The green micro-mobility revolution in Denmark

27 January 2021

Supporting Danish cities’ green transformation

Since its founding in 2018, Voi has worked relentlessly to improve the sustainability of its service. Voi adopted an evidence-based and transparent approach to sustainability, focusing on three steps: 1. Measure emissions, 2. Reduce emissions and 3. Offset emissions. Voi works in close collaboration with local authorities to ensure it support the cities’ mobility and sustainability targets, such as reducing congestion and transport-related emissions while improving efficiency by connecting cities. Voi partners with local municipalities to co-shape the future of mobility, set the right regulatory framework and share data to understand patterns and ways of improving safety, parking and more. Voi operates Odense alongside Tier and is the exclusive partner chosen to operate in Aalborg and Aarhus. Copenhagen is currently forming the basis for a new public tender expected to be released in early 2021.

1. Measuring emissions: Life Cycle Assessment with EY

Committed to transparency and accountability, Voi was the first operator to conduct and publish a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The detailed study was independently performed by EY in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 providing an accurate measurement of CO2 and other harmful emissions associated with each step in the value chain. EY published the findings in an industry report on the environmental impact of e-scooter sharing.

2. Reducing emissions: Climate Action Plan

Based on the LCA, Voi has developed its evidence-based Climate Action Plan focusing on three key areas: vehicle lifespan, operations and circularity.

Lifespan

While several factors in Voi's value chain produce emissions, vehicle production is the main sinner. Thus, increasing e-scooter lifespan is a key component of Voi's sustainability pledge, and e-scooter sharing has come a long way in terms of hardware quality and durability. Early e-scooter models were not built for shared use and only lasted a few months, while Voi's latest e-scooter model, the V4, has a lifespan of approximately 5 years. Improvements such as best-in-class robust hardware, modular e-scooter design, predictive maintenance and swappable batteries have contributed to the prolonged lifespan and improved environmental performance.

Green operations & swappable batteries

Voi is proud to operate a full fleet of swappable batteries in all of Denmark. Voi was the first player to develop swappable battery e-scooters due to their environmental advantages. In June 2020, Voi, Tier and Dott decided to jointly write a new set of environmental and social standards, embracing swappable batteries and trying to move the industry in the right direction. Rather than collecting entire e-scooters, Voi's swappable battery e-scooters allow the company to replace drained batteries with fully charged batteries in the field (swapping process takes <30 seconds). According to the Life Cycle Assessment of our service, this innovation enables a 93% reduction in operational emissions as well as an increased hardware lifespan and higher fleet utilisation. Alongside swappable batteries, Voi is proud to operate 100% electric in all Danish cities. Voi collects, swaps and rebalances with electric cargo bikes and Voi-branded electric vans.

Circularity

Voi aims to ensure our supply chain is circular by extending lifespan, reusing, refurbishing and only as a last resort recycling scooters and batteries. At vehicle design, Voi favors the use of recycled and recyclable materials. Mechanics repair the e-scooters and Voi nevers scrap them. Through reselling programs, Voi Resell and Voi x You, both organisations and individuals can purchase a used scooter and give it a second life. Voi has already witnessed high demand for second life e-scooters through our programs. For components and materials that can no longer be reused, Voi works with Stena Recycling and Fortum in Denmark. The micromobility company is further collaborating with Fortum to improve the traceability of recycled materials to create more transparency in its supply chain downstream and ensuring 0% end up in landfill.

3. Offsetting emissions: Climate Neutrality

Thanks to an ambitious Climate Action Plan, Voi has reduced emissions by 85% since 2018. Voi is proud to have reached our climate neutrality target already in January 2020. For the emissions Voi cannot yet avoid and reduce, it offsets through our climate neutrality partner, EcoAct, by investing in wind energy capacity. This means each ride on a Voi e-scooter is 100% carbon free.