
At ATOM Mobility, we know there is a lot to consider when starting a mobility company. To help make the process easier, we’ve put together a breakdown of some most frequently recommended manufacturers of smart locks and docking stations on the market. Contact us in case you need a guidance or more information.

Spin tested solar-powered charging stations by Swiftmile in a pilot program
While free-floating model (when scooters and bikes can be parked anywhere within the parking zone) is experiencing a growing demand, it also faces some challenges such as the problem of discharged vehicles, vandalism and pressure form the municipality. In some cases smart locks or even docking/charging station is a good option to take a look at. In this short article we will give a brief overview of manufacturers that in our opinion can provide quality solution for this problem.
Smart locks
Omni is one of the leading providers of smart locks for bike sharing, it is used by companies like Ofo, Mobike and many others. Affordable price and built-in GPS is a winning combination. Optional solar recharge capacity means unlimited time standby and no need to worry about battery life.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 50-70 USD/ 45-65 EUR depending on model and quantity. Will require SIM card with data to track location

Omni smart lock
Linka has two main models - Original and Leo. The difference is that Original lock has not built-in GPS, which means that you will rely on user phone data and will not have real-time information about bike location. This is why we prefer Linka Leo - which is high-quality product with great design.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 169 - 269 USD / 150 - 250 EUR depending on model and quantity. Leo model requires SIM card with data to track location
Lattis offers U-type lock with special case and chain for scooters. It is high quality product, but similarly as with Linka original it does not have bult-in GPS. However, we believe it can be a good additional security layer for scooter sharing (where you already have Iot with GPS data).
Suitable for: scooters, bikes and e-bikes
Price: 150 - 199 USD / 160 - 180 EUR depending on accessories and quantity

Lattis smart lock
Axa from Netherlands has been on the market for a while and their locks are used by Donkey Republic and Zagster. Unfortunatelly, these locks also do not have GPS, so you will need to rely on user phone data.
Suitable for: bikes and e-bikes
Price: 130 USD / 115 EUR
Docking and charging stations
If you are interested in charging/docking station you need to take into account that the average price of 1 charging pot for 1 scooter is approximately 650 - 1100 USD / 600 - 1000 EUR. So if you have a small fleet of 100 scooters and you want to have a docking/charging place for 30% of them your budget will be around 30 000 EUR.
Swiftmile is the leader in charging and docking stations for scooters with successful pilots with larger shared mobility operators. They support both docked and dock-less scooter systems and operate using either solar, battery powered or plug-in power systems. Their software is suitable for integration via API. You can connect 4, 8, 12 or 16 scooters/ports to one station.
Duckt modular charging and docking solution is a piece of art, it is small and compact and will look visually appealing almost everywhere. This is why we love it. Another cool thing is that solution is flexible and you can place these modules one by one (1,2,3 and so on).
Knot is a European player that provides charging stations for Segway scooters. It is affordable and by using 1 station you can charge up to 8 scooters.
Kuhmute charging station works with many scooter types, e-bikes and even skateboards. Another cool thing is that they offer monthly subscriptions if you do not want to pay for the stations upfront.
Meredot has very interesting concept for wireless scooter charging (however no docking provided). At the moment startup runs few pilots with first customers.
Contact ATOM Mobility for any additional questions or inquiries you may have about available products and suppliers.
ATOM Mobility - We empower entrepreneurs to launch vehicle sharing platforms.
Click below to learn more or request a demo.

🛵 Planning to start a scooter, bike, or moped sharing service? Choosing the right vehicles is a huge part of your success. This guide explains where to buy used or new vehicles, what to expect from each option, and which brands are best for fleet operations.
Starting a micromobility business means making smart decisions early on. One of the most important is choosing the right vehicles. Whether you're planning to launch a fleet of e-scooters, bikes, or mopeds, the vehicles you choose will affect how fast you can get to market, how much you spend upfront, and how reliable your service will be.
There are two main ways to source vehicles: buy them used or buy them new from manufacturers. Both have their pros and cons, depending on your goals, budget, and timeline.
Option 1: Buy used vehicles
Buying used scooters, bikes or mopeds can be a great way to reduce costs when starting out. This is especially useful if you're still testing the waters or want to launch quickly without investing too much.

