Uber started offering on Monday (2) an electric scooter loan service in the city of São Paulo.
In this initial stage, trips will cost R$ 0.90 per minute, with no unlock fee. The value is less than that of competitor Grin, which charges R$ 2.25 for unlocking and an additional R$ 0.75 per minute.
The service's initial coverage area ranges from the marginal Pinheiros to Ibirapuera Park, and includes Vila Olímpia, Vila Nova Conceição and part of Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, up to Avenida Cidade Jardim.
The release of the scooters will be done by the same app used to call cars. The option already appears on the screen. It is possible to reserve a scooter up to 15 minutes before the loan. When you get close to the vehicle, you need to scan a QR code to make the release.
The arrival of Uber scooters occurs weeks after a shrinkage in this market: the American company Lime has given up operating in the country, and the Brazilian-Mexican Grow has withdrawn its service from 14 Brazilian cities, but maintained its operations in São Paulo. The high cost of maintenance and replacement of vehicles and the high cost for passengers, in comparison with other means of transport, hinder expansion.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon