Velometro Mobility


VeloMetro Mobility, Inc. is an electric velomobile manufacturer and vehicle sharing service provider based out of Vancouver, Canada. The company rents enclosed, electric-assisted velomobiles, called a Veemo, in a one-way, dockless sharing model with rates by the minute. The vehicles do not require a driver’s licence to ride and can be operated on bicycle paths as well as standard roadways.

History

VeloMetro was co-founded in 2014 by Kody Baker, Sean Boyd, and Jonathan Faille of Perkuna Engineering, along with entrepreneur John Stonier. The first prototype vehicle was built in 2014 and they first unveiled their Veemo vehicle at the BC Tech Summit in 2016. The first pilot fleet started at the University of British Columbia in late 2017. The pilot program of 5 vehicles was made available to the public in February 2018. The pilot concluded in April 2018.

Vehicle

The Veemo is a single person, pedal-electric hybrid vehicle which is regulated as an electric bicycle to a top speed of 32 km/h and power limit of 500 watts in Canada. The vehicle weighs 120 kg and is capable of climbing hills of up to a 20% grade. It is fully enclosed and has sufficient storage space to hold a full-sized overhead baggage suitcase. The internal battery is replenished through a solar panel and battery swapping.

Veemo Service

Veemo is similar to car2go, providing a one way fleet sharing service accessible through a website or a smartphone app. Members do not need a driver's license and can register and start using the vehicles immediately. Riders pay by-the-minute rates and can park the vehicles in any valid parking spot within the designated home zone, which are indicated in an in-dash display.