SA-based EcoCaddy seeks partner to add up to 500 electric scooters on Adelaide CBD streets

South Australian-based business EcoCaddy wants to partner with an interstate company to add up to 500 electric scooters on city streets.

• EcoCaddy’s pedalling an urban evolution
• Lime gets nod to trial scooters in Adelaide

South Australian-based business EcoCaddy wants to partner with an interstate company to add up to 500 electric scooters on city streets.

EcoCaddy wants to collaborate with Victorian business RIDE, which has made an expression of interest to Adelaide City Council to bring its fleet of yellow scooters to Adelaide.

Under the plan, the scooters would be collected at night then put back in the morning on a trailer attached to an EcoCaddy, which is a passenger tricycle powered by a combination of electricity and pedalling.

EcoCaddy chief executive Daniels Langeberg said while current e-scooters on CBD streets were environmentally friendly, there were still carbon emissions associated with vehicles picking them up and moving them.

EcoCaddy chief executive Daniels Langeberg. Picture by Matt Turner.

“RIDE were looking for better solutions for pick ups and drop offs, so they came to us and said (the concept) would be something we could easily do,” Mr Langeberg said.

If successful, the scheme would create at least 30 jobs between the two companies.

The council’s expressions of interest for two, six-month scooter permits in the CBD ended on Monday.

According to council documents, the two successful companies need to operate a minimum of 50 scooters and up to 500.

RIDE scooters could hit Adelaide’s CBD streets.

It follows an electric scooter trial with San Francisco-based company Lime, which saw a 500-strong fleet on CBD streets during the Fringe Festival.

The council extended its trial for an extra four weeks last month.

People have to ride on the footpath and wear a helmet.

More than 70,000 trips have so far been made on the Lime e-scooters.

RIDE chief executive Tom Cooper said collaborating with EcoCaddy would keep money in the country, rather than being sent overseas.

The company has trialled its scooters in Queensland and Victoria.

“We are focused on bringing a fully carbon neutral option to Adelaide … and it would be great for an Australian company to get a permit,” Mr Cooper said.

Adelaide City Council operations director Beth Davidson-Park said the new permits were likely to start on Monday, April 15.

She said the response to the EOIs had been “positive”.