E-bike and e-scooter share services launch in Coquitlam

Neuron e-scooter (Neuron Mobility)

Just in time for the busy Canada Day long weekend, Neuron Mobility has launched the first e-bike and e-scooter share services in Coquitlam City Centre.

As of today, Neuron’s first e-bike and e-scooter devices have been deployed to Coquitlam’s central areas, and these fleets will gradually increase in size to 100 e-bikes and 300 e-scooters.

This follows the City of Coquitlam’s selection and final approval early this month of both Neuron and Lime to operate competing e-bike and e-scooter share services starting in late June 2023. Lime is also expected to launch its services soon.

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As a municipal pilot project under the provincial government’s wider micro-mobility pilot project, the contracts for their services are for an 18-month period, ending in December 2024.

According to Neuron, its e-bikes and e-scooters boast a bright orange colour to better ensure visibility for safety, and the e-scooters use larger 11.5-inch wheels and wider footplates for better stability. The company’s devices also feature the world’s first app-controlled helmet lock, which integrates a safety helmet with every vehicle.

A helmet is mandatory when riding scooters and bikes in British Columbia, and Neuron encourages this compliance by providing free credit to users who take a “helmet selfie” before starting their trip.

Neuron e-scooter (Neuron Mobility)

Neuron e-scooter (Neuron Mobility)

The devices also feature voice guidance to educate riders and deliver instructions for safe riding and parking, topple detection, a “Follow My Ride” feature, and even a 911 emergency button, which detects if a rider has had a fall and then helps them call emergency services through their smartphone.

E-bikes and e-scooters can travel on bike lanes, multi-use paths, and minor roads with a low speed limit. Riding on sidewalks or park trails is not permitted unless otherwise specified. Geofencing through the app will also control where the devices can be used and parked, and their operating speed.

“Safety is our top priority, it dictates our e-scooter and e-bike design, and also the way we operate them. Our vehicles are jam-packed with cutting-edge safety features and we know from experience in other cities that riders really appreciate this,” said Ankush Karwal, Head of Market for Canada at Neuron Mobility, in a statement.

“We look forward to partnering with Coquitlam to make a positive impact on the community, through greater access to safe, smart, and sustainable travel options.”

Through the company’s app, Neuron’s standard single trips begin with a $1.19 unlocking fee, followed by $0.39 per minute of use. Frequent users can obtain a three-day pass for $25, a weekly pass for $33, or a monthly pass for $89, which allow users to ride as many times as they want for up to 90 minutes per day.

Neuron e-bike (Neuron Mobility)

coquitlam city centre e-scooter e-bike zone

E-bike and e-scooter share zone in Coquitlam City Centre. (City of Coquitlam)

In order to use the services, individuals must be at least 16 years old, with anyone under 18 requiring parental or legal guardian permission.

Neuron claims the use of their e-scooters helps reduce car use by 45% on average, based on their operations elsewhere in Canada.

Coquitlam is Neuron’s 17th Canadian city and the second in BC following the company’s launch in Vernon in 2021. The company states its operations in Coquitlam will generate 25 permanent and temporary local jobs.

Both Neuron and Lime will use dockless parking stations for their services in Coquitlam.

Early this year, Lime reported it recorded its first full profitable year for the fiscal year of 2022 — and it is the first micro-mobility company to post a full profitable year. It saw $466 million in gross bookings last year, representing a 33% jump from 2021.

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