New Lime Gen 3 Scooter launched In Seoul

A fleet of Lime’s newest Gen 3 electric scooters has been launched in the Korean capital of Seoul.

It's the company's first at-scale deployment in Asia following the steady growth of micromobility in Australia and New Zealand, marking a new chapter in the adoption of shared e-scooters around the world.

“We recognised very quickly that Seoul is an advanced city in terms of personal micromobility,” said George Morrison, Asia Pacific Expansion Manager at Lime. “By adding Korea to our select group of Lime Gen 3-exclusive markets worldwide, we hope to integrate quickly and seamlessly into a community that strongly values alternative modes of personal transportation.”

The decision to bring Lime's award-winning scooter model to the South Korean capital isn't simply about micromobility growth, however. As Seoul struggles to combat worrying levels of microparticulate pollution and traffic congestion that costs commuters, on average, two hours per day, carbon free electric scooters offer a transportation solution that's both accessible and sustainable.

A recent survey of more than 18,000 micromobility users has found that, globally, one in four Lime rides replaces a trip by car, and cities with robust public transit networks can see up to 79% of riders traveling to or from subway and bus stations at least once per month. That's good news for a city like Seoul, which boasts a vast network of commuter trains and busses to serve its population of 10 million residents.

Detailed analysis of modeshift statistics from Lime's recent 100 million rides announcement also revealed that electric scooters have prevented 1.2 million gallons of gas from being burned and kept 9,000 metric tons of carbon emissions out of Earth's atmosphere.

“It seems that South Korea has recently suffered from the highest burden of pollution-related asthma in the world,” said Gihyun Kwon, Government Relations Manager at Lime Korea, referencing a Lancet Planetary Health journal study released in April. “Our ultimate focus is on supporting the realisation of Seoul Metropolitan City and its citizens' sustainability goals, and the efficiency and durability of the Gen 3 scooter will put us in an advantageous position to do that.”

Lime's launch in Seoul comes shortly after new research has revealed a promising increase in age demographics among e-scooter riders.