A note on the future of Lyft bikes and scooters from CEO David Risher
September 04, 2024 — PBSC insightsPBSC insights
PBSC launches multimodal solution to dock and charge e-scooters & e-bikes
Cities will now be able to securely dock and recharge various types of e-scooters in the same PBSC smart-stations that accommodate our bikes and e-bikes
The future of e-scooters in Montreal and other cities is changing! Urban centers will now be able to securely dock and recharge various types of e-scooters in the same PBSC smart-stations that accommodate our bikes and e-bikes.
Since its inception over 10 years ago, the PBSC smart-station came a long way. From the original energy self-sufficient solar station that started the movement to the e-station hooked up to the city’s power grid and able to recharge PBSC’s e-bikes, our stations never stopped improving. Today, we announce the next and most significant innovation in our smart-stations yet: our multimodal solution.
Our State-of-the-Art Stations
PBSC invested millions in research and development. We do not only want to use cutting-edge technology but also create a highly customizable solution.
Our over 7,000 smart-stations around the world adhere to the highest quality standards. Together, they provide 150,000 smart docks across 4 continents. We’re also aware that micromobility goes beyond bike-sharing. Additional efforts are necessary so that cities can integrate a comprehensive, compatible solution for different types of micromobility vehicles. That’s why our engineers created an innovative solution to allow most of the e-scooters in Montreal and other cities to both dock and recharge at all PBSC smart stations.
By adding a patented triangular device onto the frame of e-scooters (just like the technology on our bikes), we make them compatible with our docking points. Our smart-stations organize, secure, and charge electric vehicles, all while reducing operating costs.
That means no headaches for cities struggling with e-scooters scattered across sidewalks – these designated parking spots keeps all micromobility vehicles secured and organized. Our multimodal solution also minimizes costs associated with theft and vandalism (by keeping assets secured), and those associated with the labour involved in fleet rebalancing.
As our first pilot project to come, new e-scooters will be made available within existing PBSC bike share systems. For the first time in our history, e-scooters will be docked and charged alongside our bikes and e-bikes. Of course, the PBSC app will support this new mode of transportation within the user experience.
With the micromobility landscape rapidly evolving, we see an opportunity in turning our smart stations into multimodal micromobility hubs, on top of being capable of securing and charging our bikes and e-bikes. This already-existing infrastructure gives cities a way to adapt to the emerging mobility trends and to dock scooter fleets with a simple modification to the scooters themselves. Our vision is an urban landscape where multiple types of micromobility vehicles are available to city dwellers in an organized fashion that makes the experience simple and enjoyable for both system operators and users.
Multimodal Solution