Insights and news from the ATOM Mobility team
We started our blog to share free valuable information about the mobility industry: inspirational stories, financial analysis, marketing ideas, practical tips, new feature announcements and more.
We started our blog to share free valuable information about the mobility industry: inspirational stories, financial analysis, marketing ideas, practical tips, new feature announcements and more.
🛵 Planning to start a scooter, bike, or moped sharing service? Choosing the right vehicles is a huge part of your success. This guide explains where to buy used or new vehicles, what to expect from each option, and which brands are best for fleet operations.
Starting a micromobility business means making smart decisions early on. One of the most important is choosing the right vehicles. Whether you're planning to launch a fleet of e-scooters, bikes, or mopeds, the vehicles you choose will affect how fast you can get to market, how much you spend upfront, and how reliable your service will be.
There are two main ways to source vehicles: buy them used or buy them new from manufacturers. Both have their pros and cons, depending on your goals, budget, and timeline.
Buying used scooters, bikes or mopeds can be a great way to reduce costs when starting out. This is especially useful if you're still testing the waters or want to launch quickly without investing too much.
If you're planning to scale or want full control from the start, buying new vehicles directly from a manufacturer or distributor might be a better fit. You get full warranty, better quality, and longer lifespan.
If you're comparing both options, here are the main differences you should keep in mind:
Used vehicles are usually available faster and cost less upfront. You don’t have to commit to big orders and can start with just a few units. But they may need more maintenance, have shorter lifespan, and does not include any warranty.
New vehicles require more investment, but you get full warranty, latest models, and better support. Manufacturers may have minimum order requirements and longer delivery timelines, especially if shipping from Asia. However, the quality and reliability usually make up for it in the long run.
If you're considering ordering directly from manufacturers, here are some of the most popular and proven brands used in shared mobility:
Each of these manufacturers offers models built specifically for sharing and large fleets. Features like swappable batteries, fleet dashboards, and rugged design come standard.
Choosing the right supplier depends on your goals. If speed and low cost are most important, used vehicles may help you get started faster. If you're building something long-term, investing in new vehicles may pay off through better reliability and longer lifespan.
In both cases, make sure the vehicles you choose are compatible with your platform – and that spare parts and support will be available. ATOM Mobility works with both used and new fleets and can help match you with the right vehicle options.
ATOM Mobility helped Qick to integrate Segway Max and Acton scooters and launch the platform in record time - 3 days! This is how Qick became the first sharing operator in the city.
Scooter-sharing operator from Sweden. Operates in 9 cities.
“The company that provides the software and the company that uses the software are on the same boat. Both can move forward only with the same understanding,” says Milad Mahmoudyan. Last autumn he launched his e-scooter sharing business Qick in two mid-sized cities in Sweden. Milad recalls that he nearly missed the opportunity to be the first to enter the market due to an unsuccessful collaboration with another software provider, but then he found Atom Mobility.
Launch date: November 2019
Country: Sweden, four cities
App downloads: More than 100 000
App rating: 4.7/5
Fleet: few hundreds of Segway Max scooters and few hundreds of ACTON scooters
Web page: https://www.qickscooters.com
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/qick-scooters/id1480390337?l=fr
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=qickscooters.app&hl=en_US
When everything was nearly set up, problems with the trackers started to appear. “Luckily, we started to have issues before the launch – we could not integrate the hardware with the software. We had a setting in the configuration that caused a lot of headaches. It was not working as it should. We knew that we had competitors coming in, so we had to be the first in the city. With the help from Atom Mobility, we managed to launch before them,” explains Milad. “It took us three days of onboarding. We are probably still the fastest launch that Atom Mobility has had so far.”
A Strong Belief in Shared Mobility Drives the Business
Milad also has another business, but he always believed in shared mobility, so he decided to create the Qick platform: “Originally, we thought of establishing a cab company, but we knew that the electric scooter sharing service will eventually come to the city which would affect our business. It is just a better way of transportation than a standard taxi. So, we started to look at how we could be in front of this movement instead of being affected by it.”
