How to Develop an eScooter App? A Complete Guide

Technology is changing the world and so are the Scooters!

Increasing awareness of the environment is shifting the population from fuel-consuming vehicles to electric vehicles. This trend is creating a need for more space-efficient electric vehicles such as eScooters.

Do you know the number of users of eScooter app is expected to reach 143.50 million by 2028?

Rising demand for eScooters creates an opportunity for you to develop an eScooter app.

But, the question is – How to develop an eScooter App?

Well, to find its solution you need the right framework and strategy that can help you to win this battle all at once.

For your assistance, we have provided you with a complete guide on eScooter app development from the current market scenario of eScooter apps to the effective monetization models. Here you will also have a read on cost, features, step-wise process to build an eScooter, and a lot more. Shall we begin?

Market Statistics: What is the Current Scenario of the eScooter App?

Market Research plays an important role in app development as it provides in-depth insights to improve knowledge to create an app in the current environment. It helps in understanding user needs, market trends, and user preferences.

• The global electric scooter market size was estimated at USD 37.07 billion in the year 2023.
• Further, it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 9.9% from the year 2023 to 2030.

• Asia-Pacific region has become the front-runner within the global electric scooters market with a total revenue share of 70% in the year 2021.

• The total revenue of the eScooter market is expected to reach USD 3,046 million by 2028.
• Additionally, the average revenue per user is expected to be USD 20.05 by the year 2024.

• In the year 2022, Lime controlled 14% of the eScooter sharing markets worldwide. It has become one of the closest competitors of Lyft and Bird.
• The number of users of eScooters is expected to reach 37.32 million by the year 2028 with a user penetration of 8.7% in 2024 and 10.7% by the year-end of 2028.

A Brief Concept of eScooter App

Before proceeding to how to build an eScooter app, let’s first understand the detailed concept of an eScooter app.

The app facilitates the rental, sharing, navigation, and management of eScooters. Such apps are built to typically allow users to reach nearby eScooters, unlock them to use, and track their rides.

eScooter apps are developed to provide features including safety information, route planning along real-time updates on the availability of scooters.

Types of eScooter Apps

Till now, you must have gathered information about current market statistics, and the concept of eScooter. To move ahead with this guide, you need to know the different types of eScooters present in the current market.

You might be thinking of the need to study different types of eScooters. Well, it is important to help you to decide which kind of eScooter app will be perfect for you. Here is a list that you can prefer.

A] Navigation and Maps Apps

These apps are developed to provide assistance over navigation made especially for the eScooter riders. Such apps do offer route planning and in-depth information related to scooter-friendly paths and bike lanes.

B] eScooter Rental Apps

The rental apps focus on renting eScooters for a longer period. The time of rent can be based on hours or days, even weeks and months. Such apps are developed to help users reserve eScooters for longer duration by offering flexibility with the rental duration.

C] Safety and Education Apps

Safety and education apps guide on using eScooters. These apps are built with an app to provide in-depth guidance over safety regulations for using eScooters based on particular regions. These kinds of apps offer safety tutorials and offer helmet rentals.

D] Ride-Sharing Apps

In such kinds of apps, the app users can locate nearby eScooters and unlock eScooters using the app in order to ride to their destinations. These are among the most popular apps in the eScooter industry.

E] eScooter Maintenance Apps

The eScooter maintenance apps are designed for fleet operators and for individual owners. These apps facilitate maintenance tasks including repair scheduling, battery monitoring, and diagnostics.

F] eScooter Accessories Apps

Such apps are developed to complement eScooter riding by offering accessories. Users can find accessories such as helmets, knee pads, and much more used for driving an eScooter over these apps.

How Does an eScooter App Work?

Have you ever booked a ride over the eScooter app?

It looks simple and easy to navigate, Right? The features within such apps are effective in retaining users for a longer period by serving their purpose of using these apps.

Well, this is what we are going to look at, in this section. We will be studying the stepwise process to know how actually an eScooter app works.

Point to Remember: The functionality of an eScooter app depends on the type of app, the users have downloaded. Here we have presented the workability of a basic rental eScooter app.

Step 1: Install Application

Users can install the eScooter app for their devices as Android and iOS. The next step is to register an account. In this process, users can fill in their details including name, address, phone number, or email address. This can help in-app authentication.

