A historic launch

We're thrilled to announce that Lime has officially launched our e-scooter service in Tokyo, marking our first entry into the Japanese market! This exciting milestone not only represents our debut in Japan but also kicks off our expansion into East Asia.

As the world's largest provider of shared electric vehicles, we're bringing our commitment to sustainable, affordable transportation to one of the world's most vibrant cities. Starting today, Tokyo residents and visitors can enjoy 200 of our state-of-the-art Gen4.1 and Gen4.1 Seated e-scooters across six wards: Shibuya, Shinjuku, Meguro, Setagaya, Toshima and Nakano.

“We’re honored by the opportunity to bring Lime to Japan, starting with our initial launch in Tokyo,” said Lime CEO Wayne Ting. “We believe Tokyo residents and visitors will benefit from greater access to affordable, emissions-free vehicles and we can’t wait to serve them with a service that is uniquely tailored to Japan. The need for more sustainable transportation options is universal and this launch is a monumental step forward in our mission to build a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free.”

Global market momentum

This launch is part of Lime's global momentum in 2024. We've been expanding into new markets, deepening our presence in existing ones and piloting new vehicles to encourage greater adoption of micromobility. Earlier this summer, we relaunched service in Athens and Thessaloniki, Greece for the first time since 2020, as well as new launches in Brisbane, Baltimore, Innsbruck and an upcoming launch in Vancouver. This pairs with significant expansions in New York City, London, Paris, Seattle and Chicago.

“Lime is thrilled to enter Tokyo, a city that values diversity, innovation and sustainability,” said Terry Tsai, country manager for Lime in Japan. “We offer electric mobility services that can offer new and convenient alternatives for residents and visitors to travel around the city and inspire them to use shared micromobility as a flexible solution for social problems like traffic congestion, transportation access, rural elderly and the need to develop more sustainable cities. We believe electric micromobility sharing services have a great potential to be widely accepted and adopted as a public transportation option in Japan. ”

New vehicles around the world

The Gen4.1 Seated becomes the first shared vehicle of its kind in Japan. The comfortable seat allows riders to use it similarly to a bicycle without the fatigue of standing, catering to a wider range of users, from young to elderly. In addition, the dedicated storage space underneath allows riders to carry groceries or other items, expanding the use-cases for shared micromobility in Japan.

We also announced and launched pilots of two new vehicles designed to appeal to a wider range of prospective riders, including women and older riders. The LimeBike and LimeGlider, currently in pilot phase in Atlanta, Seattle and Zurich, feature smaller wheels, a lower step-through frame, more comfortable grips and throttles for easy riding.

Stay tuned for more updates as we gradually expand our service in Tokyo and beyond. We can't wait to see you zipping around on a Lime!