Where to find them:
- Cyclecure - Offers refurbished electric bikes and scooters, often with up to 60% savings compared to new. Each vehicle is inspected and comes with a 1-year warranty. A good example is their refurbished NIU NQi-series mopeds with warranty and ready-to-use condition – ideal for small-scale pilot projects.
- Fleetser - A platform for sourcing and selling mobility fleets. You can find bulk listings of used and new e-vehicles, including sharing-ready scooters and mopeds. One recent example includes a fleet of used Segway Max G30 scooters in good condition with fleet discounts.
- ATOM Mobility marketplace - Offers carefully selected scooters, bikes, and mopeds optimized for sharing. Vehicles come ready for fleet use, including IoT and software integration.
Pros:
- Lower upfront cost
- Faster delivery
- Often no minimum order quantity (MOQ)
Cons:
- Shorter lifespan or more maintenance
- Limited or no warranty
- Less consistency across fleet
Option 2: Buy new from manufacturers
If you're planning to scale or want full control from the start, buying new vehicles directly from a manufacturer or distributor might be a better fit. You get full warranty, better quality, and longer lifespan.
Where to buy:
- Directly from the manufacturers. For example, OKAI, Navee, Niu, Feishen...
- ATOM Mobility – Sometimes new and unused vehicle directly from other operators are listed there.
- Cyclecure – Besides used vehicles, also offers new models from trusted brands.
- Fleetser – Also lists brand new fleets available for order.
Pros:
- Warranty and post-sale support (if you purchase directly from the manufacturer)
- Brand-new condition and full lifecycle
- Easier to scale with consistent models
Cons:
- Higher initial investment
- Longer delivery times (especially when shipping from Asia)
- MOQ applies in most cases
New vs. Used – What to expect
If you're comparing both options, here are the main differences you should keep in mind:
Used vehicles are usually available faster and cost less upfront. You don’t have to commit to big orders and can start with just a few units. But they may need more maintenance, have shorter lifespan, and does not include any warranty.
New vehicles require more investment, but you get full warranty, latest models, and better support. Manufacturers may have minimum order requirements and longer delivery timelines, especially if shipping from Asia. However, the quality and reliability usually make up for it in the long run.

Most popular vehicle manufacturers (for direct orders)
If you're considering ordering directly from manufacturers, here are some of the most popular and proven brands used in shared mobility:
- OKAI (okai.co) – Popular models: OKAI ES600P (durable scooter for sharing), OKAI EB100B (e-bike)
- NAVEE (navee.tech) – Known for long-range, sharing-friendly scooters (reasonably priced)
- Segway Commercial (segway.com) – Widely used in fleets, especially the Segway Max Plus series and Segway e-moped.
- Yadea (yadea.com) – Offers sharing-grade mopeds like G5 and G5L
- NIU (niu.com) – Smart scooters and mopeds, including NQi-series, with good support
- Fitrider (fitriderscooter.com) - mainly focused on scooters
- Freego (freegobikes.com) and Hongji (hongjibike.com)
Each of these manufacturers offers models built specifically for sharing and large fleets. Features like swappable batteries, fleet dashboards, and rugged design come standard.
Choosing the right supplier depends on your goals. If speed and low cost are most important, used vehicles may help you get started faster. If you're building something long-term, investing in new vehicles may pay off through better reliability and longer lifespan.
In both cases, make sure the vehicles you choose are compatible with your platform – and that spare parts and support will be available. ATOM Mobility works with both used and new fleets and can help match you with the right vehicle options.

