Lime
(iOS 4.9 stars, Google 4.8 stars):
The Californians give gas (or electricity) worldwide and were just named one of the 100 most influential companies in the world by the US magazine Time. In Germany, the market leader rents out bicycles, e-scooters and electric scooters, so there's plenty on offer. The green and white scooters are present in 16 German cities, from Cologne to Munich, from Berlin to Stuttgart. The Lime scooters are considered to be quite robust, but with a rental fee of one euro and a price per minute of 20 to 25 cents, they are also rather expensive. Returning the scooter is a bit awkward: users have to take a photo of their parked scooter and upload the photo via an app.
Bird
(iOS 4.8 stars, Google 4.8 stars):
Another US startup with big plans and big eco promises. Each of the scooters is supposed to save 680 kilos of CO2 per year. And that doesn't just work in metropolises. In the meantime, the e-birds are also fluttering through medium-sized German cities such as Erfurt, Pforzheim, Regensburg and Rostock. And the list is getting longer every month. The Bird scooters are considered particularly nimble. In Chip's test, they made it fastest through the ups and downs of downtown Munich. However, the suspension is also "sportily" hard. Can the intervertebral discs cope? It's best to try it out for yourself, for a rental fee of one euro and from 15 cents per minute.
Bolt
(iOS 4.8 stars, Google 4.7 stars):
The startup from Estonia, which just raised another 150 million euros in a funding round, is going all in on the price card. "Fast and cheap rides," the ads promise. And that's true, at least at the start of the Germany offensive, which has now been launched in nine cities from Munich to Berlin to Hamburg. The introductory price of five cents per minute with no rental fee drastically undercuts all competitors. "We think that this is a price at which really everyone can start using our service," explains Bolt boss Markus Villig - who, however, does not reveal how long the Estonians intend to keep up the presumably not at all profitable combat price. For the time being, 15,000 scooters are on standby. In the long term, Bolt, which was called Taxify until 2019, wants to become Europe's largest provider of micromobility.
Voi
(iOS 4.8 stars, Google 4.6 stars):
Even though the stand-up scooters from the Swedes come in orange, Voi goes all in on the eco card. They advertise "the green way to get around" and promise silent driving on "magic wheels". But the wheels are not quite that magical. There is criticism of the tippy handling and weak brakes. But due to their design, the competition is usually no better. Voi scooters whiz through eleven German cities between Augsburg and Lübeck. The prices are in the good average range with a basic fee of one Euro and 15 cents to 19 cents per minute. With a daily or monthly pass it gets cheaper. There is even a 360-euro annual subscription: scootering for one euro a day.
Circ
(iOS 4.6 stars, Google 4.5 stars):
The startup from Berlin is currently still focusing on large German cities such as Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne, Hamburg and the domestic capital. At 15 to 20 cents, the per-minute prices are within the usual range. However, there are packages with which the costs drop significantly. Instead of paying 12 euros for an hour, it is only six euros with the one-hour flat rate. In Chip's test, the Circ scooter came out on top in terms of safety, driving performance, equipment and thus also in the overall ranking. As is the case for all providers, however, the use of the scooter can definitely cost money over time. Commuters who scoot between the bus stop and the office every day can easily pay 60 to 80 euros a month. So it quickly pays to buy your own e-scooter. Cheap models starting at around 400 euros are usually unsafe, the test winner Walberg The Urban #BRLN V3 costs around 900 euros.
Animal
(iOS 4.7 stars, Google 4.1 stars):
If you consciously want to support "scooters made in Germany", the Berlin startup Tier is just as right as Circ. Over 50 German cities are already on the list - including otherwise not too lavishly supplied places like Reutlingen, Fürth, Kaiserslautern or Gütersloh. This means that the chances of being able to spontaneously jump on an animal scooter while out and about are better than with most of the competitors. The prices are in the usual range with a basic fee of one euro and 15 to 19 cents per minute. However, some of the scooters that former managers of Lieferando and Rebuy put on the road are particularly well equipped, with smartphone charging port and speedometer. Whereas: with a maximum permitted speed of 20, looking at the speedometer is rather depressing, as with all e-scooters. But it feels much faster.
Emmy
(iOS 3.3 stars, Google 3.9 stars):
If the e-scooter is too wobbly for you, you can whizz through Vienna, Munich, Düsseldorf, Berlin and Hamburg much faster, further and safer with the electric scooters from Emmy. The maximum speed is 45 km/h. And the scooters in the look of the cult GDR swallow with funny names like Franzl, Toni or Resi can cover distances of 80 to 100 kilometers. However, the trip must lead back to the city center, because the Spree-Vespas of the Berlin company may only be parked there. Those who want to ride along need a car driving license or a class A motorcycle driving license - which must be verified with a photo in the app for registration. A helmet is compulsory, which users will find in a box at the rear of the scooters. The minute of driving is available for 19 to 27 cents. But parking in between also costs 13 cents per minute. Those who want to be on the road for longer should calculate whether the 29 euro daily flat rate is worth it.
Electric scooter apps
All presented apps have their advantages and drawbacks, so you just have to try a few and choose the most suitable option for you. Pay attention to the following moments: cost, equipment, need for a driver’s license, conditions of use.
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