By Sean Scanlan Date：03 / 31 / 2017

Taiwanese startup Gogoro recently announced a fourfold increase of its eScooter fleet in Berlin. The ambitious expansion will be initiated in April.

Last summer, Gogoro celebrated its entry into the European market. The company

landed a partnership with Bosch subsidiary Coup, under which it is providing scooters for the Berlin-based ride-sharing project. Following the success of the pilot program, both sides decided to expand the number of vehicles and locations in the German capital.

Innovative strategy for new markets

The program marks a significant expansion of Gogoro’s business model. Initially, the company concentrated on selling electric scooters that were reliant upon its network of battery-swapping stations throughout major metropolitan areas.

The sleek modern design of Gogoro’s eScooters with its customizable features, as well as the smart functions that can be accessed via smartphone, have already proven popular with commuters in Gogoro’s home market.

According to official

statistics, the company sold over 13,000 eScooters alone last year and is currently operating 300 “GoStations” throughout Taiwan.

However, to go abroad, Gogoro is partaking in a new business model. Rather than selling scooters directly in a market with a decidedly lower adaption rate, Gogoro will lease them as part of a “go green” ride-sharing project.

The venture with Germany’s Coup emulates similar models employed by Taipei’s Youbike program or Car2Go in Berlin, which provide short-term as well as daily rental options.

Alleviating Gogoro from the burden of installing its proprietary GoStations in Germany’s heavily regulated market, Coup will be responsible for maintaining the service platform.

Thanks to the connectivity of the scooters, Coup’s team can centrally track those that run low on battery or need maintenance, issues that their

mobile team then will take care of.

Additionally, in order to localize for the German market, each Gogoro scooter is limited to a maximum speed of 45 km per hour, or half the speed of the models available in Taiwan. The restriction on horsepower enables Gogoro’s European scooter fleet to qualify as L1 vehicles, which can be used with any driver’s license.

Enthusiastic reception of test run

The eScooter-sharing program began in August of last year with initially 200 units,which users could rent in the central districts of Berlin Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, and Kreuzberg.

As a result of the positive public feedback, Gogoro and Coup will add an additional 800 new vehicles. Moreover, Coup’s scope of service will also increase throughout Berlin, allowing locals and tourists to enjoy the platform’s convenience and accessibility throughout the whole capital.

All users need to take advantage of the Gogoro-powered platform is Coup’s smartphone app, which enables them to track and unlock the scooters. For the first 30 minutes, users pay approximately $3.20 (3€), while every additional ten minutes cost $1.10 (1€).

What’s more, users can also rent Gogoro eScooters for the full day or night, costing them a little over $21 (20€) or $10 (10€) respectively.

A promising partnership in Europe

According to Gogoro CEO and co-founder Horace Luke, Berlin was specifically chosen to launch the eScooter-sharing platform due to its status as one of the world's most innovative cities.

Gogoro’s partner Coup, which was established in August 2016 as a subsidiary of the Bosch Group, is a perfect example of a successful startup from Berlin. Following the platform’s popularity, Coup itself increased its staffing to more than 80 employees.

Prior to launching the service, a variety of different manufacturers were considered, yet Gogoro ultimately won the deal due to their advanced technology and stunning design.

As Coup’s general manager Urs Rahne put it, while more expensive, Gogoro’s unrivaled recognition value is an extremely valuable asset in their quest for popularizing electric vehicles.

While Germany’s capital is the first place outside Taiwan where Gogoro has successfully launched its eScooters, media reports hint at more international hubs to follow soon. For now, the company is planning to expand to other Europeans cities as early as this summer, with Amsterdam being high on the list.