WeMo scooter-sharing system to expand into New Taipei City next year

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Electric scooter-sharing company, WeMo will expand its operations beyond Taipei City and into four New Taipei City districts next year, reported CNA.

The company is also in talks about exporting its software and hardware overseas in 2019, said WeMo CEO Jeffery Wu.

WeMo, an app-based scooter sharing system launched in Oct. 2016, will have 3,000 scooters on the road for single-use trips by the end of the year. The service, currently restricted to sections of Taipei City has around 100,000 users.

Once the service is rolled out in the two remaining districts of Taipei City this year, it will be expanded to parts of New Taipei City in the first quarter of next year, said Wu during an event marking the second anniversary of the company. WeMo will first move into Banqiao District, before expanding into Sanchong, Yonghe, and Zhonghe Districts.

Taipei City Vice Mayor Charles Lin said that governments in Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have shown interest in WeMo’s ride-sharing system, and that the product is suitable in these locations.

Wu said that use of the system in Southeast Asia and Europe is within scope of WeMo’s future planning, and is expected to commence within three years.

Lin went on to say that the Taipei City Government hopes to sign a deal with WeMo to allow user data to be used by the city’s road management center to improve traffic flow, and for Taipei City Government officials to enjoy discounted use, reported CNA.

In May 2018, the Taipei City Government rolled out 20,000 free parking spaces exclusively for electric scooters for a period of two years.