Micromobility is on everyone’s mouths and newspaper headlines – and is actively promoted by SEAT: Following the introduction of the electric scooter SEAT eXS Kickscooter powered by Segway at the Barcelona Smart City Congress and the international presentation of the concept car SEAT Minimó, the Spanish car manufacturer is now taking the next step. At this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the brand announced that it is taking on the role of pacing forward and implementing the urban micro-mobility strategy for the Volkswagen Group.
Madrid as the nucleus of the Kicksharing project
Since then, SEAT has sold more than 5,000 units of the electric scooter SEAT eXS launched in December last year. The company is resolutely continuing on its path and has now announced its strategic cooperation with the start-up UFO. Together with XMOBA Ventures, it wants to offer a service for the sharing of e-scooters (kick-sharing). As part of this project, 530 models of the SEAT eXS Kickscooter powered by Segway will be made available to the residents of Madrid.
“The eXS is the first SEAT product specifically designed to facilitate urban mobility. The agreement signed with UFO underlines our commitment to micro-mobility and marks our entry into kicks-scooter sharing” said Lucas Casasnovas, director of SEAT Product Marketing.
Mario Marín, co-founder and CEO of UFO, says, “UFO was founded to revolutionise urban mobility and make it easier, more sustainable and more people-friendly. We are pleased to have found in SEAT a partner who understands the future of mobility in the future like no other and whose vision fits perfectly with UFO’s vision. We have ambitious plans and want to establish UFO in other European cities as well. This partnership will pave the way for us.”
As part of the partnership between UFO and XMOBA Ventures, a SEAT-independent company that tests, introduces and finances new mobility solutions, XMOBA also plans to analyse the mobility data for the kicksharing service to gain new insights into tomorrow’s urban micro-mobility concepts to win.
Close cooperation with public institutions
SEAT works closely with authorities and institutions. In doing so, the company follows precisely to what the representatives of various public institutions have to say to gain insights into their approach to mobility in big cities. Another goal is to identify synergies for the specific challenges that face urban mobility.
The cooperation with UFO is not limited to Madrid: It is planned to expand the pilot program to offer the service in other cities, depending on the success of the project. It always seeks cooperation with public authorities. SEAT is committed to integrating new means of transportation into urban transport in a way that ensures that the urban population feels as safe and as undisturbed as possible.
App-based payment model
The best example is the kicksharing service over UFO. It’s intuitive and straightforward: users can use an app-based map to see if there’s any electric scooter near their location. This can then be unlocked by scanning its QR code. The costs for the service amount to one time 1.00 Euro for the unlocking and 0.15 Euro per minute usage time. Payment is automatic and usage-dependent via the app.
UFO operates the Kicksharing service in Madrid under license from the Municipal Department for Mobility and Environment. UFO wants to establish itself as an alternative for sustainable urban mobility. According to the local traffic regulations in Madrid, the rental scooters must be parked in the parking spaces provided for motorcycles and bicycles, in public parking areas on the street or the sidewalk.
