Bolt Technology OU, an Estonian company, is set to launch eScooter rentals in multiple cities across the United States. The company is currently seeking general managers and operations managers for cities such as Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin, Texas. Bolt already has a strong presence in over 45 countries offering ride hailing, food delivery, and scooter rentals.
This move by Bolt puts them in direct competition with Lime, a San Francisco-based company that operates shared eBikes and scooters in the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Lime is backed by Uber Technologies and is investing $55 million this year to expand its global fleet. Both companies are positioning themselves for initial public offerings (IPOs) in the future.
While Bolt recently secured a 220-million-euro revolving credit facility from a group of core relationship banks, Lime reported a record-setting year in 2023 with over 150 million total rides and $600 million in gross bookings. In contrast, electric scooter startup Bird filed for bankruptcy in December but has since emerged successfully under a new parent company called Third Lane Mobility. Bird will continue to operate in cities worldwide despite facing financial challenges.
Both Bolt and Lime are optimistic about their expansion plans and growth prospects in the electric scooter rental industry.