Stepping Up Its Two-Wheel Game
If you live in almost any major city across the U.S. You’ve likely seen the electric stand up scooters that people can rent with their smartphone. These scooters offer some personal transportation around urban environments at a low cost. Well, one of the bigger companies out there offering these scooters is Bird. Now that company wants to offer electric mopeds as well as its little scooters.
The Bird Cruiser is what the moped is called, and Bird calls it a seated electric vehicle. It’s an electric moped or something with a classification between a motorcycle and a bicycle. The bike will either have pegs or pedals depending on the market and offer a 52-volt battery, according to Tech Crunch.
This type of vehicle is called an e-bike or electrified scooter, so it’s regulated at the state level. In some states, it won’t be allowed. In others, riders may need a special license to ride it. I would assume Bird will role these out in states where riders can simply jump on and go without needing any special credentials. Of course, by altering the platform of the moped, the company can get around some of the local ordinances governing these types of vehicles.
This is a move by Bird to expand its lineup into a mobility solution that impacts more people than its little stand-up scooters ever could. Electrek compares the bike to the Super 73 electric bike, which can travel up to 20 miles per charge and up to 30 mph. While speeds will be limited depending on the local laws, that’s not a bad way to get around. It’ll be interesting to see if these are a hit with customers.