The Tesla of scooters is ready to go global.
Almost a year since its launch, the Taiwanese startup Gogoro is planning to expand its electric scooter business to Europe.
The company announced Tuesday that it plans to not only begin selling its vehicles in Amsterdam starting in the first half of 2016, but it also plans to build a battery network like the one it currently has in Taipei. It also plans to roll out to additional cities in the second half of the year.
Gogoro’s business model is different than other electric vehicle makers because it also implements battery-swapping stations called GoStations in areas where it sells its bikes. This enables riders to simply swap their batteries, instead of having to wait around and charge their scooter.
The company's aim with this unique model is to change the way we travel in urban areas.
"The Gogoro Smartscooter EV and Gogoro Energy Network were designed to ignite this urban transition and Gogoro is working closely with Amsterdam and other European cities to make the transition to a new energy infrastructure a reality,” said Horace Luke, the company's CEO, said in a press statement.
The SmartScooter comes with two removeable batteries, which give it a range of 60 miles.
It also boasts some high-tech features, including a digital dashboard that colorfully displays the rider’s stats, as well as the ability to pair with your smartphone so you can control certain features.
Gogoro’s app can be used to program custom light patterns for headlights and taillights. For example, when you start your scooter you can make the lights blink repeatedly. Riders can also monitor their motor scooter from their smartphone app.
The company officially launched in January, but first began selling its SmartScooter in Taiwan in June and has since seen an impressive response.
It has sold more than 2,000 of its all-electric Smartscooters and has installed more than 90 battery-swapping GoStations in Taipei. The scooter sells for $4,100 in Taipei, but it is unclear if it will cost more as it rolls out in other cities.
For now, though, the company also includes two years of free maintenance, one year of theft insurance, and two years of free electric battery swapping from Gogoro’s battery swapping stations.
To help with its expansion, the company recently raised $130 million in funding from investors including Taiwan’s National Development Fund and Panasonic.
