Taiwanese firm Gogoro is set to bring its electric two-wheelers to European streets, today announcing it will implement its battery-swapping Smartscooter network in Amsterdam in 2016 following a successful launch in Taipei earlier this year.
Gogoro's electric Smartscooter is a rather bold, big-picture approach to urban mobility. It is chock-full of sensors tracking things like gravity, shock and light and allows users to monitor things like top speed, range and battery levels through a companion smartphone app. But where Gogoro hopes to make a real, lasting impact is through the way it keeps these scooters running.
Its Gogogro Energy Network is made up of battery exchange kiosks, placed strategically around urban centers. When a user finds their scooter is running low on juice, they can swing by and swap out their depleted battery for a fully charged one in around six seconds. The overarching aim is to shape how the world's megacities use energy.
With regard to the Dutch capital, Gogoro will form part of a wider initiative called Amsterdam Smart City, where companies, governments and institutions have banded together to usher in innovative ideas centered on urban efficiency. This will involve setting up in Amsterdam's Smart City Experience Lab and its own Gogoro Experience Boutique, as it did in Taipei ahead of its initial launch. The interactive gallery is intended to essentially build hype and give would-be customers an understanding of the company's product.
The Gogoro Experience Boutique will open in Amsterdam in the first half of 2016. There's no word yet on pricing or when the scooters will become available to buy.
Source: Gogoro
