Two new e-scooter operators RIDE and beam start up on CBD streets

Yellow and purple electric scooters have descended on the CBD, with new operators RIDE and Beam rolling out their fleets on to city streets.

• E-scooter shake-up: Lime is out, purple & yellow are in
• Lime e-scooters off CBD streets, two new operators start Monday
• SA-based EcoCaddy partners with RIDE electric scooters

New electric scooters were rolled out in the CBD on Monday, with companies RIDE and Beam taking over from San Francisco-based company Lime — who was forced to take its 500 scooters off city roads.

Adelaide marks the first major rollout of RIDE’s yellow e-scooters.

RIDE chief executive Tom Cooper said the start-up company, which has partnered with EcoCaddy for the six-month trial, said the first day had been successful.

“It has been a big couple of days, but we are so excited to be part of the City of Adelaide,” Mr Cooper said.

“We are really encouraging people to get out, see Adelaide, grab a scooter and see how vibrant the place can be.”

Tom Cooper of RIDE, Daniels Langeberg from EcoCaddy and Paul Frazer from Beam at Hurtle Square to launch new e-scooters in Adelaide CBD. Picture: Dean Martin

Beam and RIDE secured permits to operate in the CBD after Adelaide City Council gave Lime the boot.

The council told Lime, which operates in 130 markets around the world, that it had to calibrate its scooters so they would stop at the “geo-fenced” CBD boundary.

The company said there could be a “public safety issue” if the scooters stopped abruptly.

Beam and RIDE can each bring up to 500 e-scooters to Adelaide.

Beam vice president corporate affairs Christopher Hilton said hundreds of people had downloaded the app to hire a scooter on the company’s first day operating on city streets.

“We will continue to increase our fleet size in a controlled manner to ensure operational excellence and to keep educating users about the new safety conditions,” Mr Hilton said.

“The first day of the six-month trial is an overwhelming success and is a clear demonstration that the process to select responsible operators for the City of Adelaide worked.”

Lime had until midnight on Sunday to take its fleet off the road.