Metro Mobility’s ChargeLock™ Stations Solve the Scooter Crisis for Cities and Operators
BOSTON – Metro Mobility, a Cambridge, MA based start-up, has introduced the ChargeLock™ scooter station to address the challenges of scooter share currently faced by operators and cities alike. The lightweight modular station features a patent pending cable design that incorporates charging and locking in a single connector, and is poised to vastly reduce charging and redistribution costs while keeping sidewalks organized.
Electric scooter share is quickly changing the way people move in cities across the globe, and with good reason. Nearly half of all vehicle trips in the US are less than 3 miles in length¹, providing the potential for millions of drivers to replace car trips and avoid traffic with micromobility alternatives. Yet, as scooter share grows, it’s become increasingly clear that improvements need to be made for sustainability and economic viability.
The extremely convenient dockless rental model, which allows users to leave scooters wherever they end their ride, can sometimes lead to vehicles being left blocking sidewalks, being thrown into rivers, and ultimately angering local residents. In addition, program operators continue to deal with the challenges and substantial overhead costs that result from daily redistribution and charging.
Using Metro Mobility’s ChargeLock stations, users can be incentivized to complete their ride at one of these locations, and simply securing the ChargeLock cable to the scooter ends their rental, locks the vehicle, and begins charging. The simple stations are easy to install and can be quickly scaled to create what the company calls a “dock-light” network, satisfying operators’ desire for flexibility, and cities’ and residents’ demands for organization.
As the environmental impact of scooter share has come into question due to short vehicle life and redistribution emissions, Metro Mobility’s solution also offers a path toward sustainability. The added security of locking substantially increases vehicle life by reducing vandalism and theft, and decreases the cost and impact of continually manufacturing new scooters. The ChargeLock system also ensures that scooters are always charging when not in use, eliminating the need for the vehicles to be collected and charged individually each night.
“We believe in the power of micromobility to change the world, but certain issues need to be addressed to make scooter share an economically and environmentally sustainable model,” said Metro Mobility founder Gabe Montague. “It is inefficient for individuals to be driving across town every night to collect and charge scooters, and while cities want to offer alternative transportation to their residents, having scooters blocking sidewalks is leading many to ban them entirely. We want to make micromobility a long-term viable option for every municipality.”
Scooter operators and cities in the US are poised to launch ChargeLock stations, with the first installations being rolled out this spring. ChargeLock stations can be tied into the power grid or equipped with a master battery that is swapped when necessary, allowing for flexible and even temporary station placement. The company is currently testing additional designs that utilize solar power which they expect to have in production in late 2020.
About Metro Mobility
Metro Mobility, LLC is a Cambridge, Massachusetts based company dedicated to providing the commuting solutions of the future through smart, connected, and data driven enterprises. Metro Mobility is redesigning the way people travel in metropolitan areas. Visit www.metromobility.io or call (617) 491-7200 for more information.
Contact:
Ryan Walas
Metro Mobility
Tel.: 1-617-491-7200 x202
Email: rwalas@metromobility.io