Milad invested money from his existing business and took out a loan. He was not afraid as he considered it to be a safe investment. Milad says that among younger people the demand to have their own car or even use a cab is decreasing significantly. They require other means of transportation. They are looking for solutions that are super easy and fun. And now it is hard to find better transportation than the electric scooter. “Especially downtown, an electric scooter is faster and more fun to drive. Otherwise, people must drive a car, pay for parking, and sit in traffic jams. You can avoid all of that by using an electric scooter. People get this and are increasingly using scooters,” observes Milad.
Even during the pandemic, there was a proper demand for electric scooters in the city. Qick felt the decline in rides for the first two weeks after everything started to go into lockdown. They kept scooters outside as there were people that preferred to use them: “People always had disinfection liquids with them. We also paid special attention to the disinfection of handlebars. In a few weeks, everything proceeded as usual. Mainly because people saw e-scooters as a better option than riding on public transport,” concludes Milad.
The Advantage of Being Small
Quick is currently a team of six people operating in four mid-sized Swedish cities. They have one big competitor, but Milad says that sometimes being small is a competitive advantage: “The main difference between Qick and the big player in the market is that we are a local company here in the city. Big companies do not necessarily value day to day work. A small company like us puts a lot of effort into solving everyday issues. By that, I mean relocating and keeping track of electric scooters. We are constantly able to deploy at hotspots because we are familiar with the city. Also, Qick focuses a lot on customer support, service, and helping out when something is not working but it should.”
Milad’s advice for other electric scooter service providers who are willing to start their own businesses is to pay attention to the quality of vehicles. This is important as they should be able to serve long term. And customers appreciate the comfort and quality that reflects the service provider’s attitude towards them.
All Sharing Options on One Platform
What about expansion plans? Milad is willing to continue what he has started and even come back to the idea of cabs. The only difference is that he would like to exclusively work with electric vehicles in his fleet. Atom Mobility software will also allow him to integrate other means of transportation into an app, so in terms of the software, he will not require any additional investments.
“Another important aspect regarding Atom Mobility is their understanding of the business. If they help their partners grow, this will be also their opportunity to develop and grow. I saw this immediately after the first few minutes of talking to the company’s CEO Artur Burnins. They really value their customers and see potential in every cooperation. Atom Mobility is constantly working on new functions and features. We have not even mentioned that we need them, but they develop solutions. It is also good that we can ask them for additional functions and features that we would like to offer to our end users,” says Milad.
Together, Qick and Atom Mobility have built a strong business partnership. Both companies plan to continue expanding and developing their services by providing even more convenient ways in which people can enjoy shared mobility.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers of smart locks and docking stations on the market. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers of smart locks and docking stations on the market. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
Spin tested solar-powered charging stations by Swiftmile in a pilot program
While free-floating model (when scooters and bikes can be parked anywhere within the parking zone) is experiencing a growing demand, it also faces some challenges such as the problem of discharged vehicles, vandalism and pressure form the municipality. In some cases smart locks or even docking/charging station is a good option to take a look at. In this short article we will give a brief overview of manufacturers that in our opinion can provide quality solution for this problem.
Smart locks
Omni is one of the leading providers of smart locks for bike sharing, it is used by companies like Ofo, Mobike and many others. Affordable price and built-in GPS is a winning combination. Optional solar recharge capacity means unlimited time standby and no need to worry about battery life.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 50-70 USD/ 45-65 EUR depending on model and quantity. Will require SIM card with data to track location
Omni smart lock
Linka has two main models - Original and Leo. The difference is that Original lock has not built-in GPS, which means that you will rely on user phone data and will not have real-time information about bike location. This is why we prefer Linka Leo - which is high-quality product with great design.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 169 - 269 USD / 150 - 250 EUR depending on model and quantity. Leo model requires SIM card with data to track location
Lattis offers U-type lock with special case and chain for scooters. It is high quality product, but similarly as with Linka original it does not have bult-in GPS. However, we believe it can be a good additional security layer for scooter sharing (where you already have Iot with GPS data).
