Lyft and Lime to debut new scooter models in select cities

Mama’s got a new set o’ wheels.

Cities with Lime and Lyft scooter share programs will soon see some new models scootin’ around the city. The companies are rolling out new designs in the coming weeks, which they will integrate into their fleets over time. Both of the models emphasize sturdier designs and company branding.

Lyft’s new scooters are Segway-Ninebot’s Shared Scooter Model Max, which are specifically designed for share scooter programs. They debuted at CES 2019, and Lyft will be the first company to employ the new model — Bird and other competitors also use Segway-Ninebot. 

In addition to longer battery life and a design meant to better withstand a lot of riding under many weather conditions, the wheels — like the Lyft mustache — will be pink.

Lime showed off its Generation 3 scooter back in October, with similar features like bigger wheels and fancy upgrades such as the ability see if you’re in a no-parking zone. Now, the scooter company is ready to bring them to the streets, complete with accents of Lime’s signature green.

With both new designs, there’s a clear emphasis on both safety and differentiation through design. Lyft is also adding scooter docks, so riders will have the option to park scooters in a designated location if they wish. That’s a move Lyft may have imported from the docked bike share company Motivate that it acquired in July 2018.

Neither company has shared what cities the new scooters will be coming to specifically, or when, beyond the coming weeks. Lyft declined to state what it would do with the old scooter models, and we’re still waiting to hear from Lime on that one. Hopefully, the old models won’t just end up on the garbage heap.