Lime (transportation company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Transportation |
| Predecessor | LimeBike |
| Founded | January 2017 |
| Founder | Brad Bao, Toby Sun |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
Area served | More than 200 cities in close to 30 countries |
Key people | Wayne Ting (CEO), Brad Bao (former CEO), Toby Sun (former CEO) |
| Products | Electric scooters, bicycles, mopeds |
| Website | www |
Neutron Holdings, Inc., known commercially as Lime and previously as LimeBike, is an American transportation enterprise headquartered in San Francisco. It provides electric scooters, bicycles, and mopeds across more than 200 cities in close to 30 countries. Customers use a GPS-based smartphone application to find and unlock these dockless vehicles.
Company
LimeBike was established in January 2017 by Brad Bao and Toby Sun, who had formerly held leadership roles at Fosun International's venture capital division. In March 2017, the company secured $12 million in venture capital funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. By October of the same year, LimeBike completed a Series B financing round that valued the business at $225 million. A subsequent $335 million investment round in 2018 raised its valuation to $1.1 billion, granting it unicorn status.
In August 2018, Lime formed a partnership with Uber to provide electric bikes for Uber Bikes. In May 2019, Toby Sun resigned as CEO to concentrate on research and development, with Brad Bao stepping into the CEO position.
Lime earned recognition as one of LinkedIn's Top Startups in 2019, ranking twelfth among fifty companies.
In January 2020, the company reduced its workforce by approximately 100 employees—about 14% of its staff—and withdrew from scooter markets in twelve cities such as Atlanta and Phoenix. Additional layoffs occurred in April amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced suspension of operations in 99% of its markets globally. Lockdown measures caused service interruptions across nearly twenty countries.
During May 2020, Lime acquired Uber’s Jump electric bike and scooter division as part of a $170 million financing round led by Uber, Bain Capital Ventures, and GV. This transaction valued Lime at $510 million—a significant decline of 79% from its April 2019 valuation of $2.4 billion—and resulted in Wayne Ting replacing Brad Bao as CEO.
By November 2020, Lime reported its inaugural profitable quarter and anticipated achieving profitability for the entire year of 2021.
Time magazine included Lime among its Time100 Most Influential Companies list in April 2021.
In November 2021, Lime raised $523 million through an oversubscribed funding round and announced intentions to pursue a public offering in 2022. The company also disclosed that it had surpassed 250 million rides, establishing itself as the world’s largest shared micromobility provider by total trips.
User base
By October 2017, Lime had grown its user base to 150,000 individuals. In April 2024, the company announced a record-breaking total of 156 million rides completed during 2023—the highest annual figure achieved so far.
Locations
Lime’s initial deployment occurred at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in June 2017 with a fleet of 125 bicycles. Expansion followed quickly; by July 2017, LimeBike had launched services in Key Biscayne (Florida), South Bend (Indiana), and South Lake Tahoe (California). On July 27, 2017, LimeBike introduced a fleet of 500 bicycles in Seattle and Washington state, becoming the second bikeshare provider operating there.
Vehicles
At CES in January 2018, Lime announced a pilot program for electric bikes under the brand name Lime-E in San Francisco. The next month saw the launch of Lime-S electric scooters. In May 2018, the company revealed ambitions to create transit pods—compact autonomous electric vehicles. Later that year, Lime sought car-sharing permits in Seattle and debuted "LimePod" in December featuring a fleet of Fiat 500 Lounge automobiles.
October 2018 brought a new e-scooter model equipped with larger wheels, integrated suspension systems, and an aluminum frame engineered to resist vandalism and prolong vehicle durability. In April 2020, reports indicated that Lime had acquired assets from Boosted, an electric skateboard startup.
Usage
To access Lime’s services, users download the Lime app on a device, typically a smartphone, to locate nearby GPS-tracked vehicles. Prior to commencing a ride, users enter their payment details. Starting a trip involves scanning the vehicle’s QR code, while ending it requires parking the vehicle properly and closing the session within the app. Charges for rides are processed instantly unless the user has purchased a pre-paid Ride Pass. Lime mandates that users take photos of the parked vehicle and its surroundings to confirm correct parking. The app also allows riders to report problems such as mechanical faults.
Locations
As of March 2022, Lime was operational in more than 150 cities spanning over 30 countries.
In the United Kingdom, Lime initiated e-scooter services in mid-2020 through Department for Transport-approved pilot programs. Outside these trials, public scooter use remains prohibited by law. Pilot zones include Greater Manchester, Milton Keynes, and since June 2021, London—where Lime shares operations with Dott and TIER Mobility.
In Australia, Lime provides scooters and bikes in selected urban areas.
Vehicles
The types of vehicles deployed by Lime vary according to region.
