Mobike had its first U.S. launch in Washington, DC this week. “We are thrilled to call Washington D.C. Mobike’s first home in North America, Mobike is committed to developing a global bike share culture by collaborating closely with cities, and the U.S. capital is key in achieving this,” Hu WeiWei, founder of Mobike, said. “We look forward to working with more cities across the nation to make cycling the most convenient, affordable, and environmentally friendly transportation option for residents and tourists alike.”
Welcome to the #MobikeMovement @MobikeUSA ???? ???????? #Mobike launches in Washington D.C. ???? #DC #USA #MobikeUSA https://t.co/sAK3TcqVrm pic.twitter.com/LOl4fjFRF0
— Mobike (@Mobike) September 20, 2017
This is DC’s first smartphone-enabled dockless smart bike platform. In January, the U.S. received its first smart dockless bikes in San Francisco from bluegogo.
As bike sharing programs expand across the country, the company is looking to expand to other cities. Rival company Ofo launched in Seattle just last month.
Mobike became available to commuters in Manchester and Salford on June 29, it’s first non-Asian market. About 1,000 bikes were initially made available with Mobike’s initial U.K. launch, though this figure is expected to increase as demand grows.
As Steve Pyer, general manager of Mobike U.K., notes, “Our aim is to be responsible, sustainable and innovative. We’re confident that Manchester and Salford and their residents will immediately see the benefits of our services, and the city will become a showcase for the urban transformation that is possible when cycling usage rises, and city planning leverages smart data.”
He continued, “We are already in talks with a number of other cities around Europe, and are sure the successful pilot will be the first of many partnerships, allowing us to make cycling the most convenient and affordable choice for those in cities all around Europe.”
Mobike now operates more than 7 million smart bikes and supports over 25 million rides every day, according to a press release. As of August 2017, Mobike riders have cycled over 5.6 billion kilometers (about 3 and a half billion miles), equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by more than 1.26 million tons, or taking 350,000 cars off the road for a year.
The easy-to-use platform simply requires bicyclists to download the Mobike app, find a nearby Mobike, and scan its QR code. This automatically unlocks the bike, and from there, they’ll be able to take the bike for a spin around their city.
The bikes feature chainless shaft transmission, non-puncture airless tires, a lightweight aluminium anti-rust frame, enhanced and durable disk-brakes, and an auto-inspired five-spoke wheel. Since launching in Shanghai in April 2016, the company has expanded its services to over 100 cities around Asia, Europe, and now the U.S.
Hoping to provide an affordable, environmentally friendly, and socially beneficial transportation method for commuters everywhere, Mobike is one of the more tech-forward bike- sharing platforms out there. Each of the bikes in the network is outfitted with smart-lock technology and built-in GPS connected by way of the Mobike Internet of Things network. That means that Mobike is capable of locating and monitoring the health of its entire fleet, and can also keep tabs on location-based demand so it can send more bikes to areas where they’re needed most.
Mobike uses its GPS technology not only allocate its bikes across the city based on traffic and weather conditions, but also to support city planners, local businesses, and urban planning projects.
Update: Included information on Mobike’s U.S. introduction.