Step 2: Authentication and Encryption

Here, based on the details provided by the users, the app secures the data and provides one-time passwords (OTP) on the given mobile number. Users can also receive authentication codes over e-mail if they avoid providing their phone number.

Step 3: Information About Nearby Scooters

In this phase, users will have clear data related to the eScooters that are located nearby of the user’s current location. Users can see a map where they can find and locate the eScooter’s positions. Here they can also get information related to the battery status and other details.

Step 4: Share the Payment Details

Here users have to provide information based on the type of payment option. Users will then decide on the method they want to adopt to pay the amount after the ride. The app can ask users to share their credit card details and other payment details.

Step 5: Unlock the eScooter

When a user sees an eScooter they can tap the button to unlock it. eScooter app then demands an image showing the scooter’s QR Code. The app user should scan their driver’s license if they are riding over the app for the first time.

Step 6: Start the eScooter

When users reach to the eScooter, they are asked to push the button three times before pressing the throttle. Users need to scan the code given on eScooter then they can start the bike ride, simply.

Step 7: Ensure Parking and Payment

When app users have completed the eScooter ride, the next step is to find the parking spot and end the bike ride through the app. The app will charge an amount from the users based on the kilometers or meters traveled via eScooter. Then users need to park their eScooters on available bike stands.

Top Reasons to Develop an eScooter App

Till now, you must have been through the process of using the eScooter app. It will help you to find the features that you should include in the development process.

How to develop an eScooter app?

Well, the process of developing an eScooter takes time. We will head on it, a bit later. Before that, let’s identify some reasons to develop an eScooter app.

1. Convenience

eScooter apps provide convenience to the users to find the eScooters nearby. They are simple modes of transportation for short-distance tips. eScooter apps make it feasible for the app users to find nearby eScooters without struggling for transportation.

2. Growing Industry

The ride-sharing industry is continuously growing. Being an early entrant in the field can help you establish your roots in the developing industry. It is a business opportunity to set up a venture, especially within urban areas that have high demands for eScooters.

3. An Eco-Friendly Option

eScooters are eco-friendly and emit zero carbon resulting in reducing the carbon footprint of urban transportation. They are alternatives to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. This option also promotes a sustainable option that helps in mitigating the environmental impact of carbon.

4. Changing Mobility Option

eScooters are an option that changes transportation mobility. People stuck in cars in heavy traffic on the highway will prefer this option. Nowadays, people are selecting eScooters as an effective mobility alternative due to their lucrative designs that help to reduce carbon footprints.

5. Cost-Effective

It doesn’t cost much when you proceed with the eScooter app. The eScooters have cost-effective designs that help the app users to choose them as a feasible option to travel across the city. In comparison to taxi rides, ride-share eScooters offer more affordable options.

6. An Innovative Option to Get Funds

Create an eScooter app and you can get funding from the top investors. You will get funding if you have an idea that can attract many investors. Well, Investors will always like to invest in a service that provides them with a great return.

7. Brings More Fun to New Generation

Bike rides have always been fun for a new generation. This option has been a greater chance to attract youths to have a ride. It is the best alternative for saving time and money for the college-going, school-going kids to travel from school or tuition to home.

8. Easy Parking

Are you bothered about the parking of eScooters while developing an eScooter app? Don’t worry. eScooters don’t occupy much space. They are designed in a way that enables the app users to park their scooters in the parking spots provided as a cycle stand.

A List of Popular eScooter Apps

It will help you to know how many competitors you have and how they are doing in this field. Have you ever tried a eScooter ride with these popular apps?

If yes, then before getting ahead to build a bolt-like app process, have a look at popular apps. Let’s proceed with the list.

► Bird App

Bird App is based in California and is among the most popular dockless scooter-sharing companies in the world. They offer convenience as well as smart eScooter riding options. The app has been designed with unique features that can be unlocked easily. Moreover, cost to develop an app like Bird isn’t all that much either.

► Bolt App

Bolt is an app that provides micro-mobility options and a platform offering safe, sustainable, and smart transportation options for communities of all types and sizes. This business is working with different companies, cities, and communities to develop customized solutions to develop mobility, where it is most needed.

