Hire scooters are back on the streets of Napier after a two-year exile.
New Zealand company Jolt introduced the scooters to the city on Sunday, in the same purple colour as the Beam ride-ons that disappeared in November 2024 after what that Singapore-based company had said was a two-year trial.
The colour is no coincidence, because some are the same scooters, said Jolt chief executive Keelan Matthews, of Wellington.
He said Jolt was founded in 2023 by “two Kiwis” based in Wellington and Christchurch and, after Beam’s departure from Napier bought a fleet of its scooters and rebranded them.
“That’s why people will see a mix of purple and white on our scooters,” he said.
The company is operating under a council-approved trial until February, with the possibility of an extension, and has a fleet of 100 scooters, compared with the 300 previously permitted by council.
He says it will help Jolt keep the fleet manageable and reduce clutter on footpaths which, according to reports in 2024, was a problem in Auckland and Wellington, from where the Beam scooters had also been removed.
Each scooter comes with a helmet, and hire is $1 to unlock the scooter and 55c a minute, with extended-term passes ranging from daily to monthly.
Matthews said the company believes e-scooters offer a convenient way for people to connect with their community and explore more of what their city has to offer.
“We’re backing the Napier service with investment in local staff, warehousing and supporting services, and we’re keen to hear community feedback as the trial progresses,” he said.
When it withdrew from Napier two years ago, Beam’s licences in Wellington and Auckland had been revoked, after councils discovered it had under-reported the size of its fleets on the streets.
Having introduced scooters to New Zealand in 2018, it withdrew from New Zealand last year, after a merger concentrating on the Asia-Pacific region.
Other companies operate in the major centres.
Napier Mayor Richard McGrath welcomed the return.
“We had a positive experience with Beam during their time here,” he said. “They provided a good option for sustainable transport for locals and tourists alike.
“One of the best things about Napier is that it isn’t congested with traffic,” he said.
“E-scooters are another option to get people out of their cars, connect our local attractions, especially along Marine Parade, and make it even easier to enjoy our city.”
Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter, based in Napier, with a journalism career of 53 years, including more than four decades covering news and sports events and issues in Hawke’s Bay.