Lime Launches Shared Electric Mopeds In NYC

New York City NY

30 April, 2021

10:36 AM

Description

NEW YORK CITY — A popular electric shared vehicle company officially wheeled into New York City. Lime launched electric moped service in Brooklyn, Queens and Lower Manhattan on Friday. The company is well-known for its e-scooters that dot cities such as Los Angeles and Detroit — and will come to the Bronx this summer as a pilot program along with their rivals Bird and Veo. But Lime will take the first bite out of the Big Apple with their e-mopeds. "E-mopeds can serve a vital role in expanding access to affordable, safe, and carbon-free public transportation to more New Yorkers," Wayne Ting, the CEO of Lime, said in a statement. "Now, as New York emerges from a difficult year, we're eager to support an economic comeback driven not by cars, but by sustainable options that reduce congestion, allow for open-air, socially-distanced travel and complement the city's subways and buses." The e-moped service positions Lime as a potential rival for Revel, which offers similar rides. Revel isn't standing still either — the company recently announced it'll launch a fleet of electric Teslas to compete with Uber and Lyft, the Verge reported. Lime's e-moped service offers new users the first 15 minutes of their rides for free. Their e-mopeds come with two helmets and top out at 28 mph. Lime's moped service also comes with artificial intelligence safety features that will check to see if a rider's face matches the driver's license given, as well as sensors to detect whether they removed a helmet, according to a release. Safety concerns over mopeds briefly shut down Revel's service last year after a spate of high-profile crashes. The company returned to service under new Department of Transportation-approved safety features.