Despite the difficulties of the pandemic, 2021 has got off to a very exciting start for Arkessa. We have recently partnered with Swedish Micro-Mobility champions and scooter operators, Voi, providing them with world class cellular network connectivity.
Anything new in the world of Micro-Mobility?
Since we last covered Micro-Mobility on our blog, the transport landscape has continued to evolve. In early February, a new Micro-Mobility coalition was launched. Known as Micromobility for Europe (MMfE) and comprising eight E-scooter operators (including Voi) the coalition aims to promote and support the integration of Micro-Mobility into the modern transportation ecosystem. There is a global consensus that sustainable transport is a must, but a great deal of misinformation and a lack of regulation surrounds the world of E-scooters. MMfE are keen to assist policy makers, ensuring the appropriate representation, information and expertise in transport industry discussions.
All about Voi
Launched in Stockholm in 2018, Voi is a leading global scooter operator. Their ethos is very people-centric with a great emphasis on the environment and collaboration. With their fleet of E-scooters in countries across Europe, including the Nordics, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Spain, and they launched in the UK in September 2020. In just a few short months, they now have a presence in 21 UK cities. In December 2020 Voi secured £160 Million to fund their continued expansion, so they are certainly a company to watch!
More than scooters
Of course, Voi are an E-Scooter sharing company with an aim of helping us to get from A to B. However, their interests go beyond journeys. They are putting themselves at the forefront of planning and change for sustainable cities. Very much invested in being a positive presence, they have been climate neutral since January 2020. One of the ways they achieve this is by investing heavily in quality, ensuring the lifespan of their scooters is as long as possible. In addition, some Voi models feature optional smart pollution sensors, as well as noise and light sensors, to help identify areas with poor air quality and high levels of noise pollution. And on top of making sure their scooters are top quality, they believe in repairing, reusing spare parts and, when a scooter is finally decommissioned, they like to ‘give their scooters a second life’ offering them up for sale via Voi-Resell for bulk purchases and Voi x You for those who would like to purchase their own E-scooter in the most sustainable way.
Life and soul of the scooter
One of the most exciting changes Voi have made in recent months has been to priorities the purchase of scooters with swappable batteries. As most of us are aware, batteries are the most challenging part of the sustainability of electric vehicles. Being able to replace batteries means scooters can last far longer. However, by ‘swappable’ Voi are referring to batteries that can be removed with ease and changed on the spot; no taking scooters to and from charging locations or depos.
Once a battery has reached the end of it’s useful life with Voi, they contribute to a circular supply chain by working with top recycling partners who enable up to 90% material recovery. This material goes on to be used in new batteries.
Looking to the future
Voi’s newest E-Scooter model is the Voiager 4 (V4). Using customer built IoT hardware which uses LTE and enhanced location services, the V4 will be online and more available than ever before, making it more adept at predictive maintenance, using data analytics and sensors. With these incredible features, the lifespan of the V4 will reach beyond 5 years, which is no mean feat!
Just days ago, Voi announced that they are doing their bit to support the UK COVID-19 vaccination programme by offering discounted rides to and from vaccination centres. More than 97% of the population lives within 10 miles of a vaccination centre and with Voi’s scheme available in 21 UK cities, this is a wonderful way to protect yourself whilst minimising environmental impact.
Arkessa offers Voi the flexibility to scale its growing fleet of e-scooters across multiple global locations, whilst minimising costs and optimising coverage. Using our global connectivity solution, Voi can easily manage its fleet of connected scooters worldwide, regardless of their location.
We are very excited to be part of this journey with Voi!