Salut Paris! Greater freedom and riding enjoyment instead of traffic jam: the e-scooter sharing service known as COUP is set to roll out another option for urban transport in the French metropolis starting summer 2017.
Instead of squeezing into the overcrowded Metro, searching for a parking spot for hours, or getting stuck in a congestion nightmare around the Arc de Triomphe, Parisians will be able to make their way quickly and flexibly through the city’s hectic traffic. Starting this summer, 600 rentable scooters from COUP will hit the streets of the city on the Seine. Reserve, book, and ride off: for Paris, the electric speedsters are an easy-to-use alternative to public transportation, your own car, or a taxi.
The expansion to France marks another step for Bosch in its efforts to establish itself as a provider of connected mobility solutions. The e-scooter sharing provider COUP, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH, launched a new business field in the Mobility Services operating unit in the past year in Berlin. The opportunity to experience the city with greater flexibility and less fuss on two wheels has proved popular. “COUP’s launch has surpassed expectations. The success has given us the confidence to expand the sharing service to another European city,” said Dr. Markus Heyn, a member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH.
Greater mobility and freedom in urban traffic
Paris is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. For years, the city has had to contend with high levels of particulate pollution, a lack of parking spots, and traffic jams. Scooters are increasingly becoming established as a practical means of transportation. Through electric vehicles available on demand as part of a sharing model, COUP aims to further reduce urban traffic and make it far more eco-friendly. “Paris is the perfect place for us to expand the COUP service. By taking this step, we aim to be a pioneer of efficient urban mobility,” Heyn said. Young people in particular want to hit the city streets without any stress, but they do not necessarily want to own a vehicle. “Urban mobility is going to change radically over the next few years. Bosch wants to help shape this transformation with mobility and service solutions − and understand users’ requirements with regard to these services,” Heyn said.
On the road − efficiently
Anyone who is over 21 years old and has a Class B driver’s license or an international driver’s license can use the service. Through the service’s app, users can locate, reserve, and book the closest e-scooter without any hassle − and then simply set off. No key is necessary. A helmet and two replaceable batteries are located under the seat. COUP takes care of charging the batteries, which means customers do not have to worry about a thing. The scooters are powered by green electricity and can travel at speeds of up to 45 kph. Users can park the scooters in specially designated zones within COUP’s business territory. COUP makes it easy for users to calculate their rides with their pricing model, four Euros per 30 minutes and one Euro for every ten minutes thereafter.
Connected services are part of the corporate strategy in the Mobility Solutions business sector − and are becoming an integral element of Bosch’s business. For example, Bosch is already developing solutions for a connected parking lot management system, for a cloud-based fleet management system, as well as for an app-based mobility assistant targeting the multimodal use of various means of transportation. The COUP sharing service represents another building block in the Mobility Solutions business sector.
