Ojo Electric Latest Scooter Provider Entering Austin Market

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The crowded market of app-driven scooters in Austin (aka scooters) is about to get more jam-packed: California-based Ojo Electric LLC has announced its entry into the market with sit-down mobility device versions.

Aside from their mobility devices' seating option, company officials noted in a press advisory that their scooters won't clutter the sidewalks when users are done using them. This is because Ojos's scooters are specifically designed for bike lanes and streets, officials noted, and away from pedestrians. In launching its offerings, Ojo (the Spanish word for "eye") is partnering with Austin Commuter Scooter LLC, a subsidiary of Bike Share of Austin (operators of the Austin B-cycle network) in bringing the sit-down scooters to the city, officials said.

"OjO Electric is taking shared-use scooters to the next level, greatly improving the accessibility and range of scooters with our groundbreaking commuter scooter, equipped with a seat, so riders can stand or sit," Max Smith, CEO of OjO Electric, said in a prepared statement. "This is truly a scooter for everyone."

Company officials vowed to collaborate with the local government in protecting the public's right-of-way They described their scooters as a "...safe, sustainable and structurally sound scooter for today's expanding ride-share market. It's further described as containing a swappable 48-volt lithium ion battery allowing for a 50-mile range on a full charge.

"In addition, the patented and powerful HyperGear hub motor propels the OjO scooter to bike-lane-legal top speeds of 20 mph," officials added in their press advisory. "In Austin, the OjO scooter will debut with a top speed of 20 mph to comply with City of Austin Transportation Department regulations. OjO has the ability to control speeds and geo-fence locations with CalAmp telematics and its newly developed application technology."

Elliott McFadden, executive director of Bike Share of Austin, touted the scooters' comfort dynamics for riders. The glut of scooter providers currently operating in Austin — which includes Lime, Bird, Uber, Lyft and Ford Motor Co. offering dubbed Spin — all feature the standard stand-up version of the vehicles, with a collective fleet of roughly 9,000 scooters.

"We are excited to help bring OjO's innovative scooter to market and provide a scooter that current riders and the rest of us can ride comfortably," McFadden said in a prepared statement. "We think it says a lot about Austin that OjO would decide to make this its first launch market, and we are happy to provide our operational expertise and first rate customer service to make it a success."

OjO and ACS will share data on scooter usage and ride trends, which is possible with the scooter's on-board telemetry with live-feed data transmission to share vehicle performance and information, officials said. The process will help optimize the performance as well as address any potential maintenance issues, officials added: "This functionality is in line with OjO's mandate to ensure maximum rider safety and superior user experience," Ojo officials noted in their press notice.

Additionally, unlike other scooter offerings, the OjO includes audible feedback through on-board speakers. This includes navigation, traffic alerts, construction zones, geo-fence approaches, speed reduction zone alerts and nearby docking location alerts. Users will also be able to connect via Bluetooth and play stored or streaming music through the on-board speakers."

"ACS understanding of the local Austin market and expertise in hands-on deployments makes this unique partnership the ideal launching pad for OjO's entry into scooter rideshare in the country's 11th largest city," said company official Max Smith. "Our OjO scooter is unique -- it's unlike anything the ride-share scooter market has seen and our rider experience is the safest on the streets."

ACS will provide operational support to OjO with boots on the ground in Austin and oversee OjO scooter deployment, balancing, service, repair and 24/7 customer service telephone support line, officials said. ACS will work with OjO to determine optimal neighborhood deployments, plus conduct local market research to aid in further product development by Ojo, they added.

"Launching this electric ride-share scooter program in Austin continues our mission to provide sustainable mobility solutions that service the public's transportation needs while reducing carbon emissions and congestion in and around Austin," McFadden said. "OjO is a terrific choice for the ride-share market and will further improve the personal mobility options available to Austin residents and visitors."

Related stories:

Lyft Unleashes Its Own Fleet Of Scooters To The Austin Mix

Ford Motor Co. Latest Entrant In Crowded Austin Scooter Industry

About Austin Commuter Scooter, LLC

Austin Commuter Scooter is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bike Share of Austin, a local non-profit that operates the Austin B-cycle system. Under BSA's management, Austin B-cycle has been a nationally recognized bike share system, growing the system from 11 to 76 stations and setting U.S. records for ridership. BSA under its subsidiary Austin Commuter Scooter brings a half-decade of operational expertise and shared-use industry leadership to the launch of OjO Electric's innovative shared-use product.

About OjO Electric, LLC

OjO Electric is a Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) mobility solutions company creating products and services for first and last mile transportation solutions. OjO's vision is to create a sustainable mobility eco-system connecting people, cities and businesses with our services. The platform is built with open API's to allow for integration with partners and offer multi-modal solutions. With patented designs, manufacturing and distribution for electric scooters, OjO is a vertically integrated company. The OjO original electric scooter has a range of 50 miles, and top speed of 20 mph making it a safe, fun, and reliable means of transportation.

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