As we reported last month, micro-EV riders around the world are turning to e-scooters for trips that are, on average, 40% longer than they were pre-pandemic.
In the US, however, those increases are even more significant. The reason seems to be connected, at least in part, to a series of recent and ongoing launches of our Bird Two scooters across the country.
Data collected from early March shows that Bird riders in places like Los Angeles, Austin and San Diego, cities that have launched Bird Two within the past two months and have adequate data available, are riding anywhere from 15%-36% longer on them when compared to other e-scooter models.
Viewed at a more granular level, the breakdown looks like this:
- 15-25% longer rides in Los Angeles
- 20% longer rides in Austin
- 36% longer rides in San Diego
“Residents of the City of Scottsdale are excited about new mobility options, and the Bird Two from Bird offers a safe, stylish and sustainable alternative to cars that is keeping our streets cleaner and less congested,” said Councilwoman Tammy Caputi from City of Scottsdale.
Bird Two scooters are equipped with key industry-first features such as autonomous emergency braking (AEB), skid detection and a steel-reinforced aluminum frame built and independently tested to withstand more than 60,000 curbside impacts. They also utilize integrated structural batteries, the sustainable battery technology announced by Elon Musk at 2020’s Tesla Battery Day event.
“Bird is committed to working with cities to deliver the kinds of micro-EVs that communities can confidently rely on for trips that extend well beyond just the ‘last mile’,” said Renaud Fages, Global Head of Operations at Bird. “In Scottsdale and Tempe, where our Bird Two scooters were recently launched this year, the average ride distance in March is 2.2 miles, or 3.5 kms. That’s a powerful testament to the trust riders are placing in these micromobility vehicles.”
As ride distances increase, so too does the potential for more local businesses to financially benefit from micromobility. That’s according to a new groundbreaking study from Emory University that found that shared e-scooters generate $921 per vehicle in consumer spending over a 6 month period. That equates to nearly $14M across the four cities included in the study.
To stay informed on the latest micromobility data and e-scooter launches happening in the US and around the world, subscribe to the Bird Cities Blog.
