Key Takeaways
- Wheels, acquired by Helbiz, offers fully electric scooter rentals.
- Features emphasized safety, app integration, and Bluetooth compatibility.
- Rental options include short-term with $1 unlock fee, long-term from $89.99/month.
- Easy to operate: download app, unlock via QR code, ride, and drop off.
Scooter rentals aren’t a new phenomenon, with various services offering electric scooters for rent to help people get around the city.
Wheels, which was acquired by the micro-mobility giant Helbiz in 2022, may not seem groundbreaking at first glance.
But in reality, it represents the first fully smart and integrated electric scooter rental service, offering a variety of perks that a regular electric scooter couldn’t offer you.
What Makes Wheels Scooters So Special?
Let’s give you a few reasons why Wheels scooters are worth trying out.
Fully Electric
Wheels scooters are the first fully electric scooters available on the rental market, which means that they’re entirely controlled through their control panels or their companion app rather than manual controls.
They don’t need you to accelerate either—hop on and get moving! You’ll reach a top speed of 18 miles per hour in no time, and you can stay on the road for about 30 miles with a single charge.
Emphasized Safety
The greatest benefit to this is a much safer ride than you’d get with a regular bike or scooter—Wheels’ statistics claim 4 times fewer injuries than with bikes and up to 66 times fewer injuries than with scooters.
And with their low center of gravity, they’re ideal for heavyset people, who tend to struggle with riding manually controlled scooters or bikes safely.
The current generation of Wheels scooters features a heavier frame and a comfortable seat, which is why they’re advertised as electric bikes.
App Integration
The main distinction is its seamless integration with the Wheels app, which lets riders easily control their scooter, view their local map for available scooters, use promo codes, reach out to the company’s support, and more.
LCD Screen
Wheels scooters also come equipped with an LCD screen that comes with a real-time analytics tool that helps you get to your destination as quickly as possible and shows you the speed at which you’re moving.
Bluetooth Compatibility
A particularly nifty feature is an integrated Bluetooth speaker system that connects to your phone or other smart device, so you can enjoy listening to your favorite music without bothering with headphones.
The fully integrated helmet, also connected by Bluetooth, contributes to an entirely safe ride experience.
How Can You Rent a Wheels Scooter, and How Much Does It Cost?
Wheels scooters are available both in short-term and long-term rental options.
The former is a great option if you want to quickly get around the city without any long-term commitments, but you could also opt for a long-term rental if you like how Wheels helps you with your everyday mobility purposes.
Short-Term Rental
The initial unlock fee for a Wheels bike that you may find around the city is $1, with a fixed rate of $0.38 per minute. The minimum fare per ride is usually $3.49, with some variations.
Long-Term Rental
Wheels offers multiple long-term rental packages, starting at $89.99 per month.
The package includes a bike that you can ride with no limits over the month, a charger, a lock, and a helmet. With a long-term rental, you also need to issue a security deposit of $25.
Personal Scooter
Wheels has announced the option to buy a personal Wheels One bike, which you can already preorder for $1,699.
How Do Wheels Electric Scooters Work?
Operating a Wheels bike is remarkably easy. If you’re still confused about how exactly to do it, follow the steps below:
Step 1: Download the Wheels App
Before being able to ride a Wheels bike, you’ll need to download the Wheels app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. After downloading it, create a new account or sign in with your existing account if you already have one.
You’ll be prompted to enter your personal information as well as the payment details with which you’ll pay for the service.
Step 2: Unlock the Bike
To unlock the bike, open the Wheels app and scan the QR code on the handlebars. This will start the ride on the app and activate the fare counter.
If you want, you can set a destination in the app, which will enable the LCD screen to help you navigate.
Step 3: Begin the Ride
After unlocking the bike, lift the kickstand and extend the footpegs. The accelerator is located on the right handlebar—to activate the motor, twist it toward you.
The right handlebar also contains the rear brake, while the front brake is on the left handlebar.
Once you start the ride, riding Wheels scooters is the same as riding regular scooters or bikes. The only real difference is that you don’t need to use your feet to accelerate or pedal.
Step 4: Drop the Bike Off
It’s recommended to leave your Wheels scooters at a designated rack if there’s one.
If not, you can leave it near any bike rack or in a spot that doesn’t block any paths. After leaving the bike, lock the scooter and end the ride using the app.
If you’ve used the bike as a short-term rental, use the app to snap a picture of the drop-off location.
Wrapping Up
As of now, Wheels scooters are available in over 28 cities in the US and elsewhere across the world, with the Helbiz ever-expanding network working to bring them to even more locations.
If it’s available in your location, you may find it to be an excellent alternative to more widely established scooter rental services.
Its fully electric, integrated interface makes for an unprecedently safe ride and helps riders conveniently get around the city.
The fact that Wheels scooters don’t require manual acceleration makes them particularly convenient for people with mobility issues.
Plus, if you want to use a scooter for delivery, Wheels’ long-term rental option makes it an especially attractive option to consider.
