Wellington's First Electric Scooter Trial Begins Next Week

The city's first electric scooter sharing scheme kicks of next week with two companies taking part in the trial set out by Wellington City Council.

Licences have been given to locally owned startup Flamingo and the Uber-affiliated Jump. The two companies were selected following an evaluation of five operators who submitted proposals.

Local entrepreneurs Nick Hyland and Jacksen Love created Flamingo to ease congestion on roads and help Wellingtonians get around the city. The company is committed to the safety of riders; users will need to complete in-app training before they can use a scooter for the first time and will be offered a free helmet, which can be ordered through the app. The fleet also utilises special technology to create low-speed zones and restrict riders from riding and parking in designated areas. In the same format as US-born company Lime, which lost out for the trial, Flamingo's florescent pink e-scooters will cost $1 to unlock and 30 cents per minute to ride.

Users of the Uber-owned Jump scooters can reserve their ride through the transportation giant's app by selecting the e-scooter function. The startup has a trial licence for 400 e-scooters. Jump's scooters will also cost $1 to unlock then 30 per cents per minute to ride.

Wellington's electric scooter trial kicks off on Tuesday, 18 June and will initially last six months. It may be extended by 12 months to allow time for consultation and policy engagement.

Wellington Mayor Justin Lester says the trial will help the Council to determine the city's policy around micro-mobility transport, which includes e-scooters and bike share schemes. "As in other cities, transport is continuing to evolve. We want to make sure people have easy access to different ways of getting around – whether they're just travelling across town or commuting to work. The e-scooter trial means we can test the demand, how e-scooters fit in the context of Wellington, and rider behaviour."

The other companies to approach the Council to operate an electric scooter share scheme in Wellington were Blip Scooters, Fuutr, Lime, Onzo, Scoot International and Goat.

Image: Flamingo.