Suitable for: scooters, bikes and e-bikes
Price: 150 - 199 USD / 160 - 180 EUR depending on accessories and quantity
Lattis smart lock
Axa from Netherlands has been on the market for a while and their locks are used by Donkey Republic and Zagster. Unfortunatelly, these locks also do not have GPS, so you will need to rely on user phone data.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 130 USD / 115 EUR
Docking and charging stations
If you are interested in charging/docking station you need to take into account that the average price of 1 charging pot for 1 scooter is approximately 650 - 1100 USD / 600 - 1000 EUR. So if you have a small fleet of 100 scooters and you want to have a docking/charging place for 30% of them your budget will be around 30 000 EUR.
Swiftmile is the leader in charging and docking stations for scooters with successful pilots with larger shared mobility operators. They support both docked and dock-less scooter systems and operate using either solar, battery powered or plug-in power systems. Their software is suitable for integration via API. You can connect 4, 8, 12 or 16 scooters/ports to one station.
Duckt modular charging and docking solution is a piece of art, it is small and compact and will look visually appealing almost everywhere. This is why we love it. Another cool thing is that solution is flexible and you can place these modules one by one (1,2,3 and so on).
Knot is a European player that provides charging stations for Segway scooters. It is affordable and by using 1 station you can charge up to 8 scooters.
Kuhmute charging station works with many scooter types, e-bikes and even skateboards. Another cool thing is that they offer monthly subscriptions if you do not want to pay for the stations upfront.
Meredot has very interesting concept for wireless scooter charging (however no docking provided). At the moment startup runs few pilots with first customers.
Contact ATOM Mobility for any additional questions or inquiries you may have about available products and suppliers.
ATOM Mobility - We empower entrepreneurs to launch vehicle sharing platforms.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers of IoT, GPS and connectivity on the market that are currently integrated with ATOM Mobility. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers of IoT, GPS and connectivity on the market that are currently integrated with ATOM Mobility. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
To remotely control and monitor kick scooter, e-bike, moped, car or any other vehicle you will need to install so called IoT device which allows to remotely send commands to the vehicle and execute them, as well as monitor real-time location and track possible errors. What IoT & GPS devices are the in the market?
Teltonika is used by the largest shared mobility operators in the world. The company has sold more than 10 million IoT devices during their 10+ years on the market and has more than 500 employees. IoT devices by Teltonika can be used for kick scooters, scooters/mopeds, e-bikes, cars, trucks and even forklifts. The list of supported vehicles is very long. Some examples:
Teltonika EMB100 is an e-bike IoT with GNSS, GSM and Bluetooth connectivity. Integrated ECU data reading will expand your capabilities even more.
Teltonika E-SCOOTER TRACKERPLUS is a small, professional and waterproof tracker for a variety of electric scooters. The device has internal high gain GNSS/GSM antennas, Bluetooth and high capacity internal Li-ion battery and 10-97 V power supply range for integration variety.
TST100 by Teltonika
Teltonika TST100 is a kick e-scooter tracking device with integrated GNSS, GSM and Bluetooth connectivity, designed for sharing applications. TST100 enables the possibility to read information from kick e-scooters ECU and control them remotely.
FMB130 is tracker with internal GNSS, GSM antennas, configurable digital/analogue inputs/negative input/impulse inputs, three DOUT outputs, Bluetooth connectivity and backup battery.
Suitable for: kick scooters, scooters, mopeds (both gasoline and electric), e-bikes, cars, trucks and more.
Price: 60 USD - 120 USD / 50 € - 120 € depending on model and quantity. No monthly fees.
