Skip to main content

Lime lets you skip the unlock fee with new LimePass subscription

It’s been in testing for nine months but Lime is now ready to make official its subscription program aimed at regular users of its app-based bike and scooter service.

Launching first in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, the new LimePass offers free bike and scooter unlocks (typically $1 per ride) for a weekly payment of $5.

The deal should prove attractive for anyone who rents Lime’s two-wheelers on a regular basis, with just two or three days of rides able to cover the subscription cost.

For Lime, the new subscription program could help cement loyalty to its brand among city folks who tend to simply grab the nearest rentable bike or scooter available, regardless of the provider.

“The subscription service is designed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing number of micromobility riders, simplifying commutes and rewarding those who depend on electric scooters and bikes for their day-to-day transportation needs,” Lime said in a blog post announcing the new offering.

It’s easy to sign up for the LimePass subscription program. Simply open the Lime app, tap the menu icon in the top left corner of the display, and then on the LimePass icon. After that, you’ll be guided through the final steps.

In a bid to encourage more sign-ups, Lime is offering new subscribers to its bikesharing and scootersharing service a week of free unlocks, though it requires an opt-in payment to get started.

Lime said it’s planning to expand LimePass to more markets internationally starting in January 2020.

“We know that more than 50% of our riders worldwide trust Lime for their commutes and personal daily trips around the city,” said Kevin Shi, product manager at Lime. “With our new LimePass service, we’re proud to offer them a more cost-efficient way to get around town and manage their busy schedules.”

100 million rides and counting

Lime has expanded rapidly in its three years of operation, recently announcing it had reached 100 million rides globally with its fleet of electric scooters alone.

Partnerships with the likes of Google and Uber that led to the inclusion of Lime’s service in their apps have helped to boost its profile, giving it a greater chance of succeeding in a fiercely competitive market. Lime now hopes its new LimePass subscription program will help to secure even more users.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The Kia EV3 could be the cheap electric SUV we’ve been waiting for
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV9 was already one of the cheapest ways to get an electric SUV, but now the company is taking things to the next level. After teasing the Kia EV3 last year, the car is now official.

The EV3 is built to be a slightly smaller, cheaper version of the EV9 -- following the path of the Rivian R2, which arrived after the Rivian R1S. It's certainly not as technologically advanced as the EV9, but it still looks unmistakably like a modern Kia, and is clearly a sibling of the larger SUV. On the outside, the vehicle has the same split taillights and very similar Tiger Face front. But it is quite a bit smaller. The vehicle will be available in nine finishes -- however only "Aventurine Green" and "Terracotta" are being announced right now.

Read more
Kia EV3: release date, performance, range, and more
White Kia EV3

Kia is on a roll. Hot on the heels of the success of the Kia EV6 and EV9, the company is already announcing what could be its cheapest electric vehicle yet -- the Kia EV3.

The Kia EV line seems to follow the rule of lower numbers indicating a lower price — and if so, the EV3 will end up being the cheapest electric car Kia has released to date. That, however, thankfully doesn’t mean that the EV3 will be a low-end car — it just means that Kia may be pushing the boundaries on electric car pricing.

Read more
Kia EV3 vs Tesla Model Y: Can Kia’s new entry-level car take on Tesla?
White Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 is finally coming, and it could well end up being the best small-size electric SUV to buy when it finally rolls out. It's smaller than the Kia EV9, but it offers many of the same design elements and features. But there's another small-size electric car that's currently one of the most popular vehicles out there -- the Tesla Model Y.

How does the Kia EV3 compare with the Tesla Model Y? And is one vehicle actually better than the other? We put the Kia EV3 and the Tesla Model Y head-to-head to find out.
Design
The design of the Kia EV3 is very different than that of the Model Y, though they're both reasonably good-looking vehicles.

Read more