Kite Mobility has partnered with The Dale, a 33-storey rental high-rise in Ottawa, to give residents access to multiple sustainable transportation options including e-scooters, e-bikes and electric vehicles.

Residents will have the options of either a pay-per-use or a scheduling model. At The Dale, app users can access two BMWi3's and eight electric bikes in the Kite zone, a dedicated space within the building's existing underground parking lot.

The Dale was built by real estate developer Brigil.

"Our objective is to provide an environment where residents can live a fulfilling life while also reducing their environmental footprint," noted Jessy Desjardins, Brigil's vice president of development and design in a statement. 

"As ethical, eco-sensitive developers, our responsibility goes well beyond building. Developing a complete living environment includes protecting the urban boundary and preserving the area's beautiful natural environment. Our partnership with Kite perfectly aligns with this vision and we are thrilled to embark on this new adventure."

There will also be community events, offers and promotions offered via Kite’s app.

Since 1985, Brigil has built more than 14,000 housing units and owns nearly 4,000 rental units, with 2,000 under construction. Brigil, which is based in Gatineau, Que., directly across the Ottawa River from Ottawa, intends to build more than 44,000 housing units within the next 20 years.

Founded in Toronto in 2019, Kite now operates in several buildings in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, Montreal and now two in Ottawa. The company plans to expand to 25 buildings during 2023, with about 45 to 50 contracts with various building owners and operators to take it into 2024.

By 2025, Kite aims to have approximately 150 locations throughout Canada and the U.S.

Kite Mobility

Kite’s rates for its electric bikes and scooters average 15 cents per minute, while its electric vehicles average 20 cents per minute. Its services operate from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days per week. In order to begin the ride, users will need to input their property’s unique four-digit code.

SustainableBiz previously reported on Kite’s round of funding with Toronto-based impact investor Good & Well at the end of September.

Part of that funding will help develop a monthly subscription platform within the app for the user’s choice of vehicle. To be implemented in Q1 2023, it is expected to cost between $400 and $500 per month, with insurance and charging included.

“What if we centralize(d) the business model and brought it in-house? Work with large-cluster developers and robust urban downtown communities, both from the residential side, but also hospitality?” Jason Mota, Kite’s co-founder and chief product officer, explained to SustainableBiz at the time.

“(Offering) quick accessibility to those vehicles, we can maintain them really well, we don’t have to worry about that OPEX (operational expense), or those flatbed diesel trucks used for getting them back (to a hub).”

The firm plans to grow to between 15 and 20 employees in the next 18 months.

It also plans to expand into the U.S. and Europe. Mota told SustainableBiz the company has singled out Florida and California as its first U.S. markets, due to their consistent weather. 

He noted there are different barriers to entry in Europe, given that the continent is more walkable than North America, but Kite is considering Portugal, Spain and France as hub countries.