AD&P; > December 2015 > TALK > On Mobility > abovecar@gmail.com
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ing 13,000 smart-brand cars in 30
cities (in 8 countries). That micro-
car is not as small as the Twizy,
but meets FMVSS crash standards
so there isn't the travel restriction.
Some say the smart cars were
originally designed for inner-city
use, and not intended for the
autobahn or freeway.
There are several other shared
micro EV start-ups to mention.
The European shared e-scooter
company Gogoro has raised $150-
million in funding for a shared
e-scooter system that ofers
swappable batteries as well, to
keep their scooter always charged.
Sumo, a start-up in Fayetteville,
NC, was the frst to ofer shared
LSVs in North America, with vehi-
cles that look similar to golf carts.
I do believe there is a large oppor-
tunity for smaller, right-sized local
vehicles, and I believe there is also
a signifcant opportunity for shared
smaller vehicles. I just wonder how
ride-sourcing services may eclipse
urban carshare in a rich citywide
MaaS future. When traveling within
a downtown city zone, will the con-
sumer choose a shared small urban
car or take a ride with Uber? And
what type of trips will a consumer
prefer the shared little car for?
But whichever way, it is notable that
there are now more choices than
ever before for urban transport.
Dan Sturges is mobility design consultant for team red and
has been supporting "transformative" transportation projects
for nearly 30 years. He trained as a car designer, worked
as an entrepreneur to bring to market a new intermediate
vehicle category. He supports a wide range of vehicle design
and mobility planning eforts for both government and
corporate entities.