Company based in China and provides IoT devices mostly for kick scooters and bikes. It is widely used by vehicle manufacturers that use Omni IoT as a default built in option (like Segway, Acton and many others).
Suitable for: kick scooters, bikes and e-bikes.
Price: 45 USD- 85 USD / 40 € - 80 € per piece depending on model and quantity. In some cases manufacturers that use Omni IoT by default may charge some monthly fee for connectivity.
Comodule is rapidly growing startup headquartered in Tallinn (Estonia), with business development offices in Berlin (Germany) and Taipei (Taiwan). They worked with many large companies including Jump and Bolt. Comodule provides both IoT device and cloud server with API. This is why they have additional monthly fees.
Suitable for: kick scooters and e-bikes.
Price: 80 USD - 150 USD / 80 € - 130 € depending on quantity + monthly fees.
We decided to add to the list also Lighbug device that is actually not an IoT device (not connected to the vehicle), but can be used in some cases just to monitor real-time location and trigger alarm sound if needed. Lightbug’s remote GPS solutions can be used in cases if you do not want to integrate to the vehicle. Model has battery that lasts 30-60 days if send location data every minute and up to 10-15 years if update regularity is lower. Great result! You can attach GPS basically everywhere, not only on a vehicle.
Lightbug Pro is industrial grade tracker, designed to have a battery life of up to 15 years
Suitable for: real-time location tracking of any asset or person
Price: 95 USD - 115 USD / 89.90 € - 104.00 €
Connectivity and data
Each IOT device will require a SIM card that has data capability in order to send and receive commands. While some manufacturers offer IoT devices together with SIM cards and data, other give you more flexibility to choose from. Data usage varies depending on IoT device you use and configurations, but in general every SIM card will consume around 5-30 MB/month. Local SIM card providers can offer you a price estimation which should be around 0,5 - 2 EUR/month per SIM card. Some global connectivity providers that focus on shared mobility market:
Straightforward pay-as-you-go pricing in 180+ countries. In average around 2 USD/month per SIM card + data.
1oT has great coverage all over the world and flexible pricing without monthly fees (you pay only for data usage).
The 1NCE IoT Flat Rate is an all-inclusive price model for IoT connectivity. It is a pre-paid offering to connect IoT devices for up to 10 years at a price of 10 EUR, including all necessary features such as data allowance, SIM card cost, APN, OpenVPN and SMS (250 sms). For 10 EUR you will get sim card with 500 MB (most probably will be enough for 1,5 - 2 years). If you are ready to pay upfront 10 EUR/sim this is the best offer available.
Truphone is another great alternative to take a look at. For 12 EUR per SIM you will get 250 MB to use within 3 years.
This is the second part of hardware overview. In next blog post we will cover list of popular smart locks. Contact ATOM Mobility for any additional questions or inquiries you may have about available products and suppliers.
ATOM Mobility - We empower entrepreneurs to launch vehicle sharing platforms.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers and vehicle models on the market that are currently integrated with ATOM Mobility. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers and vehicle models on the market that are currently integrated with ATOM Mobility. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.
What are the most reliable vehicles that are available right now on the market?
Scooters
Acton specializes in electronic scooters specifically designed for fleet operations. The company currently offers two different e-scooter models, as well as one e-bike model.
The Acton M Pro robust design includes industry-leading strength ratings, heavy duty welds, and proprietary aluminum extrusions.
Top speed: 18.6 MPH / 30.9 KMPH
Range: 30 miles / 48 km
Charge: 6 hours
Price: Contact us or ACTON directly
The Acton Topswap is e-scooter designed to include a patented battery swap system (on the same Acton M Pro model basis)
Top speed: 18.6 MPH / 30.9 KMPH
Range: 30 miles / 48 km
Charge: 6 hours
Price: Contact us or ACTON directly
Located in Hangzhou of China. Fitrider is an innovative high-tech company with variety of products: escooters, ebikes, swappable battery solutions, IoT/GPS, smart locks and docking/charging stations.
