Lime launches its new electric bikes in Washington, DC as part of $50 million blitz

Andrew J. Hawkins is a writer for The Verge.

Lime's next-generation electric bikes are making their North American debut. San Francisco-based micromobility company says it will deploy the first wave of new bikes in Washington, DC, starting this week after spending $50 million on a major e-bike expansion.

The new bikes are vastly improved over the ones currently in service, which the company inherited from Jump after acquiring the bike-share company from Uber in 2020. The next-generation bike will be the focus of the $50 million investment. The new model comes with a swappable battery that is capable of up to 25 miles of range.

A swappable battery can be used for up to 25 miles of range.

The bikes have swappable batteries that are interchangeable with the company's fleet of electric scooters. Lime's director of Mid-Atlantic and Northeast operations said that this will improve the customer experience by making it less likely that they will encounter vehicles with drained batteries.

Lime can now get the batteries quicker. There aren't as many low battery vehicles in the field. Our time to turn around our tasks is a lot quicker.

:noupscale(cdn.vox-cdn.com)/uploads/chorusasset/file/23162079/DSC_0953.JPG) Andrew J.

The swappable batteries are the most important new feature. Lime believes that the ability to swap batteries between scooters and bikes is good for customers and it's own bottom line. Lime saves money by streamlining its manufacturing process and operationally by reducing the amount of work that needs to be done by its teams in each city.

The density of work that needs to be done in the field can be increased by isolating the battery system from each other. You don't have to have two separate teams that are running out in their own lane.

Not every scooter and bike company is convinced. Bird has staked out an opposing position, arguing swappable batteries are typically smaller and hold less charge than non- swappable ones. The company has argued that swappable batteries have a larger carbon footprint because they require more vehicle miles traveled to retrieve, replace, and replenish.

Lime can choose to install larger batteries if it so chooses, according to Holley. He said that they could do that within the confines of a swappable battery. You can go up and down in terms of range and size.

Not every scooter and bike company believes swappable batteries are the solution.

The handlebars are being replaced with ones similar to Lime's scooters, there is a phone holder in the front basket, and the bike will be able to hit speeds of up to 20mph. It is heavier than the electric Citi Bikes.

I tried out a Lime bike late last year. I was impressed by the motor's ability to dole out power when I rode the bike from Brooklyn to Lower Manhattan. The boost was almost instantaneous, without the jerkiness or slow motor build-up of some lesser e- bikes. It is not the prettiest e-bike I have ever ridden, but it is built for power, stability, and durability, which is why it is by design.

I don't think people who use bike-share will abandon their preferred e- bikes and go for Lime's new models. Customers generally use the bike that is nearest to their location when using bike-share.

Lime will keep its cherry-red Jump bikes in operation, with no plans to phase them out in favor of the new Lime- branded e- bikes. The company wants to be a provider of many different types of electric vehicles. Lime added pedal-less e-bikes from Wheels to its app in several cities as part of a new effort to integrate third-party micromobility providers. Electric mopeds were rolled out in Paris and Washington, DC.

Lime is trying to broaden the offerings it has in its app by investing in new technical specifications. Scooters are good for short trips. E-bikes are great at replacing car trips, and are better for longer distances. Lime will have a powerful tool in its arsenal to promote electric, zero tailpipe emission transportation.