Summary
TIER, the electric scooter operator, secures its fleet with the Overade folding helmet
TIER MOBILITY is the only operator to offer scooters with integrated helmets.
"Authorities and users expect us to be able to provide very concrete answers to these concerns. That's why I'm very proud that Tier is the first company to offer an innovation that changes the way the sector is used and considerably strengthens the safety of users," says Alexander Souter, Managing Director of Tier in France.
Indeed, a year ago, the self-service electric scooter operator partnered with Overade.
Specialized in bike accessories, Overade offers the PLIXI FIT folding helmet.
This innovative helmet meets the European standard CE EN1078, the mandatory standard for all bicycle helmets. To meet this standard, several aspects must be taken into account, including the field of vision, shock absorption, the retention system, as well as the marking and information.
The PLIXI FIT helmet is foldable. Its volume is divided by 3 when folded, making it unique and so practical.
"It forms a small ogive of 21 cm in length, 11 cm in width and 16 cm in height", describes Clément Cailleau, co-founder of Overade.
For optimal comfort, the approved helmet is equipped with lockable dividers and an adjustable occipital support system.
TIER MOBILITY puts a point of honor on safety and hygiene
TIER scooters with integrated helmets are equipped with a number of state-of-the-art features that help reduce risk and ensure a safe ride.
Equipped with warning lights, shock absorbers, the industry's largest wheel, triple brakes, and dual kickstands, the scooters provide a safer experience for riders.
To ensure a proper level of hygiene, PLIXI FIT helmets come with a hygienic cap and are disinfected daily by the teams during battery changes.
In addition, the micro-mobility operator offers an anti-bacterial technology with a copper surface on the handlebars of its electric scooters. This innovative material eliminates 99.8% of bacteria in a few minutes thanks to its self-disinfecting properties.
In the urban mobility market, this innovation represents a major step towards safer journeys.
Accompanied by an Overade folding helmet, the new electric scooters, TIER MOBILITY, are coming to London
On May 18, 2021, TIER was selected as one of London's self-service electric scooter operators. A trial began in June in the English capital.
The competition was tough but TIER was able to make the difference.
The rise of micro-mobility raises questions in terms of safety. Indeed, in 2017, the Road Safety had counted 178 light injuries, 99 people hospitalized and 5 killed among users of rollers and scooters in France. This figure continues to increase from year to year.
The fact that wearing a helmet is not compulsory and that there are no constraints related to lighting or visibility are a problem.
Since its creation, the German start-up prioritizes the safety of its users and this played in its favor during the call for tender.
On 17 September 2021, 500 electric scooters and 100 electric bikes were launched in Roubaix.
After the call for tenders from the city of the North, the German operator TIER was chosen to deploy its electric vehicles.
This is a one-year trial run by TIER. A risky gamble, but one that was won hands down! Three months after the fleet was deployed, 60,000 journeys were made, i.e. 800 per day, with 8,000 unique users.
The success of these shared electric scooters and bicycles lies in part in the safety measures put in place by the operator.
The TIER scooters are equipped with indicators, automatic lights, a telephone holder and, above all, a special version of the Overade folding bicycle helmet. TIER is currently the only operator to offer an urban bicycle helmet to protect its users.
In addition, TIER has limited the speed of its fleet of electric scooters to a maximum of 20 km/h, and even 8 km/h in certain areas, in order to "pacify" the use of the roadway according to the many users.
Finally, to further improve safety, the operator offers online training on road safety. This is a welcome initiative when we consider the type of accidents linked to soft mobility.
1,000 electric scooters with integrated folding helmets to expand Saint Quentin's mobility services
In May 2021, the municipality of Saint Quentin en Yvelines saw its sustainable mobility service offer expanded.
After the inauguration of a line of autonomous electric shuttles, the agglomeration joined forces with the electric scooter operator TIER.
300 storage stations have been set up in the 12 communes of Saint Quentin en Yvelines, with 1,000 electric scooters deployed.
"The scooter appears to be an alternative solution to the car for travelling the first and last few kilometres and getting to the train or bus from home or work," says Jean-Baptiste Hamonic, vice-president of SQY, responsible for transport and sustainable mobility.
Equipped with removable batteries, the latest generation of electric scooters have a specific feature: a folding helmet is integrated.
By introducing this new means of transport, the municipality is making a safety feature central to its offer. The folding helmets are approved and patented to protect you throughout your journeys.
A few months later, the service has found its public with more than 35,000 subscribers and more than 450,000 journeys made.
At the end of 2021, a survey conducted by the SQY Mobility Department confirmed the interest of users in this new mode of transport. 78% of users have used the service, giving it a score of at least 4 out of 5!