New York-based mobility company Helbiz Inc. announced its intention to deploy a fleet of e-scooters in Sacramento as part of its plans for expansion in California.
Helbiz (Nasdaq: HLBZ) stated that it recently secured a one-year permit with the city of Sacramento to deploy 250 e-scooters. The company launched in 2015 and operates e-scooters, e-bicycles and e-mopeds in 35 cities around the world. It states it's the first in its industry to be publicly listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Gian Luca Spriano, director of international business development at Helbiz, said the plan to expand to Sacramento follows a recent deployment in Santa Barbara County and underscores continued expansion efforts throughout California and the U.S.
"We look forward to working closely with the city of Sacramento to provide the community with our safe micro-mobility solutions," Spriano said in a news release.
Using the Helbiz mobile app on iOS or Android, the user will be able to geolocate, rent and unlock e-scooters for a flat fee of $1, followed by a 35-cent charge per minute of riding time. E-scooters will be operational daily between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Helbiz stated that it plans to employ a full-time team and open a local office and warehouse to run its operations. The company's operations teams are alerted if a device needs maintenance or has a low battery, and each device is cleaned and disinfected regularly as part of Helbiz's safety guidelines, according to a news release.
Representatives of Helbiz could not immediately be reached for further comment by the Business Journal on Friday.
