Dispatch Electric Scooter Is A Last-Mile Logistics Leader

The nimble handling, small physical footprint, and low operating costs of electric scooters make them a natural choice for couriers and local delivery companies, but the rise of last-mile delivery services over the last year has led some people to look past bikes like Vespa and NIU, and look for something a bit more specialized. That’s where Dispatch comes in, with a concept bike that’s been specifically developed to meet the needs of businesses that rely on cost-effective “last mile” delivery solutions to stay in business.

Image courtesy Dispatch.

The Dispatch scooter isn’t “just” a scooter, it’s a modular platform that enables businesses to meet the needs of their particular market without having to develop packaging solutions around the myriad racks and frames used by Yamaha or Honda, for example, that may not transfer from one bike to another. With its squared-off, beefy frame rails, the Dispatch makes securing loads easy — and that big rear cargo area is just as good at hauling people with the addition of a second seat (as shown above).

The modularity of Dispatch creates advantages in other ways, too. By leveraging a swappable battery design similar to what’s being developed by the big four motorcycle manufacturers, simply swapping in more or different batteries creates scooters with different top speeds and driving ranges, as well as lightning-fast recharging scenarios for more constant “uptime.”

All of which is great, but it’s other interesting component that’s going to set the Dispatch scooter apart in terms of how it might appeal to workers in the “gig economy.” That’s this:

Image courtesy Dispatch.

That weatherproof box on the top of the Dispatch’s handlebars allows riders to drop their phone in and keep it charged while using their navigation or delivery apps. Think about that: this is a scooter that someone who doesn’t own a scooter could rent from Uber Eats (for example) to go on rides and do work, all from their own phone. And, if they don’t have a phone? That screen up at the top of the box is its own Android device — that’s huge in developing countries that might hire scooter taxi drivers or delivery staff on the spot.

Dispatch says it will release more details on the battery swap tech (hint: expect a partner like Honda or Gogoro to supply the batteries), as well as unit and app pricing for its commercially-focused scooter later this year, with production set to start early 2022.

Source | Images: Dispatch, via RideApart.

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