating in Europe, launching 500 bikes in two major markets — Frankfurt, Germany, and Zurich, Switzerland. The company has also just debuted its electric-assist bike fleet in Seattle. In total, the company says that it has deployed 30,000 bikes, and seen one million passengers take rides across its 33 markets.

As Sun noted, “the multi-modal mobility solution also helps to meet the various needs of that first and last mile transportation challenge.” And scooters may just be the secret sauce we’ve all been looking for.

Lulu Chang
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
Cheaper EVs ahead? GM and LG say new battery cells are the key
2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV front quarter view.

General Motors and LG Energy Solution have announced a new phase in their ongoing partnership: developing a new battery cell chemistry that could significantly lower the cost of electric vehicles. The joint effort centers on lithium manganese iron phosphate (LMFP) battery cells, a variation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) that’s gaining popularity for being more affordable and less reliant on expensive materials like nickel and cobalt.

This is a big deal because battery costs are still the single largest expense in producing EVs. According to GM and industry experts, LMFP cells could help bring the cost of electric vehicles close to — or even on par with — gas-powered cars. The goal? Making EVs accessible to a broader range of drivers without sacrificing range or performance.

Read more
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more