► Lime App

Lime was built in 2017 and is a leading eScooter and ride-sharing start-up that assists people in finding nearby eScooters in order to cover short distances. The app contains a wide range of vehicles, with 24/7 time availability, and a real-time location tracking facility with easy payment options.

► Skip Scooter App

The Skip eScooter app by Helbiz offers more convenient as well as smart ride-sharing solutions. This is a San Francisco-based start-up that helps to cover short distances during busy hours. Skip comes with a variety of features along with functionalities that provide information related to road safety, ride history, and battery status.

► Wind Smart eScooter App

Wind is an innovative smart e-scooter sharing option that has gained popularity among users. The app uses smart technology solutions that are equipped with advanced sensors, and GPS technology that allows easy tracking and maintenance of the vehicles. This app also contains user-friendly features for easy navigation and booking.

► Spin App

Spin is committed to offer the best possible solutions for the cities while building the safest, equitable, and sustainable mobility eScooter app. This app is easy to use and is a reliable app to access thousands of shared scooters and bikes. With the Spin app, users get easy access to find nearby eScooters. They offer convenient payment solutions for app users.

► Goat eScooter App

Goat which refers to “ Greatest of all times” offers their app users the safest scooter rental options. The app originated in the United States. They provide their users an affordable rates with multiple vehicle options along with safety measures. These apps also contain safety measures such as mandatory helmet usage with GPS tracking for vehicles.

► Jump App

Jump offers a remarkable service and is gaining significant attention for its exceptional offerings. The app also offers a hassle-free experience for the riders to effortlessly navigate through urban landscapes in order to reach their destinations easily. They provide their users with a variety of vehicle options.

Top Features to Include While Developing an eScooter App

Well, you have got a great idea related to the most popular apps in the eScooter industry. Now, the question arises what makes these eScooters apps so famous?

The solution resides in the top features that are effective in making your app more competitive enough to sustain the eScooter industry. Let’s study them all to improve the process of making an eScooter app.

1] Registration and On-boarding

Registration is one of the important features to ensure app and user safety. You should include the registration and authentication system within the app to make it safe and to keep the personal data of the users encrypted. Although, the registration process should be simple to understand and should contain easy steps to navigate in an app.

2] User-friendly App Design

The design of the app should be developed in a way that provides an interactive interface to the app users. With a simple, intuitive, and visually appealing user interface, you can gain a vast number of app users. Ensure that your app is easy to navigate along with clear instructions to use the app. The UI/UX design of your app should be simple and attractive.

3] Real-time GPS Tracking Software

To locate the nearby eScooters, your app must contain a real-time GPS tracking system. The app should be developed in a way that helps its users to locate the available eScooters. You should insert real-time GPS tracking software assisting the app users to find the exact location of the eScooters and hire them with just a few clicks.

4] Smart Lock System

Develop an eScooter app that contains a smart locking system so that the app user can easily lock and unlock the scooters based on their comfort. You can add a QR scanner in the app that can assist your app users to take it as a key to use rental eScooters. Here you can install a microcontroller-based system on your bicycle app to assist you in tracking the bike anytime.

5] Make Payment Option Simple

A hassle-free payment option can provide a solution to the app users to pay for the online services that would be effective to add to your eScooter app. Ensure that you add as many as possible payment methods that you feel would be necessary for your app users to pay online. You can add Stripe, PayPal, and Braintree as the most trustable options.

6] Ensure Data Safety

You will lose potential app users if you ignore data security and safety. Popular apps have encryption data security measures. They adopt robust technology that assists them to keep their user’s data safe. High security improves the trust of the app users. In-app ID verification can help you keep track of any unauthentic person using the eScooter app.

7] Tutorials Matter

Add tutorials in the app to attract potential app users. Tutorials help to ensure the authenticity of the app for your app users. You can ask your app users to rate the app, once they use it. You can also provide an option for the users to access their ride history. This can assist the users in figuring out the previous rides as they access the amount that had paid to the service they have availed.

8] Social Media Integration

You can make social media integration an important service within the app. This can assist your app users in sharing their ride experience over social media platforms. For instance, they can post their ride experience by tagging your app. It will further result in increasing your app’s popularity among eScooter lovers.

9] Push Notifications

Engage your targeted audience with push notifications as it helps them to get to know about valuable information related to rides and all. You can even inform the app users about any discounts and available deals. It is one of the ways to keep the app users stuck with the app through messages or emails.

