Photo Credit: Farjana Islam

TIER scooters are among the more popular electric scooters on German roads. The number of cities in which the e-scooters are available is steadily increasing. In Kiel, TIER is the first provider to offer electric scooters to hire. 

The startup from Berlin has already got off to a successful start in Germany. Tier Mobility is currently expanding its services in Kiel. Renting an electric scooter with “Tier” is cheap, very easy and the fun is not neglectable.

The great hype of E-scooters is actually almost over a year after they were approved of use on the road. But now “Kiel” is finally getting a rental too. Initially, 200 black and turquoise scooters from the Berlin provider “Tier Mobility” have been distributed throughout the city. The scooters are intended to offer an environmentally friendly alternative to moving through the city without emissions. It is a great gain in mobility and modernity for “Kiel”. 

E-scooters are certainly an interesting alternative to short journeys. They are most the convenient alternative to bicycles and are more environmentally friendly than cars. But the built-in batteries of the e-scooters will also be empty at some point. The providers rely on private and commercial partners that take over the charging for a fee. 

In Kiel, the TIER e-scooters cannot be used in the entire city area. So these can only be used within the business area, which includes the city center and some peripheral areas. The respective area is also displayed in the app. The restricted areas can also be seen there. 

HOW TO START YOUR RIDE:

To rent a TIER e-scooter you only need the corresponding app. You can simply download it in seconds by using your smartphone. You register it for free, and it will be activated. 

  • First downloads the app, log in, add your preferred payment method and get ready to experience the new freedom.
  • Locate your e-scooter on the map and unlock it by scanning the QR code.
  • To drives off, fold back the stand and push yourself off the floor twice with one foot.
  • As soon as the e-scooter is rolling, slowly push the right lever down to pick up speed. As with a bicycle, you use the left or right-hand brake to brake.

HOW TO END YOUR RIDE:

  • Find a safe place to park without obstructing other road users and fold the stand back down.
  • Open the TIER app and tap on ‘End journey’.

HOW EXPENSIVE IS IT TO RIDE AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER?

The cost of a tour consists of a fixed activation fee and a charge per minute. This varies from city to city.

  • You pay 19 cents for every minute. (In some places only 15 cents).
  • In addition, a one-time entry fee of 1 euro is charged for each time.
  • If you take a break to buy something quickly in a shop, for example, you do not officially “end” the trip, a reduced minute fee of 15 cents will be charged during that time.
  • A one-hour excursion costs between (min 9 to 11.40 euros) – plus the activation fee of 1 euro.

RENT AN E-SCOOTER FROM TIER, THIS IS HOW YOU PAY:

At Tier, everything is handled via the Tier app. You can set up how you want to pay. You can choose from PayPal and credit cards from Visa, Master Card, and American Express. You enter your personal data and payment information into the Tier app, which you also need to rent the e-scooter.

Photo Credit: Farjana Islam

HOW TO FIND AN E-SCOOTER NEAR YOU:

After completing the necessary steps, you now only have an app on your smartphone and no e-scooter under your feet. The solution is very simple: In the app, all available e-scooters are displayed on a map. All you need to do is choose a scooter near you, walk to it, and then activate it using the “Start ride” buttons. And you can also start racing at 20 km/h. The only exception is if you do not have an e-scooter in your area.

Except for TIER, there are currently Five majors E-Scooter suppliers active in Germany. Based on cities, they are competing with each other. These companies are:

  1. Circ
  2. Lime
  3. Voi
  4. Jump
  5. Bird

TRAFFIC RULES FOR ELECTRIC SCOOTERS:

Basically, the rules that you have to notice when driving an e-scooter are the same as the ones for cycling. This means that you don’t need a driving license or a helmet. The cycle paths and cycle lanes must always be used for this. If these are not available, you are allowed to use the road – sidewalks, however, those are mostly forbidden. In addition, only one person is allowed to be on the e-scooter at any given time. 

However, TIER also employs several employees in Kiel who are out and about in the city every day and ensure full batteries, correctly set up incorrectly parked scooters, and remove scooters from areas such as parks or green spaces that are not approved for scooters.

Ultimately, the people of Kiel can now finally enjoy the new means of transport. How well this will ultimately be accepted by customers remains to be seen. Based on experience in other cities, however, it is very likely that the offer will prevail and even be expanded on time. Because the e-scooters are particularly suitable for tourists or for covering shorter distances and are therefore often used with pleasure. Even if they are repeatedly criticized by some residents.

With an e-scooter, you can discover your city newly. This e-scooter brings you to your destination safely and sustainably. With this e-scooter, you can drive comfortably and climate-neutrally at your own pace. It will save your time too. By using an e-scooter in Kiel, you can move freely through the city and ignore traffic jams and crowds!

Regardless of whether you want to go to work, to class, or just drive around the block: you can reach your destination within a short time with fun!

For more information you can visit Tier’s official website https://www.tier.app/.