Lime launches subscriptions for electric scooters, reducing cost for frequent users

Shared electric scooters such as those offered by Lime have proven to be a useful commuting tool for countless riders. And now Lime is sweetening the deal with a new subscription service called LimePass that is likely to further entice riders to make electric scooters a regular part of their transportation equation.

According to Lime, more than 50% of its riders worldwide use the company’s electric scooters for commuting and regular personal trips.

Such regular use can add up over time, and so in an effort to incentivize that type of regular use, Lime has announced a new weekly subscription service known as LimePass.

LimePass will offer unlimited scooter unlocks for seven consecutive days for a one-time fee.

That fee will vary from city to city and depends on the specifics of each market. However, most US cities will see the new LimePass service offered for $4.99.

The unlocking fee is usually $1 or €1 in most markets. Thus, if a rider already uses a Lime scooter twice a day for a typical commute, he or she is likely to recoup the $4.99 LimePass fee in just two and a half days, leaving the rest of the week with free scooter unlocks. By my math, that means a rider who uses a Lime scooter twice a day, five days a week could save around $260 per year. A rider who uses a Lime scooter twice a day, seven days a week could save around $364 per year.

The LimePass subscription service is being rolled out today in cities in the US, Australia, and New Zealand. Other markets around the world are expected to begin receiving the LimePass feature next month.

At a time when many riders are turning to inexpensive electric scooters from Amazon, the LimePass feature could help swing many riders back toward electric scooter sharing.

The LimePass subscription service marks the latest feature added to Lime’s scooter-sharing model. Three months ago, Lime unveiled the Group Ride feature, which allows a single user to unlock multiple scooters using his or her account. That enables friends to ride along while keeping all of the scooters on a single tab. It also helps prevent the common occurrence of tandem riding, where two people squeeze onto a scooter built for a single rider.

Lime also recently expanded partnerships with companies including Uber and Google as part of its strategy to provide constant updates to its service in order to respond to the needs of the electric scooter-sharing market.

What do you think of LimePass? Will a week of unlimited scooter unlocks be enough to help make a Lime scooter your “daily driver”? Let us know in the comments below!