Lime events a new way to make e-bikes more practical than it has always been, like have them use the same batteries as its scooters. The transport service is launching its latest e-bike that can interchange batteries with the one in Gen4 scooter models.
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For sure, that must have saved the company a lot of money. But it will also help with expansion plans that (with a $50 million investment) will help Lime multiply its bike coverage to up to 50 cities in 2021.
The interchangeable battery should, of course, be better for the environment, plus considering the fact that Lime’s charging vans won’t spread around now at least not that we have had.
Aside from that, there are functional improvements riders will notice on trips. Like a more powerful motor should help you climb steeper hills and a phone holder which saves riders from having to stop whenever you need to check directions.
Then, there is an electric lock which reduces the bike’s weight, and the two-speed automatic transmission which leads to a smoother ride. Riders will also see an updated handlebar display that matches what they will find on Lime scooters.
Adding more hardware features as an upgrade might be very necessary even if Lime wasn’t planning an expansion. The use of E-bike has been thriving during the coronavirus pandemic, with Lime touting 2.5 million rides in 2020 alone.
Meanwhile, demand is expected to grow in 2021, which has put added strain on Lime. The easily swappable batteries ensure Lime can keep its bikes on motion always and might help if demand shifts from one vehicle type in a given city to another.
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What this means is that the easy-to-change battery could play an important role in keeping Lime’s business expanding no matter what happens in the future looking at the pandemic.