– We started in Oslo two and a half years ago, and have completed ten million trips during this time. Electric scooters are incredibly in demand, says Christina Moe Gjerde, general manager of Voi Norway and Finland.
In just a couple of years, electric scooters have become a visible part of many Norwegian cities. For better or worse.
Many people love the opportunity to quickly get from A to B with a rented electric scooter. At the same time, many pedestrians now experience that it has become unsafe to walk on the sidewalk, with scooters driving close by in both directions.
– Do you understand the frustration?
– I have a great understanding for it – I am also just as frustrated many times. But we believe that this can be solved, says Gjerde in the TV 2 program Bare business.
In the district court
After a long period of chaos on the sidewalks and in traffic in Oslo, with a total of 25,000 electric scooters for rent, the pressure on politicians increased before the summer to take action: Oslo City Council then set a maximum ceiling of 8,000 scooters.
The three major rental companies, Voi, Tier and Ryde, believe that this ceiling is too low. They also believe that there are too many rental players in the Norwegian market.
The companies have sued Oslo Municipality, and the case has this week been up in Oslo District Court.
– Are not 8000 electric scooters enough in Oslo?
– If you look at the demand – no. It is not the number of scooters in the city that is the problem, but how they are used and how they are parked. And it is these two things that we believe we must solve with sensible regulation, says Gjerde.
Pregnant Uzoma (29) was hit by an electric scooter: – He just drove on
New sensors
Electric scooters are now allowed to ride on sidewalks – but not at speeds higher than 6 km / h. Many users do not comply with this speed limit. Both children and adults are in recent months being hit by electric scooters.
Fence in Voi believes that the users of electric scooters must use common sense.
She also believes that there may soon be technological solutions that help the situation:
– We test sensors on bicycles that tell if this bicycle actually rides on the sidewalk, or out on the road or in the bicycle lane. Then it informs you that you now actually have to go out into the bike lane. There is an enormous amount going on in technology here, she says.
Bicycle with roof
There are already sensors that automatically slow down the speed of scooters and cars in specific areas. Gjerde believes this can be further developed and used to a greater extent.
New technology will also make it possible to rent other electric mini-vehicles from one place to another in the city.
– We think we will see shared “pod taxis”, which are electric bikes with a roof. We have tested that, says Gjerde.
Podtaxis are similar in shape to Thai tuk-tuks, and are already found in Sweden. But other types of vehicles may also be suitable for rental.
– We have also tested winter models – for example scooters for winter use. We will test this more until the winter, says Christina Moe Gjerde.
Watch the entire interview with the Voi boss in Bare business this weekend on TV 2 Nyhetskanalen, or at any time here on TV 2 Play.
–