FitRider Scooter T2S with swappable battery design, 10’inch wheels, solid tyres and drum/disc brakes.
Top speed: 15.5MPH / 25 KMPH
Range: 20 miles / 35 km
Charge: 4-5 hours
Price: Contact us
Freego is the largest manufacturer and the first exporter of self balancing scooters from South China.
Top speed: 15.5MPH / 25 KMPH
Range: 30 miles / 48 km
Charge: 3-5 hours
Price: 600 USD / 556 EUR
Zhejiang Okai Vehicle Co., Ltd. produces professional high quality scooters, both electric and gasoline. Scooters of this company is widely used by largest scooter sharing companies in Europe.
The ES400 model is specifically designed for highly efficient sharing platforms. Swappable battery, very durable and fully hidden cables.
Top speed: 18.6 MPH / 29.9 KMPH
Range: 16Ah = approx. 32 miles / 51.5 km, 9.6Ah = approx. 24 miles / 39 km
Charge: 3-4 hours
Price: ES400 - 700 USD / 650 EUR, ES200 (non swappable battery) - 595 USD / 550 EUR
Segway Inc. is the worldwide leader in personal electric transportation. Almost all major sharing companies using or used scooter manufactured by Segway.
The Segway Ninebot ES4 model was the first model widely used for sharing. It comes with a dual-battery offering and solid design. However, the durability of this model is low comparing to other vehicles in this review.
Top speed: 18.6 MPH / 29.9 KMPH
Range: 28 miles / 45 km
Charge: 6-7 hours
Price: 300-400 USD / 250-350 EUR
The 10-inch pneumatic tires on the Kickscooter MAX can climb slopes that have a 20% incline. Special cable protection. Durable model with option to upgrade to PRO with swappable battery function.
Top speed: 18.6 MPH / 29.9 KMPH
Range: Approx. 23 miles / 37 km
Charge: 6-7 hours
Price: 480 - 580 USD / 440 - 540 EUR
Superpedestrian offers the first micro mobility platform built on intelligent electric vehicles and cloud tools.
The Superdestrian model by US based mobility company of the same name offers a 12+ months vehicle lifetime, real-time safety checks, active protection systems and a robust design offering.
Top speed: 15.5 MPH / 25 KMPH
Range: 56 miles / 90 km
Charge: 7 hours
Price: -
Electric Bikes / Mopeds
Designed specifically for shared fleet services, this electronic bike model will launch in spring 2020 with fully integrated IoT.
Top speed: 21.75 MPH / 35 KMPH
Range: 35 miles / 56 km
Charge: 6 hours
Price: Contact us or ACTON directly
NIU delivers electric vehicle in the two-wheel class powered by a Bosch Electric Motor and Panasonic Lithium Battery.
Designed specifically for shared fleet services, this electronic bike model will launch in spring 2020 with fully integrated IoT.
Top speed: 28 MPH / 45 KMPH
Range: 35-45 miles / 50-70 km
Charge: 6 hours
Price: 2593 USD / 2400 EUR
The Gonbike Pab model is a fully integrated e-bike, with native IoT integration and high battery capacity up to 49.7 m / 80 km.
Top speed: 15.5 MPH / 25 KMPH
Range: 50 miles / 80 km
Charge: 6 hours
Price: 995 USD / 930 EUR
FitRider M2 ebike
Swappable battery design, 14 or 16 ’inch wheels, strong frame, drum brake and build-in IoT/GPS.
Top speed: 15.5 MPH / 25 KMPH
Range: 45 miles / 70 km
Charge: 3-5 hours
Price: Contact us
This is the first part of hardware overview. In next blog post we will cover IoT/GPS devices and then smart locks. Contact ATOM Mobility for any additional questions or inquiries you may have about available products and suppliers.
ATOM Mobility - We empower entrepreneurs to launch vehicle sharing platforms.