Stockholm based micro-mobility startup VOI Technology partners with German ride-hailing giant FREE NOW. This partnership designed to offer a wider range of mobility by integrating VOI e-scooters into the ride-hailing application FREE NOW. This integrated service will become available currently in the cities of Germany including Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. 

FREE NOW (formerly known as mytaxi) is part of the mobility joint venture between BMW and Daimler, established in February 2019. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, FREE NOW is the leading ride-hailing service provider in Brighton, Derby, Edinburgh, Leicester, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, and Reading. 

The FREE NOW app directly connects commuters and drivers with just two taps of the app, the app is so important in the cities of Europe that it gets at least 2 requests per second. And now the users can lock/unlock the VOI scooters with their existing FREE NOW by simply tapping on the chosen scooter on the in-app map. Also, there is no need to add a new payment option for using VOI scooters, customers can pay with their saved payment option in the app. 

Due to the current situation, hygiene is more important than ever, VOI clarifies that all its fleet will be disinfected on a daily basis besides the usual cleaning schedule.

To know more about how VOI functions, read our dedicated blog on HOW VOI WORKS.

There is no doubt that the future of mobility lies in multimodal app-coordinated transit solutions where consumers have a real alternative to their own vehicles. This integration is likely to be a crucial step in that direction. Also, more third-party services are expected to be launched by this collaboration in the coming times. 

So, Let’s see what is so fascinating about the German mobility market  that can’t stop startups from all over the world to invest in it: 

A glimpse of German mobility market: 

When it comes to micro-mobility the German market is the definition of the ideal model. Apart from the literary facts of users, revenue generation, or forecasts which we have discussed in a previous blog. If you haven’t gone through that blog, Here is the link. Just go through it thoroughly as it will help you to perceive further discussions in a better way. Let’s have a look at the major investments made at the ground-level on micro-mobility friendly infrastructures in Germany. 

• The city of Dortmund in the North Rhine-Westphalia state of Germany is developing non-financial incentives for a last-mile delivery service operator to electrify their fleets such as EV fleets will be given extended access to the city center for delivery. DHL is a major logistics operator in Germany has manufactured and designed its custom electric van for its last-mile delivery. 
• The city of Hamburg in Germany has launched a program in partnership with Volkswagen that includes experimental applications of AVs and the expansion of e-mobility for city transit and logistics. 
• On the outskirts of Berlin, the EUREF Campus offers both normal and fast-charging stations for EVs and inductive charging for fleet operation. These stations are V2G-ready and enabling smart charging solutions by integration into the local micro smart grid with solar and wind generation. This microgrid uses AI& ML to optimize the EV charging process and send surplus energy back to the grid, based on dynamic pricing.

How to start an e-scooter business in the business-ready market of Germany: 

We have already written the dedicated blog on setting up an e-scooter business in Germany. Here we will see the add-on points for the same. Here is the link to that previous blog, which will help you to have a clear picture of what we are going to discuss.

Write a business plan:

Writing a business plan is inevitable no matter what business you want to set up. As it is important to be crystal clear about things like how much capital you want to invest in? In which city do you want to set up your business? Who is your core target user-base? What are the local rules and regulations for the fleet you will provide? Do they really need the services you are providing? How will you maintain the devices? etc.

There is another important benefit of having a business plan. As we all know, very few businesses actually survive without a significant infusion of startup funding, and the definite business plan is the key to getting the much-needed funding or to take a loan from the financial institutions.

Address the real issues that people are facing:

It is important that what business plan you create adequately addresses the needs of the ultimate users, otherwise it would be of no use. In order to know what your customers actually need, you need to take a survey of each and every group of people including daily commuters, tourists, students, etc. And that’s how you will come to know that targeting which user group will give you profits.

Research and understand the rules and regulations of the city:

It is important that your business plan is in accordance with the laws of the local governments as well as fulfill the requirements about staffing, tax planning, and other important issues.

For that, you need to do some research about the laws of setting up an EV business in the city where you are planning to set up a business, as in many countries regulations for EVs are still in a grey area compared to any other mode of transportation. Therefore it makes it necessary to research and understand thoroughly the laws from the local transportation authority itself.

Route optimization:

Route optimization is very necessary to avoid any futile damages or expenses and increase profits. Design separate routes for daily commuters and tourists and test the itinerary by yourself first to see how much battery it will consume. Make sure to add landmarks, parks, places of interests, and other beautiful sightseeing along the way, restaurants, recreational parks in the in-app map only to maximize the use of your fleet. 

Maintenance of fleet:

EVs have frequent troubles in operation like battery dead, not starting the scooter, charger not working, wheel blocking, and so on. You have to be clear at the beginning of the business about how you are going to tackle such situations to avoid any last-minute hurdles and also you can estimate very close to the exact amount of expense it will cost you. 

How Coruscate can help you establish a successful e-scooter business in Germany:

Coruscate is the leading e-scooter app development company across the globe. Our white label solution – Rohak is a combination of the latest technology and amazing features, which will definitely fulfill every requirement of your e-scooter business and will take it to the next level. 

If you are interested to know the cost and stepwise development process, you can visit our e-scooter app development page.   

You can also connect with us to ask for a demo and to discuss your business requirements and get the customized e-scooter mobile app via ROHAK.