• Beam’s shared micromobility permit to be extended to 2026
• Over 2 million kilometres have been ridden on a Beam in Wellington to date

[2 May 2024] New Zealand’s largest shared micromobility company Beam will power Wellington’s shared micromobility program until 2026, with the city passing a 2 million kilometre milestone this week.

Over 2 million kilometres ridden on a purple e-scooter or e-bike to date, with Wellington’s Beam riders saving over 247 tonnes of carbon emissions through modal shift away from cars.

New riding and parking technology to roll out across the city

Following the introduction of its new e-bike fleet last month, Beam will continue its trajectory of technology upgrades, with AI-powered Pedestrian Shield technology to be integrated into a number of the city’s e-scooter fleet.

With Pedestrian Shield, Beam’s e-scooters will accurately and reliably identify whether the vehicle is traveling on sidewalks, streets or bike lanes, enabling Beam to educate riders on safe riding in and around the city, by providing specific in-trip and post-trip feedback.

Beam will also roll out its AI-backed Parking Auditor technology, aimed at educating and enforcing proper rider parking.

The Parking Auditor will audit riders’ end trip photos and detect where an e-scooter or e-bike has been inappropriately parked. Beam’s city marshals will be alerted to relocate an improperly parked vehicle, with riders risking parking penalties and suspensions off the Beam platform for improper parking.

‍Beam’s latest rider data shows ever-increasing shared micromobility uptake

The benefits of shared e-scooters in the city can be seen in Beam’s latest rider data, with over half (53%) of Beam riders in Wellington using Beam for commuting to work and study, and 39% of trips replacing a car journey in Wellington.

51% of Wellington riders are aged 35 and above, with shared micromobility adoption for work commutes growing rapidly, particularly with the introduction of Beam’s new Apollo Lite e-bikes.

Local businesses have seen the benefits, too, with 50% of Beam trips in Wellington involving a purchase at a local business.

To date, $18,400 has been spent by Bean riders, per Beam vehicle deployed in Wellington, for a total of $9.2 million of economic activity generated by rider spend across the city.

Beam’s Regional Operations Manager (New Zealand) Jackson Jebaselvan, said:

“We are pleased to be powering Wellington’s shared micromobility until 2026, and thank the Wellington City Council for their continued confidence in our shared e-mobility operations.

“The extremely high level of adoption amongst Wellington residents who live and work where shared e-scooters and e-bikes are available demonstrates how Wellington is already a leader in shared e-mobility.

“We look forward to bringing upgrades to our shared micromobility service over the coming months, with Wellington being an optimal city for us to be introducing the latest shared micromobility technology.

“Above all, we aim to provide our riders with the latest hardware, opening up shared micromobility to more riders regardless of their age, gender, or physicality.

“We’re pleased with the success of our operations to date and will continue working closely with the council and local community to provide safe, affordable and eco-friendly transport connections across Wellington.”

Wellington City Council’s Senior Behaviour Change Specialist (Community) Jess Whattam, said:

"We are delighted about continuing our ongoing collaboration with the current operators for the next 18 months in Wellington.
“Our partnership will aim to further enhance the Micromobility program throughout the city, with a particular focus on pedestrian and footpath safety."