Spin brings tougher scooters to DC

Scotters take a lot of abuse in the District, so Spin is bringing tougher ones. (Courtesy Spin)

Spin is bringing electric scooters to D.C. that, in theory, should last longer.

Those shared electric scooters don’t last long — in some cases no more than three months with all the abuse they take — and frequently replacing them is expensive.

Spin, acquired by Ford in November, also says the new scooters make for a better user experience.

In June, it tested the new scooters in a pilot program in Baltimore and says the study showed promising results for increasing gross profit margin and decreasing costs from theft and vandalism.

The scooters have larger, 10-inch tires, security screws that minimize vandalism and extended battery life for up to 37.5 miles at full charge.

E-scooter company Bird is also upgrading its scooter fleets in D.C. and other cities with more durable versions.

Jeff Clabaugh

Jeff Clabaugh has spent 20 years covering the Washington region's economy and financial markets for WTOP as part of a partnership with the Washington Business Journal, and officially joined the WTOP newsroom staff in January 2016.

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