Among the throngs of Berlin startups, there is a winner. Swobbee is a well-funded company that has a clear vision. They will eventually dispense with batteries and replace them with battery swapping stations. The startup currently has over 50 battery swapping stations in Germany and is working on commercializing the service across Europe. It also has an impressive track record of winning over the competition. Some of their recent wins include a no-nonsense no-strings-attached contract with Volkswagen to resell their WeShare car sharing service.
Battery swapping stations
Another competitor is Miles Mobility. As its name implies, they plan to purchase more than 10,000 electric cars from Volkswagen. In order to win over the German public, they’ve devised an impressive road map of sorts. Their plans include a smart car and a network of battery swapping stations. The company has four locations in Stuttgart, one in Frankfurt and two outside of Dusseldorf. With a hefty budget, they can afford to outfit their fleet with the best of the best.
One of the many challenges that a new company like Swobbee faces is ensuring their stations fit into the average apartment or condo building. A clever solution is to deploy their stations via partnerships. A new battery swapping network is in the works. This allows them to snag prime real estate without the hassles of traditional leasing. While they’ve had some success so far, they’re not immune to the aforementioned challenge.
Million in Seed Funding
Swobbee, the company, is on a mission to bring electric micromobility to the masses. Founded in 2012, Swobbee currently boasts a battery swapping station network of over 50 stations across Germany, including three locations in Freiburg and two in Dusseldorf. The company will soon expand to other European cities. With some major investments and a lot of hype, Swobbee is set to be a game changer in the micromobility space.
The company has also recently announced a collaboration with the good folks at GRAVIS, the country’s leading electronics retailer. In addition to getting its hands on the latest and greatest in mobile devices, smartphones, and computers, The company has four locations in Stuttgart the two parties will partner on an app that will help consumers get the most out of their newfound tech toys.
Million in funding
The company has received some pretty impressive funding, including the likes of the likes of Adyen, CREANDUM, Index Ventures, and a number of other angels. In a recent presentation to media, CEO Nicolai Smeets said Swobbee has secured a grand total of EUR44.8 million in funding. Its newfound financial clout will enable the startup to grow and expand its service network, which includes some of the tiniest charging stations in town.
A new battery swapping network is in the works. This is a pretty big deal in the micromobility space, as there aren’t many companies that have access to a fleet of electric vehicles without having to shell out a fortune.
