Lime has launched its latest seated scooters in Christchurch as the Garden City continues to see e-scooter ridership boom with 55% growth year-on-year. They have now joined Auckland as one of the few cities in the world to experience the new model after successful pilots in Nashville and Chicago.
Alongside 55% year-on-year growth in Christchurch in 2023, more than 290,000 car trips were replaced and 1.8 million kilometres travelled by riders in the city.
Regional General Manager ANZ at Lime Hugo Burt-Morris said the new seated scooter will invite more people to experience a different form of micromobility.
"It is an inviting option for those wanting to take longer trips with the luxury of a seat and a storage compartment perfect for riding Lime to work or home from the supermarket," Hugo said.
"We learnt from previous vehicle pilots and in addition to Lime's internal research found storage space to be a key factor in riders choosing micromobility as a transportation option. The new model's design features emphasise safety, approachability, and convenience, aiming to attract riders new to shared electric vehicles and build on the popularity of sustainable, human-scale transportation options in a city where micromobility is ever growing."
The Seated Scooter is Lime's latest innovation in its family of shared, affordable, emissions-free vehicles. The fully motorised new model combines the seated comfort of a bike with the effortlessness of an e-scooter, resulting in a smooth, convenient, and environmentally friendly ride.
A driving factor for this introduction into Christchurch is to expand the demographic to those who want safe, affordable, and sustainable ways to get around. The seated scooter's successful US pilots showed real potential to bring in older riders and riders of varying abilities, which Lime hopes to see in Christchurch too.
Like all Lime vehicles, it was designed in-house to make riders comfortable and provide a safe ride. This vehicle comes with many of the safety innovations that define Lime's industry-leading Gen4 e-scooter, like enhanced suspension, larger wheels for a smoother ride and a lowered baseboard to optimise the centre of gravity on the scooter and make getting on and off easier.
The seated scooter will invite more Christchurch residents to trial shared micromobility and encourage current riders to ride more often.
