As the e-scooter trend continues to gain momentum across Europe, Bo or Bomobility, is set to launch its first international expansion of the Bo M e-scooter in Dublin Ireland this month.
But Is Ireland ready for it?
Ireland’s new laws classify certain e-scooters as exempt from tax, insurance, registration, and licensing requirements while imposing a minimum age limit and helmet requirements for younger riders.
Despite these advancements, safety concerns persist.
Reports of e-scooter accidents have surfaced since the implementation of these regulations, leading to a ban on e-scooters by the National Transport Authority in public transportation due to fire risks.
Bo enters the market
The Bristol- headquartered Bo, an award-winning pioneer in the electric scooters industry, is aiming to create a dent in the Irish market, announcing its launch in the country in October in a statement sent to 150Sec.
Founded by former motorsport engineers Oscar Morgan (CEO), Harry Wills (CTO), and Luke Robus (Design Director), Bo said that it aims to transform urban mobility with lightweight electric vehicles.
The Bo M, touted to be “the world’s safest and most stylish e-scooter,” features a technology to stabilize the front wheel for enhanced control in various weather conditions.
The introduction of the Bo M in Dublin aligns with Ireland’s efforts to embrace sustainable transport solutions.
“We’ve had people try the Bo M [its first product] who’ve seen e-scooters and were terrified of them, but they get on, they ride, they get off, they smile. They’re super happy. We’re changing people’s entire worldview,” Robus said.
Ireland’s cautious steps toward micro-mobility
In the last few months, Ireland legalised e-scooter use, but announced a series of regulatory restrictions.
Notably, the country capped the speed of these vehicles at 20 kilometers per hour, according to reporting from Cities Today. Other safety measures, such as requiring front and back lights as well as two breaking systems were also put in place.
The regulations also opened up the possibility for localities to implement scooter sharing schemes, similar to those seen in the United States. An official from Dublin told Cities Today that shared e-scooter schemes “will be considered” in the coming months.
This month, Ireland’s National Transport Authority banned e-scooters from mass transit systems, citing safety concerns. The NTA’s statement highlighted fire risk as a main concern, saying: “This is because there is a growing level of evidence that there is a greater risk of fire or explosion of components of e-scooters when compared to other PPTs.”
Elsewhere in Europe, some big cities are clamping down on shared e-scooter use, with cities like Brussels and Berlin reducing the number of free floating scooters in their areas.
