New Yorkers are set to see more flashes of green as Lime, a ride sharing startup is launching a new electric moped service in New York City. The service will become operational on April 30th. This is going to be the third city Lime will set up the service, after having launched in Paris and Washington DC this year.
Lime will roll out 100 bright green mopeds to start with, covering Queens, Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. The mopeds to be deployed are supplied by NIU from China. They usually have a range of between 25 and 100 miles. They will be limited to a top speed of 28 mph.
Lime is attempting to add to its portfolio of vehicles, expanding from the scooters it is known for. It is the startup’s ambition to offer more low-speed, electric vehicles. It is already offering e-bikes from a third party mini mobility provider named Wheels in some cities.
As mopeds are more prone to accidents, Lime is taking safety seriously. As part of its efforts to provide a safe platform, every rider will have to pass through a safety course through the Lime app. The course was designed with input from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Users will also provide their driver’s license and take a selfie showing them wearing Lime’s green helmets. Lime will use AI to detect whether the rider is wearing a helmet or not.
Lime plans to give discounts to job seekers and people on social welfare. It will also offer free rides to healthcare frontline workers, school teachers, non-profit employees and those who have been the most affected by the pandemic.
Lime CEO, Wayne Ting says “The pandemic has pushed New Yorkers to look for new ways to get around that are safe, sustainable and car-free. Now, as New York emerges from a difficult year, we are eager to support an economic comeback driven not by cars, but by sustainable options that reduce congestion and allow for open-air, socially-distanced travel.”
There is a competitor for Lime in New York; Revel which apart from its existing moped service, recently announced an electric vehicle ride sharing service using Tesla cars.