Lime-S
The current lineup of electric scooters features:
- Lime-S Ninebot ES4 by Segway, equipped with an additional battery mounted on the main stem
- Lime-S Generation 2
- Lime-S Generation 3, developed internally
- Lime-S Generation 4, designed in-house
- Lime-S Generation 4.1, also designed in-house
Injuries
Investigations in 2025 uncovered numerous serious leg injuries linked to Lime bikes in London, attributed to factors such as bike weight, design flaws, and maintenance deficiencies. In June 2020, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission determined that Lime had withheld information about at least 50 scooter-related incidents involving injuries like fractures and dental damage.
Deaths
A fatal accident involving a 24-year-old man occurred in Dallas, Texas, in September 2018 after a collision with a Lime scooter. Another incident in February 2019 left a Fort Lauderdale rider in a vegetative state following a car crash; concerns were raised because Lime’s app reportedly directed users to ride on roads rather than sidewalks.
Malfunctions
Lime has issued recalls for multiple scooter models over safety issues. In October 2018, Segway Ninebot scooters were recalled after reports of battery fires emerged. The following month, Okai-model scooters were recalled due to incidents where baseboards fractured, amid internal safety warnings.
In February 2019, Lime temporarily removed scooters from service in Auckland and Dunedin, New Zealand after wheel lock-ups caused rider injuries. Consumer Reports traced these braking problems to defective firmware.
Use of contractors
In various markets, private contractors known as "Juicers" are responsible for charging Lime scooters. These approved individuals receive charging supplies from Lime and are compensated for recharging or swapping batteries overnight before distributing scooters to designated "LimeHubs" each morning. Competition among Juicers can be intense, with some employing vans or other strategies to gather scooters across cities.
In some locations, Lime manages operations solely through its own employees.
Parking
Lime Bikes' parking regulations differ internationally. Certain municipalities, such as Vienna, impose fines—€10 in this case—for parking scooters improperly on sidewalks.
In April 2018, Lime encountered backlash after deploying hundreds of scooters across US cities without obtaining official municipal approval. Public disapproval intensified by June when scooters were discovered to emit a loud recorded message stating "Unlock me to ride me, or I'll call the police" upon being touched.
Within London, riders are typically advised to park responsibly on pavements. Nevertheless, parking rules vary across boroughs; some require designated parking zones while others permit unrestricted pavement parking. A 2023 consultancy study commissioned by Lime highlighted that this fragmented borough-level regulation causes confusion among riders and obstructs pedestrians, particularly those with accessibility needs. The report advocated for mandatory use of designated parking areas but also revealed that half of Lime users would be unwilling to walk more than two minutes to reach these zones. Implementing upwards of 10,000 designated parking locations throughout London could incur costs approaching £20 million.
Australia
In June 2020, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission determined that Lime had failed to disclose at least 50 incidents involving scooters that resulted in injuries such as fractures and dental damage.
San Francisco
In September 2018, Lime initiated legal action against San Francisco after the city refused to grant a permit. Prior to this, Lime had operated without authorization and was issued a cease-and-desist order.
Milwaukee
Scooters were initially prohibited in Milwaukee following the unapproved launch by Bird Rides Inc. On July 11, 2019, Governor Tony Evers enacted legislation regulating scooter use. Subsequently, Lime conducted a pilot program but was halted by the city due to complaints about riding on sidewalks. Lime’s application to expand its fleet beyond 500 scooters was rejected.
London Mayor
Complaints concerning Lime bikes have risen notably, especially regarding obstructive parking that impedes pedestrian movement. London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan emphasized the absence of consistent regulation across boroughs and called for a comprehensive pan-London framework to effectively manage the increasing demand for cycle hire services.
Wandsworth
In 2022, Simon Hogg, leader of London's Wandsworth Council, communicated concerns about e-bike-related problems directly to Lime Bikes' CEO. By 2023, the council reported inadequate progress in addressing ongoing issues with Lime Bikes blocking pavements. Hogg remarked that despite assurances from the company, the problem remains persistent and requires continual removal efforts.
Westminster
Westminster City Council has appealed for enhanced governmental authority over dockless bike schemes in England. In October 2023, Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg noted a rise in e-bike hire popularity accompanied by numerous complaints about bikes causing pavement obstructions and pedestrian safety risks.
Brent Council
In September 2024, Brent Council issued an ultimatum threatening to prohibit Lime’s dockless e-bikes unless safety concerns and operational shortcomings were rectified. The council pointed to an increase in improperly parked and abandoned e-bikes as well as slow response times for removals as significant issues.
To settle the dispute, Lime agreed in October to install 200 additional parking bays, reduce its fleet size in Brent by one-third, boost the number of cycling patrol officers and parking wardens by 78%, and guarantee removal of misparked bikes within two hours of notification.
Cease-and-desist letters
Lime has been issued cease-and-desist orders from multiple municipalities across the United States, such as Reno and Indianapolis, highlighting the regulatory obstacles encountered during its growth initiatives.