10] Rewards and Loyalty Programs

You can even provide rewards to your app users in the form of discounts on their first ride or by offering rewards such as coupons for their next ride. Provide referrals and bonus points on each ride to the app users. You should have a loyalty program scheme for those who use your app often to book an eScooter ride.

StepWise Guide To Develop eScooter App

Till now, you have got a detail of market stats and the need to develop an eScooter app. Moreover, after studying the top eScooter apps and the features that make them so popular. You must be wondering about how to make an eScooter app.

Here’s your answer.

Step 1: Perform a Thorough Market Research

The success of an app depends on the market research performed before making an eScooter app. In this step, you need to understand the target audience and identify the gaps within the current offerings. You should use the information gathered through market research to create an app that is effective in addressing the app users’ demands.

Step 2: Make a Plan for App Functionality

Here you need to plan, how your app will look like. Its logo and all the features that it will contain a definite plan about how the app will function. With this guide, you can decide the whole features that can make your app enough competitive. You can discuss the desired features with a mobile app development company to make it successful.

Step 3: Decide the User Interface

In this step, you need to decide on the app’s UI/UX design principles. Select the color and theme of the app that can make your app enough capable to engage a large number of app users. Here you need to design a wireframe for the app. You can consider this process along with an app developer.

Step 4: Select the Right Development Approach

You need to decide, if your app should be developed in-house, or you can outsource it to a development team. You can use a hybrid approach in order to outsource app development to a third party. In this step, you need to select an appropriate tech stack that can streamline the process and ensure technical expertise to develop an eScooter app.

Step 5: Integrate an API

Identify the right application programming interface for your eScooter app. Here you have to integrate third-party APIs for the functionalities including geolocations, Payment services, and push notifications. Selecting an API for your app project can be difficult as it includes a database that enables successful app functioning.

Step 6: App Development

Here you need to decide and develop the backend and frontend of your app. In the front end, you need to decide on diversified design elements along with the user interface. For the backend development, you need to decide on the app development languages, databases, and server-side operations. For successful app development, you should hire mobile app developers.

Step 7: App Testing

The next step that you need to go through is testing your app. It is essential to test the app’s quality and to ensure the app’s functionality as well as security. They can help you to test the app across different app platforms. Address and resolve issues related to bugs while testing an app.

Step 8: Decide the Launch Date for the App Launch

Prior to launching an eScooter app, you should plan its launch date. This process will help the early adopters get ready to subscribe, download, and use your eScooter app. An app launched without any plan will result in losing the target user base. With a grand launch release your app on the target platforms. You should hire android developers and iOS developers for this process.

Step 9: Monitor and Maintenance

It is the last step to build an eScooter app. Here you need to monitor the app’s performance and identify the rate of a growing number of app users downloading your app. An app maintenance service can assist you in this process. Ensure necessary improvements and updates with current technology to improve the user experience.

How Much Does It Cost To Create an eScooter App?

Well, after understanding popular apps, their features, the importance to develop an eScooter app, and how to create an eScooter app. It is important to identify the cost to build an eScooter app.

The average cost to develop an eScooter app is $25,000 to $355,000.

However, the cost is impacted due to multiple features including the complexity of an app, app platform, design of an app, technology used, and development team.

Monetization Models to Make Money With an eScooter App

Getting an in-depth idea about how to create an eScooter app is not enough untill you make money from it. We well know the aim of initiating a business is to serve the end user and to earn profit.

We are providing you the ways of app monetization within an ultimate guide to eScooter app development. Here you can find a list of monetization models to earn money with your app.

• Subscription Plans

This is the basic strategy to earn money by creating an eScooter app. You can develop a subscription plan for your end app users that can enable the growth of an app by connecting the loyal app users.

With push notifications, you can offer subscription plans for the frequent riders using the app regularly. It can become a basic revenue model for your app.

• In-App Advertising

Here you can partner with local brands, businesses, and advertisers to display ads within your app. Such kinds of apps advertisements may include banner ads, video ads, native ads, and text ads.

These apps provide better app results that help to improve app efficiency. Also, ads can be monetized over different platforms and screens including home screening and ride booking.

