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Lime launches pilot of its new electric motorbike in Long Beach

Mobility startup Lime is wanting so as to add electrical motorbikes to its present fleet of e-bikes and e-scooters. The corporate right this moment launched a pilot program in Lengthy Seashore, California for its customized bike, which it’s calling the Citra. Lime spokesperson Russell Murphy told The Verge that the corporate plans to launch a number of hundred Citra bikes within the California metropolis this summer time, doubtlessly topping as much as 500 motorbikes if ridership is powerful sufficient.

In accordance with Lime’s description of the Citra, it’s constructed for longer distances and combines “the seated consolation of an e-bike with the effortlessness of an e-scooter.” At the least aesthetically talking, the Citra positively resembles each. Just like different Lime autos, the Citra additionally incorporates a swappable battery that will get charged by its native operation crew. The bike is provided with a couple of helpful options similar to cupboard space for groceries, a horn, entrance and rear flip indicators and a telephone mount.

Lime is hoping that prospects will search various strategies of transportation just like the Citra in gentle of this summer time’s record-high fuel costs. “Citra is the right means to economize on fuel, keep away from time wasted in visitors, and alleviate the complications of attempting to find parking this summer time and we’re enthusiastic about its potential,” stated Lime president Joe Kraus in a press release.

Mobility startups have struggled to prosper attributable to opposition from local legislatures, safety failures and a decline in ridership throughout the pandemic. Some have resorted to terminating workers or winding down operations with a purpose to keep afloat. Again in 2020, Lime laid off a small chunk of its workforce and pulled out of Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, San Antonio and eight different cities outdoors the US. The corporate has made some strides since then — it raised a $523 million funding round final 12 months and just lately unveiled a Gen4 ebike.

However Lime and different mobility startups aren’t out of the woods but. As Bloomberg noted, e-scooter ridership nonetheless hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic ranges.

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