Image: Tier
After legislation is passed, the taxi app plans to make the micromobility vehicles available in Ireland through a partnership with German e-scooter company Tier.
In the latest e-scooter move, taxi app Free Now plans to make the micromobility vehicles available through its app in partnership with Tier.
The app, which is owned by Daimler, has partnered with Softbank-backed e-scooter company Tier and will initially launch the feature in Germany and France. This will be followed by a European roll-out, which is set to include Ireland.
The Irish launch hinges on the passing of new legislation to regulate e-scooters on Irish roads. Plans to draft legislation have been approved by Government and laws are expected to be enacted in the coming months.
“Already in other markets such as Germany and soon in France, we have a mix of taxis, e-scooters, e-bikes, e-mopeds and car sharing on the Free Now app, offering a more integrated approach, and we look forward to expanding this further in Ireland,” Niall Carson, Free Now’s general manager for Ireland, said.
Berlin’s Tier, like many of its rivals, has had its eyes on the Irish market for some time and recently registered an Irish company ahead of the passing of legislation.
European competitors Dott and Bolt have recently committed to launching e-scooter services in Irish cities this year, with Bolt saying it would deploy up to 10,000 of the vehicles. Irish players Bleeper, Zipp Mobility and Zeus are also readying their own plans to launch.
After legislation comes into effect, city and local authorities will likely be able to tender for operator licences. Some councils, like Fingal County Council, have got the ball rolling with a consultation on e-scooter and e-bike services in the locality.
“We are on a mission to transform urban mobility and to do that, we need brilliant global partners, like Free Now, who share our vision for greener, less congested cities,” Fred Jones, Northern Europe general manager of Tier, said.
“This partnership is a major milestone for Tier and we are hugely excited at the potential prospect of rolling out the feature in Ireland, so that Irish riders can have the convenience of booking a ride with the press of a button through the Free Now Ireland app.”
