Skip to main content

Helbiz plans to acquire Skip’s scooters

Micromobility group makes buy in order to grow US presence in last-mile transport
By Ben Spencer December 31, 2020 Read time: 2 mins
Helbiz says deal comes as micromobility sector is expected to make a strong post-pandemic recovery (© NycRuss | Dreamstime.com)

Micromobility company Helbiz has announced plans to acquire Skip’s scooter operations in a bid to expand its US operations.

Skip operates 2,500 scooters in Washington, DC. 

Helbiz CEO Salvatore Palella says: "Through the acquisition of Skip, we can continue to scale and grow our US presence to offer last-mile transportation options to local communities across the country. We are committed to working closely with the Skip team to build and develop unparalleled features and products that not only benefit our riders but exceeds expectations in safety and sustainability measures.”

Stefano Ciravegna, head of strategy and M&A at Helbiz, says:“ The transaction with Skip comes at a time when the micromobility sector is expected to make a strong post-pandemic recovery.”

Skip is to continue providing access to scooters for underserved neighbourhoods and essential workers in Washington, DC. 

Helbiz builds products and technology which can be integrated into legacy infrastructures to aid the emergence of sustainable communities.

The company says it partners with cities and municipalities around the world to offer e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds that complement existing transportation systems.

Helbiz is not alone in its effort to ramp up micromobility in the US. In August, Bird, Lime and Spin received the green light to operate up to 10,000 e-scooters between them in Chicago as part of a four-month pilot.

 

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • CTS prepares Paths for contactless travel 
    January 24, 2022
    Riders on public transport between New York and New Jersey will use a single account
  • Mobility as a Service gaining traction in US and Europe
    December 15, 2015
    As Mobility as a Service starts to move into the mainstream of transport planning, David Crawford compares European and North American initiatives. Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a concept fast gaining traction on both sides of the Atlantic as a way of giving travellers digital multimodal one-stop shops and journey planning tools as an alternative to private car use. Planned delivery methods include subscription-based travel packages in Europe, and 'mobility aggregator' apps, including employee commute ben
  • IBTTA: diversity and racial justice must 'flourish'
    January 19, 2021
    Tolling organisation outlines priorities for 2021 and announces new appointments 
  • US eyes European model for Illinois toll road upgrade
    May 30, 2014
    David Crawford welcomes the adoption of European-style ITS technology by the US. The Jane Addams Memorial Tollway in Illinois, US is well on the way towards becoming a ‘smart traffic corridor’, taking full advantage of active traffic management (ATM or ‘managed lanes’) technology that originated in Europe. It is one of the first American toll roads to do so; preliminary work began in 2014 and will continue through to 2016. Jane Addams is one of four toll roads operated by the publicly-owned Illinois State T