Ford acquires Spin, an electric scooter-sharing company that provides last-mile transportation
Spin is committed to working hand-in-hand with cities and universities to implement micro-mobility solutions responsibly, safely and sustainably as they expand their operations. They do not launch without permission; they share usage data with cities; and they work with local officials and university campuses to design educational tools around parking and riding rules.
Using a Spin electric scooter costs $1 to rent and 15 cents per minute. Affordability, combined with ease of use and electrified power, also means scooters can help tackle challenges such as traffic congestion, parking availability and pollution. This presents a significant opportunity as research shows nearly half of all trips made in the U.S. are 3 miles or less, according to "The Micro-Mobility Revolution," a report by Populus.
In crowded and congested cities, many are reconsidering their transportation options. From ride-hailing to dedicated bicycle lanes, people and cities are considering alternatives to personal vehicles, but some are also taking more novel approaches, including scooter sharing.
The number of mobility options available to people has risen dramatically in recent years. In some situations, people use multiple forms of transportation during a single trip. The fast-paced, often experimental mobility sector requires businesses to keep up with agile and adaptable customers.
Ford X was built to acquire and pilot new transportation products and services. The most successful of these projects will become part of Ford's growing mobility offering. One example is the recent micro-mobility academic research project with Purdue University that launched Jellyscooters.
The research and development behind Jelly is enabling the Ford X team to better understand what's required to succeed in the micro-mobility space, such as the importance of human-centred design, the critical importance of a reliable supply chain, and the need to work with cities and campuses to do scooter sharing responsibly.
Another critical component of Ford's mobility strategy is to develop a comprehensive set of software and services designed to better enable vehicle connectivity and utilisation, as well as new mobility experiences and multimodal transportation solutions.
By combining the company's strength in automotive research and development with commitment to connected and autonomous vehicles and their emerging software business, Ford is expanding its portfolio of scalable mobility solutions intended to provide a seamless transportation experience for the modern consumer.
As more people consider scooters to be a viable mobility option, now is the right time for Ford to work closely with Spin's team to help expand their service to more cities. The team is launching their service in Detroit.
Ford acquires Spin, an electric scooter-sharing company that provides last-mile transportation
Modified on Tuesday 13th November 2018
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Ford acquires Spin, an electric scooter-sharing company that provides last-mile transportation