Lime launches Gen4 E‑bike with big upgrades for riders & cities
“The revolutionary swappable, interchangeable batteries are expected to improve sustainability, service reliability and vehicle lifespan. The Gen4 e-bike sets new standard for bike share with automatic two-speed transmission, improved acceleration, phone holder and more.”
We're so excited to celebrate the highly-anticipated launch of our Gen4 e-bike, officially launching in Washington DC today for the first time in the U.S. Combined with our fleet of Gen4 e-scooters, the Gen4 e-bike ushers in the future of shared micromobility operations.
The new green and white e-bike features significant upgrades that immediately make it one of the best shared e-bikes available globally. The most significant advancement is the swappable, interchangeable battery, that is shared with our Gen4 e-scooters. We expect this will significantly enhance the efficiency and sustainability of our operations, while improving vehicle availability for riders. This is a huge step for the broader shared micromobility industry.
The Gen4 e-bikes officially launched for the first time in Washington DC this week, following small-scale pilots in several cities in 2021, and will arrive in more cities around the world this spring including Atlanta and Charleston.
“The launch of our Gen4 e-bike is an important step toward achieving our mission of building a future where transportation is shared, affordable and carbon-free,” said Wayne Ting, CEO of Lime. “Standardizing our swappable batteries across modes is a leap forward for Lime and the broader micromobility industry, making operations more efficient and sustainable, while improving reliability for riders."
With a standardized swappable battery between vehicle types, Lime operations teams are able to simply replace dead batteries on any e-bike or e-scooter, reducing van trips and saving the energy otherwise required for transporting heavy vehicles. The swappable battery also improves vehicle availability for riders and reduces the number of uncharged, unusable vehicles on sidewalks.
As we scale our interchangeable batteries and Gen4 vehicles globally, we anticipate reduced operational costs, fewer vehicle miles traveled from our operation vans and a greater reduction in carbon emissions from our service. The launch of the Gen4 fleet and standardized battery is the latest example of our commitment to innovation and sustainability, and marks the next leap forward for the micromobility industry.
Additional upgrades to the e-bike include:
- Increased motor power to help riders easily climb hills;
- A phone holder, allowing riders to easily navigate and follow directions without having to stop and look at their phones;
- A new handlebar display mirroring the one on Lime’s scooters for a standardized display across vehicle types;
- An automatic two-speed transmission that eliminates the prior generation’s gears for easier acceleration and smoother ride;
- A modular design, extending the usable life to five years.
Last year, we announced a $50 million investment in the Gen4 e-bike, which is supporting the launch and scaling of the new hardware. We successfully expanded our e-bike service to 50 cities globally using existing e-bikes last year. Over time, we'll upgrade e-bikes in these cities to the Gen4, in addition to expanding to new cities in 2022. We also plan to continue operating our exiting fleet of e-bikes as we double down on this exciting option.
Our expansion of e-bike service and launch of the Gen4 comes amid a boom in e-bike use globally. Our expansion of e-bike service in 2021 helped riders take nearly 12 million e-bike rides in cities around the world and in some major cities, including London, use of our e-bikes more than doubled.
According to the New York Times, Americans purchased e-bikes at a greater rate than electric cars in 2020 and Deloitte projects 130 million will be between 2020-2023, making e-bikes the most successful electric vehicles on the road, rather than cars. The surge in e-bike use is in-part thanks to cities redesigning streets to prioritize micromobility and active transportation with lanes and street space taken from cars.
"In 2021, we saw massive jumps in Lime e-bike use in cities, helping to fuel a welcome e-bike boom globally," said Wayne. "We’re excited for city residents around the world to try the Gen4 as a great way to leave the car behind.”