Denso attacks the electric bike market

Japanese car supplier Denso, tied to investment fund Ininvest, has just invested $ 20 million in Bond Mobility, a startup specializing in electric two-wheelers.

Little by little, the automotive world is approaching the world of two-wheeled vehicles. Although Bosch already has many electric motorcycle and scooter projects and Continental recently unveiled its plans for electric scooters, it is now Denso's turn to go on the offensive.

The Japanese giant, 25% owned by Toyota, announced on Wednesday May 1 that it has invested $ 20 million in Bond Mobility. Founded in 2017, this young Swiss and US startup specializes in self-service electric bicycles.

A service called Smide, operated by Bond Mobility, operates in a "free float" mode. Similar to Jump acquired by Uber, the system is deployed in Bern and Zurich. As usual, the device is linked to a mobile app that allows users to find and reserve cars nearby.

Launch in the USA

For Bond, financial support from Denso and Ininvest, in particular, will allow it to expand into the North American market. In the United States, 40% of trips less than 3 km are currently made by car. A real opportunity for Bond, who wants to quickly move his two-wheeled cars there.