🛵 Thinking about launching a mobility business? One key decision can shape your entire growth path: go with a franchise or build your own brand with a white label solution. 🔍 This guide breaks down the pros and cons of each model – and shows how you can even grow your own partner network under your brand with ATOM Mobility’s white label platform.
White label vs franchising: Which model is right for your mobility business?
Starting a new mobility business comes with many decisions, but one of the most important is choosing the right model for growth. Whether you're thinking about launching an electric scooter fleet, a ride-hailing app, or car sharing in your city, there are two main paths to consider: joining a franchise or building your own brand using a white label solution.
Both models offer clear benefits – and both have downsides. What works best depends on your goals, experience, and long-term vision.
What is franchising in mobility?
Franchising means joining an existing brand and operating under their name, systems, and technology. For example, a local taxi fleet might become a Bolt ride-hailing partner, gaining access to Bolt's technology, user base, and reputation. Similarly, in the micromobility space, some brands allow local entrepreneurs to launch electric scooter or bike-sharing services as franchisees.
This model is popular because it can significantly reduce the time and effort needed to launch. Instead of developing your own technology, brand, marketing strategy, and operational systems, you get a package, a “ready to use” business, from a brand that already knows the ropes.
Franchising: Pros and cons
The main advantage of franchising is speed and simplicity. You don’t need to build everything from scratch. You operate under a recognized name, which can make marketing easier. Often, you also get operational support and a clear playbook to follow.
But there are also downsides. As a franchisee, you don’t fully control the brand, customers and the technology. You may have limited flexibility to experiment or adapt the service to your local needs. Franchise fees or revenue sharing models can also reduce your profit margin. And if the brand suffers reputational issues elsewhere, it can impact your local business – even if you’re doing everything right.
Real-world examples of successful micromobility franchises:
LEVY, an US-based electric scooter-sharing company, has successfully expanded through a franchise model by partnering with local operators across USA. Entrepreneurs can launch and operate Levy-branded services in their cities, leveraging LEVY’s tested software, hardware, and operational know-how. This model has helped LEVY scale quickly while maintaining a consistent brand and service quality.
Nextbike, based in Germany, is one of the world’s leading public bike-sharing providers. It works with cities and franchise-like partners to operate local services under the Nextbike brand. These partners handle operations on the ground, such as maintenance and customer service, while benefiting from Nextbike’s established platform, brand, and international experience. With a presence in over 300 cities, it’s a clear example of how a micromobility business can scale through distributed partnerships.
What is white label in mobility?
A white label solution allows you to launch your own mobility platform – under your own brand – using someone else's ready-made technology. This means you can create a ride-hailing app, car-sharing service, or scooter fleet that looks and feels 100% yours, but without needing to build the software from scratch.
If you’re not familiar with how white label works, here’s a good explanation.
With white label, you take ownership of your brand and operations, while leveraging reliable, tested software that’s been used in dozens of markets. You’re not just a local operator – you’re the brand owner.
White label: Pros and cons
The biggest benefit of a white label approach is independence. You control the brand, the marketing, pricing, partnerships, everything. You can build a unique business that reflects your vision and local market needs. There’s no revenue sharing or ongoing franchise fees.
However, white label also means more responsibility. You have to manage marketing, customer support, local partnerships, and operations yourself. While the software is provided, the business is yours to run. It requires more involvement but also brings more potential reward.

3 reasons to choose your own white label platform
- Complete control over everything: Unlike a franchise, where key decisions are made by its owner, you’re in charge of everything - from choosing the name, branding to allocating budgets and setting up a supply chain.
- Flexible operations: There’s no universal solution that works equally well for all entrepreneurs. By starting your own project, you can better adapt to the local market needs, customer requests, and even changes in legislation. To launch a new app feature or adjust pricing, you won’t have to go through layers of approvals - you are the only decision-maker.
- Faster growth opportunities: For example, by attracting investments, launching crowdfunding, increasing your fleet, making additional investments in advertising, or even launching your own franchise.
Choosing the right model for your mobility business
If you want a fast, low-risk way to enter the market with support and clear systems, franchising may be a good fit – especially if you’re new to mobility or want to test the waters.
If you want to build a long-term business under your own brand, with full control and higher potential margins, white label is likely the better option. It gives you room to grow and adapt without being tied to someone else’s rules.
Many successful businesses start with white label software to speed up their launch, then focus on building a strong local brand and user base. Over time, this approach can offer more strategic freedom and better returns.
You can even build your own franchise using ATOM white label
One advantage of choosing a white label provider like ATOM Mobility is that you’re not just building for yourself. With ATOM’s platform, you can also expand by inviting partners to operate under your brand in other cities or regions.
This means that you can launch as an independent operator and, over time, create your own franchise-style network. ATOM’s software allows you to add partners to your platform, assign them specific territories, limit access to data, and manage operations from one central system. Your partners operate under your brand – and you stay in control of the bigger picture.
This is exactly how several of our clients have grown. They started locally, proved the model, then expanded by partnering with others – all without giving up their brand or independence.
Both franchising and white label are valid ways to launch a mobility business, and both come with clear advantages. But if your goal is long-term brand ownership, flexibility, and the ability to scale on your own terms, white label is often the smarter path.
With ATOM Mobility’s platform, you can launch fast, operate efficiently, and even build your own network of partners under your brand – creating a franchise model that works for you.