• New-generation IoT, auditory alerts, hardware upgrades part of latest e-scooter upgrade
• All 400 Beam e-scooters in Wellington will be replaced with the Saturn 5

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[23 January 2022] Global micromobility company Beam has unveiled its latest e-scooter - the Saturn 5 - bringing its fifth-generation e-scooter to the streets of Wellington.

Latest research from Beam reveals that 40% of Beam riders are more likely to consider public transport as an option for long journeys, over cars or ridesharing, if they have the option to rely on e-scooters and e-bikes for first and last mile transport.

48% of Beam riders reveal they already utilise e-scooters and e-bikes for their first and last mile connections, with 22% of Beam riders saying they “always” or “usually” do as part of their trips in the city.

“Ahead of the e-bike trials scheduled to begin soon, we see this as a great time to introduce an upgrade to the e-scooters Wellington residents get to use,”

says Beam’s ANZ General Manager Tom Cooper.

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“The Saturn 5 e-scooter was developed particularly for mature e-scooter markets, catering for longer commuting journeys with features like wireless phone charging and auditory alerts, as well as improved geo-fencing capabilities to ensure safe operation of micromobility alongside other modes of transport.”

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New-generation IOT, featuring high precision geofencing and increased GPS accuracy

The Saturn 5 features an upgraded IoT, feeding not just off satellites but off information gathered from the vehicle’s own systems.

The result is centimetre-perfect position accuracy, ensuring riders remain inside local council and government-approved micro-mobility vehicle use zones, and swift action as the rider moves between zones with differing restrictions.

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Auditory alerts and hands-free phone charging

Building on the previous generation of e-scooters that featured phone holders for rider ease, and to ensure all riders had their hands off their phones, the Saturn 5 repositions this mount to the centre of the vehicle, a change that allows the rider easier access to the safety features close to the handlebars.

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Beam’s e-scooters are also the first in New Zealand to add wireless phone charging capabilities, enabling longer journeys.

The Saturn 5 also features new-generation clear audio messaging, with safe riding reminders and riding zone changes now delivered audibly as well, so riders can listen to instructions and don’t have to take their eyes off their journey.

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For those who prefer visual cues, the Saturn 5 conveys riding notifications when entering and leaving slow zones, no parking zones and other riding areas, via an on-screen display.

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“We deliver these instructions in our app as well, especially for those who are hearing impaired, but we’ve also found the audible alerts increase rider compliance with the riding rules, and the on-screen display provides an additional cue,”

says Cooper.

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Hardware upgrades for safety, inclusiveness and durability

To further insulate the rider from unevenness of roads and pavements, the Saturn 5 features larger front and back wheels, giving riders an increased sense of confidence whilst on the scooter.

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And a small but significant update to the hardware on the Saturn 5 is the noticeably smaller handlebars, designed for better grip and quicker access to the safety features alongside the handlebars, including the brake levers, left and right indicators, and bell.

The vehicle has also been designed with sustainability at its core, with the Saturn 5 boasting up to 120 kilometres of battery life, the longest capacity of any vehicle in the shared micromobility space.

The Saturn 5 will be joined by Beam’s Apollo e-bike when the e-bike trial begins.

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