By Kurt Schlosser December 13, 2021 at 9:03 AM December 13, 2021 at 10:11 AM
As the city of Seattle expands transportation sharing options, a new electric-assisted bicycle company has joined the bike and scooter mix on the streets of Seattle.
Chicago-based Veo plans to have 1,500 Cosmo electric bicycles in Seattle by next spring, and will deploy the first 500 next week.
Cosmo has throttle assist, pedals and motors to make it easier for people of different abilities to ride. The lower center of gravity is reminiscent of the Wheels ride scooter, which is also part of the Seattle Department of Transportation's mobility plan.
Veo will join Lime, which is now part of Uber as the city’s second bike-sharing option. Lime operates red Jump electric bicycles.
"We are excited to work with the City of Seattle to expand sustainable transportation with our most convenient electric bike to date," Veo CEO Candice Xie said in a press release. "Veo's electric bikes will provide Seattleites with an interesting, car-free option, allowing them to go where they need to go, whether it's to a nearby coffee shop or to the last stop of a transit station."
According to SDOT data, as of 2021, there have been 359,000 shared bicycle trips. This is an increase from 316,700 in 2020, but well below the 2.2 million registered in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic hit and changed commuting and lifestyle.
In addition to Wheels, Seattle also has a fleet of scooters from Lime, Spin and Link. Electric scooters attracted more riders in 2021, increasing from 88,600 in 2020 to 1.8 million.
"This plan is an important part of our strategy to reduce pollution and achieve climate goals, and we are happy to expand the plan and welcome Veo to Seattle," SDOT Director Sam Zimbabwe said in a statement.
Veo said that the electric bike program will bring up to 30 jobs in Seattle, mainly responsible for maintenance, rebalancing, responding to on-site needs and community involvement. The total number of employees in the company is about 200.
Riders can use the Veo app to scan the QR code and unlock the bike for $1. During the trip, the fare is 29 cents per minute. The promotional code RIDESEA will allow the rider to bypass the unlocking fee and get a $5 credit. Veo also offers discounted prices for low-income passengers.
As with other sharing options, we encourage riders to park their equipment responsibly to avoid obstructing city sidewalk accessibility. The rider must take a photo of the Veo bike to confirm the correct stop and end the ride.
Veo raised US$16 million in Series A financing in July to drive expansion and currently operates in approximately 30 cities in the United States
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