Bolt expands e-scooter operations in Berlin with Swobbee

European e-scooter operator Bolt has partnered with Berlin-based green tech startup Swobbee to provide sustainable charging in the German capital. 

Bolt is conducting a pilot project applying Swobbee's battery charging solutions to its e-scooter fleet in Berlin, expecting to widen the innovative solution to other German cities in the following months. 

Swobbee, a pioneer in the emerging charging-as-a-service industry, is establishing a network of battery-charging stations to provide decentralised charging for e-scooters and EVs. Swobbee's network has expanded to around 50 stations in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. 

Building cities for people

The partnership will remove the burden of gathering and bringing the batteries to a central warehouse for charging. On the other hand, Bolt can conduct charging logistics with e-cargo bikes and Swobbee stations for e-scooters. Eventually, Bolt aims to increase customers' time and fuel savings while reducing congestion. 

Bolt has shown that an increasing number of people are willing to use e-scooters for short trips if an e-scooter is provided within a 300-metre distance. According to the research conducted by the Institute of Transport Economics (TøI) in early 2022, 60% of users are willing to shift from ride-hailing to scooters through in-app encouragement. 

Bolt also introduced Bolt 5 in March, designed to provide maximum safety, comfort and sustainability for riders. Through the partnership with Swobbee, Bolt hopes to move one step forward in its goal to build cities for people, not cars. For Swobbee, partnership with Swobbee is another important step towards decentralizing and decarbonizing micromobility operations in Europe. 

Image: Bolt