Following the launch of the SEAT eXS kickscooter powered by Segway at the Barcelona Smart City Congress and the international presentation of the SEAT Minimó concept car, at the Mobile World Congress the company announced it is going to spearhead the urban micromobility strategy within the Volkswagen Group.
Since it was launched, SEAT has sold more than 5,000 units of the SEAT eXS since sales started last December. Now the company is taking a further step by announcing the strategic collaboration with the electric kicksharing start-up UFO, through XMOBA Ventures, to make 530 SEAT eXS kickscooters powered by Segway available to the public in Madrid.
“The eXS is the first SEAT product designed specifically to help ease urban mobility. The agreement signed with UFO confirms our commitment to micromobility and signals our debut in kicksharing” said SEAT Product Marketing director Lucas Casasnovas.
Furthermore, UFO cofounder and CEO Mario Marín stated that “UFO was created with the aim of revolutionising mobility in cities, making it easier, more sustainable, and giving it a more human dimension. We are very enthusiastic about our budding collaboration with SEAT. We have found a partner who understands the needs of future mobility like no other and whose vision is completely aligned with UFO. We have ambitious plans to take UFO to other European cities and this partnership is going to pave the way successfully.”
Sharing knowledge
The partnership between UFO and XMOBA Ventures, an independent SEAT company that tests, implements and invests in new mobility solutions, also provides that XMOBA will analyse the kicksharing service mobility data to draw lessons from the urban micromobility experience.
530 SEAT eXS kickscooter by Segway arrive in Madrid to improve urban mobility.
XMOBA executive director Arantxa Alonso said that “this project gives XMOBA a boost in our commitment to promoting new solutions that make mobility in cities easier. The collaboration with UFO is going to enable us to understand and identify micromobility patterns and it is the first step towards a new model that favours innovation and collaboration.”
Working with cities
SEAT is closely collaborating with authorities by listening to representatives of different public institutions to gain insights into their view of mobility in large cities and look for synergies in the specific needs involving issues related with urban mobility.
The collaboration with UFO goes beyond Madrid and the commitment is to increase this pilot programme and extend the service to other cities according to how it evolves, and always in collaboration with public administrations. The commitment of SEAT is to integrate this new transport in the least annoying and safest way for the citizens.
Making inroads in kicksharing
The way the kicksharing service via UFO operates is easy and intuitive. Users only have to locate an e-kickscooter that is parked near their location using an app-based map and unlock it by scanning its QR code. The cost of the service is €1 for unlocking and €0.15 euro cents per minute of use. Payment is made automatically via the app based on usage time.
UFO operates in Madrid with the licences issued by the city’s Division of Mobility and the Environment and aims to become a sustainable urban mobility alternative. The kickscooters must be parked in dedicated motorcycle and bicycle spaces, in general street parking spaces or on the pavement according to Madrid’s local legislation.