Lime may soon launch no-pedal e-bikes in Dubai amid micromobility push

US e-mobility company Lime is considering launching its new pedal-less electric bicycle service in Dubai, as it seeks to address the growing demand for micromobility in the emirate amid a surge in its population.

The San Francisco-based Lime, which offers e-scooter services across Dubai and Abu Dhabi with a fleet of 1,200 bikes, could add the LimeGlider e-bikes to its Dubai platform by 2025, it said on Tuesday. That would make the emirate the third city in which the service will be piloted, joining Seattle and Zurich, where it is currently being tested.

"The vehicle will be launching in a number of global markets by the summer [of 2025] and we're out talking to cities like Dubai about the possibility of introducing it ... we're working hard to bring it to more markets," Jason Parrish, senior director for product management at Lime, told The National. Mr Parrish was speaking at a LimeGlider demonstration. The company has no set timeline for its launch in the emirate.

Pedal-less e-bikes are not new, but they are not in the mainstream ride-sharing industry. They are, however, a viable alternative that can contribute to sustainability goals – one of the UAE's main economic and societal objectives – and potentially reduce traffic.

Infrastructure also plays a key role, and Dubai already has a number of dedicated cycling lanes, Hadi Karam, Lime's regional director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, told The National. "This should continue if we want to really replace more and more cars, and convert people to these types of micromobility solutions with the growth for its demand and population," he said.

Ride pricing will be "in line" with Lime's current e-scooter rates, Mr Parrish said. Rates are provided on the Lime app before a ride is started; an initial fee of Dh3.20 is charged to start the e-scooter and every subsequent minute costs Dh1.20.

The LimeGlider has a range of about 70km, or roughly about 20 trips on average. Its top speed is typically 25kph, but it can be configured depending on market requirements, Mr Parrish said. Its centre of gravity is designed to provide the right balance and prevent it from tipping forward, he said.

Mr Parrish declined to reveal how much was invested in developing the LimeGlider, but confirmed that it was developed "fully in-house". While Dubai would be the launchpad in the UAE for the LimeGlider, the company is also considering launching the service in other emirates, as long as it "really matches [their] needs", he said. "We're open for discussions; it's in the early stages ... we could potentially grow the business and introduce more vehicles in the region."

Launching the LimeGlider is expected to anchor a financially successful past two years for the company, Mr Karam said. The company recorded more than 150 million rides that generated $600 million worth of bookings in 2023, a record year for the company, boosting its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation by more than sixfold annually to more than $90 million, according to its website.

Globally, Lime registered 156 million trips – roughly five trips per second, and in the UAE, the company exceeded the one million trips mark last year, Mr Karam said. "There is a lot of demand [in the UAE that has been] really increasing exponentially over the last three years," he said. "We are brainstorming and working with authorities to see how best to meet this increasing demand and growth."

Mr Karam did not provide any projections for 2024, "but the results to date are very encouraging and on the same growth path". Lime is also calling for more discipline from micromobility riders, amid safety concerns across Dubai. In September, e-scooters were among the 3,779 vehicles confiscated by Dubai Police as part of a campaign to improve road safety, while in August the management of Jumeirah Beach Residence banned the use of e-scooters and e-bikes in parts of the community.

UAE road safety experts last year called for better education and tighter regulations to help clamp down on reckless e-scooter riders who put lives at risk by flouting traffic rules. "We do believe strongly that education is the best way to change behaviour," Mr Karam said.