Micromobility

About Micromobility

Bolt is an Estonian mobility company that provides a range of transportation services, including micromobility with electric scooters and e-bikes. The company's primary business model is a marketplace connecting riders with transportation options through a single mobile application. Revenue is generated from rental fees for its scooters and e-bikes, where users pay an unlocking fee and then a per-minute rate. The company also earns commission from its other services like ride-hailing and food delivery.

Founded in 2013 as Taxify by Markus Villig, who was 19 at the time, the company initially focused on ride-hailing in Tallinn, Estonia. Villig started the company with a loan from his parents, with his brother Martin helping build the initial platform. The company rebranded from Taxify to Bolt in March 2019 to reflect its expansion into a broader range of mobility solutions. It launched its micromobility division in September 2018, starting with e-scooters in Paris and later adding e-bikes. The company now operates in over 500 cities across more than 45 countries in Europe, Africa, Western Asia, and Latin America.

Bolt's micromobility service features its own in-house designed e-scooters, with the latest being the 'Bolt 6'. These scooters are designed for safety, sustainability, and durability, with an expected lifespan of up to eight years and a range of up to 90 km on a single charge. Key features include an Advanced Micromobility Intelligence System (AMIS), which enables real-time detection of tandem riding, skidding, and collisions. The scooters are also equipped with a 'Smart Parking 360' solutions package, which uses an AI-powered system to verify correct parking via photo, and sensors that detect if the scooter is improperly parked at an angle.