Traffic chaos, pickets, cut streets, access delays and collapsed public transport. Everyone who resides in a large city knows first-hand the mobility problems that must be borne every day. To travel to some places has become an odyssey.
As if this were not enough, the streets (even outside the nerve centers) are crammed with vehicles that leave no room to stop and much less to park, which puts the nerves on edge, generates bad mood and transforms into an explosive cocktail that it detonates frequently.
To put figures to the phenomenon, in the Federal Capital there are 1.55 million registered vehicles. That is, almost 10% of the 16.1 million that make up the automotive fleet of Argentina. This, without counting the thousands of shots that enter every day from the conurbano.
Given this scenario, the digital revolution encourages the emergence of new mobility alternatives that seek to alleviate something as commonplace as getting to work. The solution seems to have two wheels and a handlebar.
Electric skateboards are a boom many cities in the world that also suffer traffic. Although its use is more frequent in Europe (especially in Spain) and in the United States, this means of ecological transport is the option most used by people to travel the famous "last mile" to get to work.
Thanks to its practicality and, in many cases, ability to fold, can be carried on the subway or collective and then cross the final leg of the route.
The micromobility
With the focus on this business, the always controversial but increasingly thriving Rappi, Glovo and Uber decided to join this trend in frank promotion with their own skateboard rental systems.
In Mexico, for example, Rappi already operates in partnership with Grin, an e-scooters rental company. Like the bicycle system of the City of Buenos Aires, the company installed stalls throughout the city where users, from an app, can see the availability, remove one and then return it at another point.
Everything, with an accessible and completely digitized cost. This concept of "micromobility" is a trend that grows rapidly at a global level.
To sting in the country, sources from the Colombian startup had already told iProUP that this service "will arrive mid-year in Argentina", within the framework of a plan that includes the use of shopping malls and shopping areas as points of withdrawal and return of the skateboards.
The system is simple: the user must find the nearest "Grin station" through the app. Then, by scanning with the cell phone a QR code, the vehicle will unlock and can be used.
The following image shows the step by step of the service:
The service will be paid with the card associated with the application and the final price will have a scheme similar to that of taxis: a base rate (equivalent to the "flag drop") plus an amount per kilometer traveled.
Rappi will be able to take advantage of its commercial portfolio (restaurants), so that they become "Grin points": businesses will receive part of the profits in return for offering space and recharge to the skateboards.
Although it was ahead in this move, its main competitor in the delivery market already has its own arsenal. This is Maxi Mobility, the Spanish startup that brings together Glovo, Cabify and Movo apps under its umbrella. The latter already offers its bikes in Spain, where it charges € 1.70 for the first 15 minutes.
Slowly, the service expanded to Latin America: at the end of last year, the company unified the three applications into one and began to offer electric skateboard rentals in Santiago, Chile.
With respect to a similar move in the Argentine market, from the company avoided giving details for a competitive strategy issue.
"It's likely," said Julieta López, head of Marketing at the local affiliate of Cabify, in a recent interview with iProUP, and slipped a clue about the integration of the apps: "Glovo already has a presence in Cabify, with a button that allows you to download the application. "
From Uber avoided giving statements on this issue in local territory, although since last year they are owners of Jump, a service of electric bicycles that is developing this new vein of business for the firm.
"The idea is that when someone leaves find a nice electric vehicle to drive it," explains Nick Foley, leader of Jump. "And if there is bad weather, then you can reserve a car," he adds.
But they are not the only ones involved in this new business, which several heavyweights aim for: Ford, General Motors, Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Toyota and Volkswagen already have their shared scooter platforms in several cities of the world. They even analyze when to bring them to Argentina.
Not only rent
Beyond the rental systems, which will definitely gain ground at the local level, the concept of mobility 4.0 by means of a scooter or electric skateboard has been gaining followers in the country from several distributors who sell their own models to final consumers.
"Many people are interested in this concept when they travel abroad and see how people move in large cities," says iProUP Cristian Gudalewicz, managing partner of AirWheels Argentina.
This company, which has a presence throughout the world, began operating at the beginning of 2017 and has advisory, sales and after-sales services for those interested.
"Our focus is the user who does not want to use the car because of the high costs of parking and naphtha." Those who live near their place of work or who take any transport and use it to do the last blocks, resort to the skateboard. example, in the microcenter, where you can not enter with cars ".
The profile of the client is well marked. About 90% buy it to go to work in the areas of downtown, Palermo, Belgrano Zona Norte and Puerto Madero. The cost? close to 30,000 pesos.
While it has several models -whose prices vary depending on its construction and some benefits, especially comfort and aesthetics- all catalog units promise a fast load in 90 minutes, 20 km of autonomy and 25km / h of average speed.
With more than 300 skateboards sold, AirWheels Argentina sells about 15 products per month, not counting wholesalers distributed throughout the country.
Another player who already stomps on Byron Scooters. Based in Vicente López, this company decided to "rebrandear" imported products to sell at more affordable prices in the local market. Like the representatives of AirWheels, the firm detected the business from what happens in other countries of the world.
For that reason, at the end of 2018 they formed their company and went out to conquer a market that still is not a clear leader. "Our business, unlike ridesharing (the Uber model), points to the last practical mile," agrees Joaquín Álvarez Vitle, co-founder of the brand.
Currently, Byron only has one model available with a promotional price per launch of $ 28,000. The characteristics are similar to that of its competitor: average speed of 25km / h and 20 km of autonomy. Obviously, these values may vary depending on the contexture of the driver.
The market is armed
Beyond the appearance of more players, the mobility industry is in full transformation. From the changes in the sector, companies began to dialogue with government entities: nobody wants to cross the path of Uber, which constantly seeks a legal endorsement to support its activity and not collide with the guild of taxi drivers.
Both from Byron and from AirWheels confirmed that they had already approached local officials to start outlining both the rules and the proposals for the future.
"We believe they are solutions that come to stay because they simplify people's lives, we talked to people from the Ministry of Transportation of the Nation and their intention is to regulate it," Álvarez Vitle explains to iProUP, who believes that "it will be the end of the year. "
