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Lime is bringing its electric mopeds to New York City

Lime is bringing its electric mopeds to New York City

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The second US market for the company’s new bright green mopeds

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Lime’s bright green electric mopeds are coming to New York City. The company that’s better known for its electric kick scooters will initially roll out 100 mopeds in Queens, Brooklyn, and Lower Manhattan.

It’s the second US market for Lime’s mopeds, after first launching them in Washington, DC. (The company is also operating a fleet in Paris.) Lime was also recently approved to deploy 1,000 electric scooters in the Bronx as part of New York City’s inaugural shared scooter pilot.

It’s the second US market for Lime’s mopeds

The mopeds are manufactured by NIU, a Chinese company that also supplies mopeds to New York City-based mobility company Revel. NIU’s mopeds typically get between 25–100 miles of range. Lime’s mopeds will be speed limited to 28 mph and can be controlled and monitored via wireless connectivity.

The mopeds are intended to lend credibility to Lime’s claims of being more than just another scooter company. The company sees itself as a “platform” for different types of low-speed, electric-powered mobility. Last year, 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.

Mopeds are arguably a faster way to get around, but they can also be more dangerous, especially for novice riders. Lime says that riders will be required to take a multi-chapter rider safety course that is provided through the app, developed in partnership with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. Customers will be required to have a driver’s license in order to ride. And they’ll also have to take a selfie of themselves wearing one of the provided helmets. 

The news comes a day after Revel, New York’s other moped operator, announced that it would begin offering a Tesla-only ride-hailing service in Manhattan.