Bird Rides Inc. introduced Wednesday a new electric scooter model in Santa Monica and Los Angeles that riders can buy outright.
The Bird One, which is available in black, white and rose for $1,299, is more durable than the five models Bird has previously deployed. The Bird One's battery is double the size of any scooter on the market and has a 30-mile range, according to a press release. It also comes with anti-theft features, such as GPS and a digital lock.
The model is available to rent locally and the company will soon offer it in other North American cities.
This is the second model Bird has designed in-house. The Bird Zero, which launched last year, has lasted more than 10 months on the street on average, said CEO and founder Travis VanderZanden.
The lifespan of each scooter is critical to the company's profitability. Earlier models from Xiaomi and Ninebot, Segway's parent company, broke down frequently. Bird lost money on each scooter and is now planning to transition its fleet to in-house models.
“Bird One builds on the benefits and learnings of Bird Zero and is forecasted to last in the sharing environment for well over a year," VanderZanden said. "Given the excitement and demand for our next generation e-scooter, we are also making a limited supply of Bird Ones available to own."
The $1,299 scooter comes with a one-year warranty and repairs from Bird's contract mechanics. Riders who pre-order a scooter now can expect it to be delivered this summer.
Bird, which launched in Santa Monica almost two years ago, is one of four scooter companies authorized to operate within city limits under the City of Santa Monica's shared mobility pilot program.
madeleine@smdp.com
