SAN FRANCISCO (August 20, 2019)—WHILL—makers of the Model Ci and Model A Intelligent Personal Electric Vehicles (EVs), and Scootaround—a personal transportation solutions company, today announce the merger of both companies to evolve the personal mobility and transportation industry. With a shared vision to form a worldwide platform for assistive devices and provide a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) model that can be implemented everywhere, WHILL and Scootaround aim to improve the current travel landscape for mobility device users by increasing their freedom and independence.
MaaS is defined as the integration of various forms of transport services into a single mobility service accessible on demand. While long distance travel has been rapidly evolving and becoming more convenient for decades, limited innovation has been developed around moving shorter distances, especially for people with reduced mobility. The new MaaS model implemented by WHILL and Scootaround will combine WHILL’s sleek and intuitive Personal EVs, which can easily maneuver indoors and effortlessly tackle rugged terrains, with Scootaround’s worldwide rental, repair and mobility management services. Looking to provide a completely seamless travel experience for mobility users in areas with heavy traffic flow (i.e., large venues, airports, theme parks and hospitals), to ‘last-mile’ transportation, the shared MaaS vision is fueling the development of new products to meet changing market needs for assistive device use.
“Our partnership with Scootaround is a huge step towards evolving the worldwide mobility transportation industry,” said Satoshi Sugie, founder and CEO of WHILL. “We are taking WHILL’s technology—unlike any other mobility technology out there—and combining it with the best mobility and rental service from Scootaround to create a world that will help people with mobility issues increase their independence and experience the world as they would like, free from any past mobility constraints.”
“We are very active in the mobility market and joining forces with WHILL and its cutting-edge mobility technology was a progressive move to meet the market demand for enhanced service and superior products,” said Kerry Renaud, CEO and managing director of Scootaround. “Together, we are allowing someone who requires a form of mobility assistance to travel seamlessly from their origin to final destination—whether that be at the airport, at their hotel, residence, resort and so on.”
WHILL’s Model Ci Personal EV will soon be available through Scootaround’s partnerships with leading airlines, cruise lines, convention centers and more. The Model Ci is currently priced at $4,999 and comes with a one-year warranty on the omni-wheels and battery. New color options include navy blue and red.
For more information on WHILL, visit whill.us.
For more information on Scootaround, visit scootaround.com.
