Press release:

 

Beam has officially launched in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington. It will start with a fleet of 150 e-scooters and grow to 400 over the coming weeks. Beam was selected as an operator for Wellington through a competitive process.
 
Frederick Conquer, Operations Manager at Beam “We are grateful that Wellington has selected Beam to bring new mobility options to the national capital. Our global expertise and our focus on local operations allows us to provide a comprehensive and responsive mobility service to the community. As a new operator in Wellington, we are focused on providing a local and environmentally sustainable service that can be a strong example of how micromobility can be beneficial to riders, the general community and the environment,” he added.

 

The Beam offering will include:

 

• The Beam Saturn+: The Beam Saturn+ is a rigorously tested purpose-built sharing e-scooter that provides an industry-leading suspension and shock absorption system for safer handling, swappable battery technology with an industry-leading range of up to 120km per charge, a braking system with three independent brakes, and a dual kickstand to reduce nuisance from scooters falling over. It also includes a dedicated phone charger and cup holder.
• Helmets For Every Scooter: Every Beam e-scooter in Wellington will be equipped with a Beam helmet and a Bluetooth-enabled smart helmet lock, ensuring riders always have a helmet for every ride. These helmets will be treated with an innovative cleaning treatment that provides long-term hygiene benefits and will help to encourage riders to wear them.
• Virtual Docking: At Beam, we believe that the future of micromobility is docked rather than dockless. But a docked system does not require hardware racks fitted on the pavements. Fixed parking docks can be created virtually, using technology and GPS to direct riders to appropriate parking spots through a combination of guidance, incentives, and disincentives.
• Climate Neutral Operations: A long-term goal for Beam is to help tackle climate change. For our operations, through the end of 2019, we have achieved Climate Neutral Certified status by measuring our entire greenhouse gas emissions footprint, purchasing carbon credits to offset that footprint, and implementing plans to reduce emissions this year and beyond. In Asia Pacific, this makes us the only micromobility operator to be independently certified as climate neutral.
• Beam Safe Academy: Developed in partnership with professional NZ safety experts, RiderSkills, the Beam Safe Academy is APAC's first fully fledged safety program that incorporates free, real world training courses, an interactive safety quiz and a launch briefing guide for new users. Riders in Wellington are encouraged to complete the in-app safety quiz to receive $5 free ride credit.
• Beam Booster: Over recent months we have developed a unique program designed to assist local shops, restaurants and cafes in the cities in which we operate as they strive to reinvigorate their businesses after the easing of COVID-19 conditions. Named ‘Operation Booster’, Beam’s proprietary partnership platform utilises a blend of GPS-technology, in-app notifications and partner incentives to help stimulate economic activity at the local community level. Beam’s operations team recently began approaching local businesses in Wellington to discuss the initiative and several stores have already signed up. One of the first is the popular Mexican eatery, Mad Mex.

Richard Tarrant of Mad Mex Lambton Square: "Mad Mex is happy to support Beam Booster. We're keen to encourage alternative forms of transport and to support better parking behaviour. This is a clever little initiative that achieves both whilst also supporting Kiwi businesses like ours."

 

In Wellington, Beam will work with local stakeholders to gradually introduce its vehicles to the streets, provide ongoing safety and safe riding information and training, and roll out additional features to support our operations.