3 March 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Bolt, the leading European mobility platform focused on making urban travel more affordable, convenient and sustainable, today announced its intention to bring its e-scooters to Ireland as part of an integrated transport system.
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Following the successful launch of its taxi-hailing service in Dublin, Bolt is excited to create Ireland’s first multi-modal transport platform, where the public can choose between a car, e-scooter or even an e-bike.
Luke Mackey, Ireland Country Manager for Bolt said, “Our data from similar sized cities shows that offering micromobility services like scooters alongside ride-hailing can replace up to 11% of car trips under 3km. Integration with the wider public transport system would only increase the value add to the public who can mix between cars, micromobility, rail and bus in one app.”
Mackey added, “In the future, journeys can begin from the multi-modal Bolt app. Some trips make more sense on an e-scooter, some in a taxi. Bolt can combine them all, and you don’t have to use multiple apps for each service and type of vehicle. Once a person enters their destination in our app, we’ll recommend different ways to get there based on time, price or weather.”
Bolt is ready to provide 10,000 of its proprietary, 4th generation, sustainable e-scooters to Irish towns and cities. Projections based on Bolt’s European markets, over 130 jobs are expected to be created on the successful roll-out of e-scooters in Irish cities. These local operation roles would manage the charging, maintenance and distribution of the e-scooters.
The Bolt Four scooter, unveiled in December 2020, has a maximum speed of 25 km/h, a 40 km battery range, is weather-resistant to the IP67 standard and has a 5 year life-span. It is designed and manufactured wholly by Bolt and is the safest model in the industry, with a lower and wider foot-deck to provide an optimal centre of gravity, in-built audio guidance, dual mechanical and electronic brakes and sensors to detect and automatically report accidents or falls.
The Irish public can already order taxis via the Bolt app, with options including Bolt Shield, where the car has a protective shield, and Bolt Green, for a hybrid or electric taxi. In Ireland, 33% of cars on the Bolt platform are hybrid or electric, and over 65% have protective shields between drivers and passengers, with these numbers expected to rise. All Bolt trips in Europe are 100% carbon-neutral, as part of Bolt’s Green Plan, a long-term commitment to minimise the ecological footprint of the company.
