Each station can accommodate 20 swappable batteries, streamlining the process of battery replacement for the Hamburg fleet team.
Ariel Schäffer, Head of Operations Germany at Voi, comments, "This marks a significant advancement in the sustainable operations of our e-scooter fleet in Hamburg. We have already seen highly positive outcomes with decentralized charging points in Hanover, Nuremberg, and Berlin. In Hamburg, we strategically positioned the stations in the popular Schanzenviertel district to enable efficient, on-site battery swaps."
Swobbee offers rental-based public and private charging stations, facilitating the seamless exchange of rechargeable batteries. They aim to reduce CO2 emissions, noise pollution and traffic congestion by establishing a decentralized charging and swapping infrastructure.
"We are thrilled about the next major milestone in our collaboration with Voi, one of Europe's most successful micromobility providers. Swobbee and Voi share a vision of creating more livable cities through sustainable and flexible mobility options," emphasizes Sinah Truffat, Head of Expansion at Swobbee.
Schäffer further adds, "Moving forward, we aspire to expand our partnership with Swobbee to additional locations in Europe, further decentralizing our charging and swapping operations."
Hamburg holds a special significance for Voi. Since the introduction of the coral-colored e-scooters in May 2019, nearly 10 million trips have been taken in the port city. Only in Berlin has Voi recorded more rides across Germany.
The interest and demand for flexible mobility services continue to grow even after four years. In fact, the best eight operational days in terms of the number of Voi rides in Hamburg have all occurred in June 2023.
To ensure a well-regulated sharing system in this Hanseatic city, Voi advocates for controlled operations through close dialogue with local authorities while drawing on empirical data and learnings from other cities such as Stockholm, Oslo, and Vienna.
"We believe that a tendering process is the most effective way for shared micromobility to showcase its full value. Regulation through tenders leads to a win-win-win scenario for all parties involved. The city benefits from maximum flexibility in rulemaking, providers can plan and invest more securely for the long term, and users receive tailored and appealing mobility options," states Stephan Bölte, Regional General Manager at Voi.
