Can you tell us about the story and inspiration behind Electric Life Rides?
Electric Life Rides was inspired by multiple previous unsuccessful attempts to jumpstart and scale electric mobility in South Africa. The final ELR concept was thought out and decided on a return trip from Geneva Motor Show 2019 and the vision became clear and precise. Contribute to the decentralization of the motor industry and revolutionize mobility and vehicle ownership in Africa by means of new technology and sustainable transportation whilst having some fun.
On the Electric Life website, it says, “We are bringing the first electric scooter, motorcycle & vehicle renting hub to South Africa, Africa & Europe!” Can you explain the renting hub concept a bit and what makes it special?
South Africa and Africa does not have any micro-mobility offerings, as well a very immature electric mobility market so we designed our application and offerings with our continent people and users needs in mind, as well as the idea to provide a platform for electric OEMs to showcase, scale and find the volumes/off takes necessary grow the industry effectively without the consumer baring the extra interest and costs. Partnering with Wunder Mobility ™ to make this dream become a reality for First and Last Mile Mobility in Africa is a real honor and we are very humbled and proud to be apart of the mobility revolution in Africa and the rest of the world. We are very excited to pioneer electric & micro-mobility and to be custodians for the African market first and foremost, but plan to span globally as soon as possible with Europe, UAE & the USA already in our sights. I have always been a two-wheel enthusiast but we really polished our offering by adding five hardware options together including four wheels, giving a true Electric Life experience and lifestyle. We want users to experience fun sustainable electric life rides, with on-demand options to change between hardware seamlessly and have the ability to ride per minute, hour, Day, or Month cost-effectively in a modern mechanism that doesn’t require old fashioned ownership and obligations.
What makes the African shared mobility market unique? (Or is it too broad to generalize?) Is the landscape very different from Europe, and if yes, in which ways?
In a nutshell, Africa’s population is just shy of 2,5 Billion people and will double in the next 10-15 years making it the largest in the world, Africa is a very tough market to crack, I have spent most of my life in the motor industry and I have spent time understanding all the elements, challenges, and use cases. Unlike Europe, we have very little education and incentives on micro-mobility and electric transportation. Our goal is to assist in educating the masses with our application and electric micro-mobility options. First, we plan to showcase and educate on the benefits, cost-effectiveness, and sustainable eco-friendly footprint. Then, with trust and knowledge in place, we will release more hardware options chosen by the users so their voices are heard — solving real problems on the ground while running a profitable ecosystem.
Do you have advice for other shared/new mobility companies on how to be successful during the ongoing global crisis?
Don’t ever give up! Plan and re-evaluate daily so when the going gets tough and you get knocked down you have a pinpoint to go back to and regain momentum. Keep putting one foot in front of the next, stay present, and educate yourself — not only with tech, books, and the internet but by speaking to your customers. Chat with your Uber drivers and essential workers/working class as they hold all the secrets…. because being present, engaged, and focused is the sweet spot…..most of all remain humble and available, and go get your hands dirty!
Check out the Electric Life Rides Press Release here.