• Partnerships and Sponsorships

You can partner with different eScooter manufacturer companies and with many transportation companies to improve your app’s market presence. You can also negotiate different deals for promoting your services for financial compensation.

Sponsorships can provide you with cross-promotion opportunities to promote other companies’ services which can result in increased user acquisition and revenue consideration.

• Data Monetization Methods

This kind of data monetization strategy can be effective in offering you all the data that your end users provides through the app. You can monetize data with the help of subscription-based services and one-time data sales.

You can also develop reports based on the data provided to you by the app users. These reports can further be used to draw insights into surveys as the report on number of users using the eScooters app etc.

• Affiliate Marketing Models

Many companies including Google, Apple, and Microsoft use affiliate programs to promote their apps. Such programs are built to promote other mobile apps via your app.

Affiliate marketing can be an effective way to earn revenue as they offer cheap solution to earn revenue and can be used in an optimized manner to build brand relationships.

• Charging-Station Partnerships

You can earn huge commissions by partnering with the charging stations. You can even partner with the property owners to facilitate the eScooter charging services. With this strategy, you can earn revenue through the charging fees commission.

Here, you can collaborate with different charging stations and can put your commission on every charge your eScooter app rider made with these stations.

Tips to Improve Your eScooter App Development

With a guide to build an eScooter App, you might have a clear picture of different features, popular apps, need for app development, and suitable monetization strategies.

Here are some tips to enhance your app development that are provided by considering current technology trends that you can use to make your app competitive. So, shall we begin with the list?

Tip 1: Integrate the Use of AR Algorithms

Leverage the usage of AR technology to provide innovative features to your app users. Implement AR navigations in your GPS location to help the app users to find nearby eScooters. You can also help the users by implementing an AR-powered tutorial along with safety instructions to educate the app users about eScooter app usage.

Tip 2: Measure the User Engagement

With a continuous monitoring process, you can measure and identify user engagement within your eScooter app. The first step to identify the user behavior is to put yourself in the shoes of the app user and then use the app. This process can help you understand the user behavior and can help in enhancing the app’s functionality.

Tip 3: Minimize Delay in App

Try to minimize app delays, as it can help you in increasing app engagement. Avoiding such a tip can result in losing your app users to competitors as more delays in app launch can make your end app users frustrated. You should ensure that all your app activities are resident in memory while the app is starting up in the background.

Tip 4: Embrace the App on Different Devices

You can check the device compatibility before launching the app. Here you should find opportunities to integrate the app over different technical devices such as smartwatches, tablets, or even laptops. In this practice, you should enable the users with access to key app features that can enhance convenience for your end app users.

Tip 5: Develop an Offline Mode Facility

Developing the facility of offline mode can enable the end user to maintain their access to avail data without any network connection. You should develop an effective system of the app that the user can use rather than quitting and potentially forming a negative opinion. Here you can develop the functionality of the app based on analyzing the user behavior.

How Nimble AppGenie Can Help You Build a Market-Leading eScooter App?

How to build an eScooter app from Scratch?

Well, you might have got a detailed answer to this question. However, you need to decide on an experienced team that can help you in developing your app.

Nimble AppGenie can be your best partner as we are the best eScooter app development company with a panel of app developers.

From providing you with an eScooter app development guide to finalizing your app launch, we are here to help you. We can even provide you with an effective app maintenance option for your eScooter app.

Conclusion

In the presented blog, you have gone through an eScooter app development guide. With market stats, you can analyze the growth of the eScooter app and its users. It creates a diversified opportunity for you to make an eScooter app.

With the concept and working of the eScooter app, you must understand the detailed process of eScooter. An insight into popular apps can help you understand the features that have made eScooter apps such as Bird, Lime, and Bolt so popular. You can implement these features to improve the market presence of your app.

This ultimate guide can assist you with the steps to undertake while creating your app functional from scratch. A cost range and monetization strategies can enable you to identify methods to earn money after developing the eScooter app. Finally, some tips and practices are offered to add unique features to your app.

FAQs

Niketan Sharma

Niketan Sharma is the CTO of Nimble AppGenie, a prominent website and mobile app development company in the USA that is delivering excellence with a commitment to boosting business growth & maximizing customer satisfaction. He is a highly motivated individual who helps SMEs and startups grow in this dynamic market with the latest technology and innovation.