E-scooter brand Lime and the mobility of the future?

The E-Scooter Regulation Shift – it is coming!

When more and more e-scooters appeared in Vienna at the end of the 10s, the hype about the then-still inexpensive means of transportation was great. Focused on young consumers, the offer promised green mobility at a low price. Today, in 2023, things look different. The offer is neither particularly green nor inexpensive. This is partly due to the still unregulated state of road traffic and the durability of batteries and equipment. Because how long a Rent-E-Scooter can “survive” on the road is questionable due to poor technology on the one hand or brutally improper use on the other.

What is not mine, I can ruin! Too many providers, too little overview, and too little identification.

There are now five different providers of e-scooters in Vienna. Animal, Bird, Lime, etc. This is about to change. Because providers now have to apply for public tenders throughout the German-speaking region. The market is gradually being regulated. Safety, subsequent use and reliability play a decisive role in public sector awards and tenders.

Finally, more Future Mobility.

This is how the market around e-scooters is growing up. Because of its regulation, providers’ focus is also changing, most of whom still want to see themselves as “start-ups”. Today, however, they are no longer just hip, young, and uncomplicated but reliable, structured, and sustainable—a market positioning for institutions – not consumers. The provider with the largest fleet is not the hippest brand but will get the most business.

A different use case, a different business model.

The providers’ business models will change as a result. Consequently, their brand positioning and communication will change. Who knows, maybe a company like Lime will soon be less young and funky but stand for safe mobility in cities. A partner that solves last-mile transportation in a location-specific and sustainable way through its offerings.

Whether this succeeds depends on how providers react agilely to the rapidly changing environment and regulations and adapt their communication accordingly.

(Photographs on this page were taken for Lime Germany in the context of a tender for the Nuremberg site).