UAE e-scooter start-up Fenix rolls out subscription-based rental service in Abu Dhabi

Users can rent an electric scooter for Dh100 per week or Dh200 per month

Fenix received a seed funding of $3.8 million from Tel Aviv-based venture capitalist Maniv Mobility in November. Courtesy Fenix

Fenix, a UAE-based micro-mobility start-up, is offering a private e-scooter subscription service in Abu Dhabi as it looks to tap into demand for clean mobility solutions.

The service, named MyFenix, will offer the emirate’s commuters their own electric scooter for a fixed weekly or monthly fee.

The subscription will include unlimited rides, insurance for every ride, a smart app to lock and locate the scooter, free maintenance and vehicle replacements in less than 24 hours in case of any technical problems, Fenix, which was founded by the former directors of e-scooter firm Circ, said.

“We aim to provide commuters with a range of micro-mobility services that best meet their daily needs and unleash urban potential,” Mr Jaideep Dhanoa, co-founder and chief executive of the company, said.

“MyFenix is the first subscription solution in the region … it is a game-changer for mobility access, offering a price point and level of convenience that is within reach of the majority of the population,” added Mr Dhanoa.

Fenix’s subscriptions start at Dh100 per week or Dh200 per month making it more cost-effective to subscribe to a private e-scooter than buying one. Users can permanently own the bike if they sign up for a 24-month subscription plan.

The shared micro-mobility market is growing rapidly and is expected to be worth between $300 billion and $500bn across the US, Europe and China by 2030, according to CBInsights. Start-ups in the sector have attracted about $5.3bn in funding since 2015, the US-based research firm said in a recent report.

Although the pandemic has hit the shared micro-mobility market hard, a McKinsey report estimates that the industry is expected to recover to pre-crisis levels in the medium term as more countries encourage e-scooters and bicycles for local travel.

Launched in November last year, Fenix’s e-scooters are available in Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah and Qatar. The UAE capital is the first city where the start-up has rolled out the subscription-based service.

In November, it secured $3.8 million in seed funding from Tel Aviv-based venture capitalist Maniv Mobility. It was the first venture investment in a UAE company by an Israel-based VC.

Bird's Circ, Careem and Lime have been offering e-scooters for hire in Abu Dhabi since 2019. Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority banned the hire of electric scooters in March 2019 while it investigated how the rental market could be safely regulated, but permitted trials in five areas in October last year.