TIER wins municipal authorisation to begin operation in Malaga, Spain

Credit: TIER Mobility

European micro-mobility operator TIER Mobility has announced that it has begun operating in Malaga, Spain, after winning a municipal authorisation to deploy 300 shared e-scooters in the region. With a fleet of more than 135,000 electric micro-mobility vehicles in over 185 cities across 20 countries, the company is implementing its sustainable micro-mobility model in Spain to help to reduce the number of cars in cities, while working closely with public administrations.

The deployment of the shared e-scooter service in Malaga follows the announcement of a Series D financing round worth €170 million in October 2021, aimed at significantly expanding TIER’s presence in strategic markets such as Spain, where it began operating in November 2021 through the acquisition of nextbike. The company is committed to leading the urban mobility market in Spain and expects to employ more than 100 people by 2022.

Manuel Arauco, TIER’s Country Manager in Spain, said: “Since its launch in 2018, TIER has established itself as the leading mobility provider in Europe thanks to the quality of its vehicles, its commitment to user safety and operational excellence. Now, we are starting operations in Spain with the aim of being the ally that cities need to make urban mobility safer, more sustainable and more efficient.”

TIER‘s e-scooters are equipped with a system of interchangeable batteries, which are charged thanks to a fleet of bikes and electric vans, relegating the heaviest repairs and maintenance to the warehouse. In this way, the scooters do not need to be transported every night for charging, saving 40 per cent in CO₂ emissions compared to models without interchangeable batteries. This operational model, combined with the use of renewable electricity in all of its activities, has substantially contributed to TIER becoming a 100 per cent carbon neutral company from 2020.

In order to endure safety, TIER scooters include improvements such as dual brakes, front and rear indicators for greater visibility and the largest front wheel in the industry – providing greater riding stability. TIER also provides a folding helmet on its scooters, which riders can use free of charge, thus encouraging the implementation of this safety measure.

Following the acquisition of Spin; Vento Mobility Srl, the Italian subsidiary of Wind Mobility; and European bike-share operator nextbike, TIER’s entry into the Spanish market is its latest major strategic move. During this time, the micro-mobility operator has also significantly expanded its presence in Europe, as well as the Middle East, and plans to further extend its product and service portfolio. TIER is also expanding its range of multimodal options, making it the first European micro-mobility provider to offer its users three different types of vehicles in one app.