Yahoo Finance Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products.
Bird pilots electric wheelchair and mobility scooter rentals in New York City
The company hopes to bring the program to other cities throughout 2021.
While Bird is best known for its electric scooters, it recently expanded into the bikeshare market and is now also moving into the accessibility space. With help from Scootaround, a company that specializes in wheelchair and mobility scooter rentals, the startup is piloting a new program. It’s adding a dedicated interface within its app that allows those with mobility issues to reserve and rent one of three different electric vehicles.
Rentals can vary between one and 14 days in length, and you can decide where you want to pick up your ride and drop it off. With each rental, Bird will provide an in-person tutorial to answer any questions you might have about the EV you’re about to rent. The company will also have a toll-free number customers can call to ask about the entire process.
One of the vehicles Bird will allow people to drive is the Whill Model Ci2 (pictured above). We got a chance to test the first Ci variant back at CES 2018, driving it across the Vegas show floor at a brisk five miles per hour. The program will come first to New York City, with other cities to follow throughout 2021 depending on how the pilot pans out.
