AN IRISH e-scooter start-up has been approved for trials across the UK.
Dublin based Zipp Mobility has revealed that its electric scooter model has been given the green light by the Department for Transport to be trialled across Britain.
The British government recently announced plans to accelerate trials of rented e-scooter schemes as part of its strategy to explore less congested and greener methods of urban transport in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
All UK regions are now permitted to launch e-scooter sharing schemes, in partnership with scooter firms, such as Zipp Mobility.
The Irish firm, which was founded by 24-year-old Charlie Gleeson in 2019, is currently engaging with a number of councils to secure e-scooter licences to provide their sustainable micromobility solution to commuters across the UK.
“Receiving approval from the DfT is a hugely encouraging affirmation of what we are striving for at Zipp,” said Mr Gleeson, CEO at Zipp Mobility.
“Not only does this confirm confidence in the safety of our e-scooter, it also re-affirms that our bid for a more sustainable, responsible and transparent approach to the industry is one that is being readily welcomed by authorities,” he added.
“The DfT approval demonstrates our readiness to help local governments respond to issues that have restrained the true potential of e-scooters as a means of future urban mobility.”
Headquartered at NovaUCD, the Centre for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs at University College Dublin (UCD), Zipp Mobility’s e-scooter model has been designed with safety in mind - featuring an aircraft-grade aluminium frame, 10-inch airless tyres, a swappable battery, dual braking, a wide base and a low centre of gravity.
The scooters are also equipped with nano-septic handlebar wraps that reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission by 99.98 per cent.
Will O’Brien, Zipp Mobility’s Head of Growth and Government Affairs, added: “The approval of our scooter by the DfT brings us one step closer to our goal of providing a world-class scooter-sharing service to cities in the UK.
“Cities need scooter-sharing now more than ever due to the impact Covid-19 is having on public transport.”
He explained: “We cannot let people revert back to car usage after years of progress in encouraging alternative modes of transport.
"If cities truly want to advance towards their carbon emissions targets in the post-Covid era, then socially distanced modes of transport like electric scooters must be considered as an integral component of urban transport strategy.”
In June Zipp Mobility closed a €300,000 seed investment round, led by a London-based VC and private angel investors, and expanded its team to target the UK e-scooter market.
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