GOVECS and Cooltra Embark on the Largest e-mobility Project in Europe

MUNICH, October 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

1,000 new electric scooters: number of two-wheeled electric vehicles in Barcelona increases fivefold

GOVECS, the leading German manufacturer of innovative electric scooters, is providing the company Cooltra with 1,000 of its GO! S3.4 electric scooters. This increases the number of electric scooters in Barcelona fivefold, doubling the overall percentage of electric vehicles. GOVECS' partnership with Spain's leading motor scooter rental company is the first large-scale project of its kind in Europe. It was made possible by a private investment by Cooltra of 4.2 million euros. Barcelona's municipal government and the independent Catalan Institute ICAEN also support the green initiative.

In the implementation of the largest e-mobility project in Europe using electric scooters, two points were pivotal: in deciding to use GOVECS scooters, Cooltra is consciously backing quality from Europe. Secondly, the company wants to push forward the expansion of the network of charging stations distributed throughout the city. "We are delighted that Cooltra has opted for the GO! S3.4, our first electric scooter in the motorcycle league", says Thomas Grübel, Managing Director of GOVECS GmbH. "With a torque of 114 Newton metres, this model can accelerate powerfully in any situation, which is essential for a hilly city like Barcelona."

Cooltra's aim is to hire out on a monthly basis a powerful electric vehicle that is easy to access and has the same rental price as the petrol equivalent. The GO! S3.4 from GOVECS is comparable with a 125cc petrol scooter and with a speed of up to 85 km/hour, can be used on highways and urban expressways. "Filling up" is also straightforward. After two hours, 85 per cent of the charge capacity is achieved. The lithium batteries allow a range of 50 to 70 kilometres. In 2011, GOVECS won the "Motorcycle" category of the Bavarian State Award for Electric Mobility with the GO! S3.4.

For just 149 euros a month (incl. VAT), the rental package from Cooltra includes the latest generation of electric scooter, check-ups, breakdown assistance, motor vehicle tax, maintenance, helmet and storage box. Cooltra currently has twelve branches with over 3,000 motor scooters - including the electric scooter. The company is also planning to bring e-mobility onto the market in other major European cities along the same lines, starting in Rome and Berlin.

ADDITIONAL PRESS INFORMATION

About Cooltra

Cooltra is a Catalan company founded in 2006 in Barcelona with the aim of hiring out motor scooters to tourists and local residents. Thanks to investment by investment funds such as Caixa Capital Risc, Finaves - which belongs to the IESE Business School - Grupo HS3 and various Spanish and German family businesses, Cooltra has grown considerably within a few years, from just 50 scooters and only one branch in Barcelona initially to a fleet of 3,000 scooters.

About GOVECS

GOVECS GmbH is involved in the development, production and marketing of electric vehicles. The headquarters of GOVECS are in Munich. GOVECS was founded in 2009 with the aim of supplying clean, efficient, reliable and affordable vehicles for road use. Top designers and the best engineers work to create electric vehicles that are not only stylish, but also meet the requirements of modern electric mobility. All its electric scooters are manufactured at the company's own certified production plant in Breslau.

In 2011, GOVECS won the "E-Scooter of the Year" Award with its GO! S2.4 model and the eCarTec Award with the GO! S3.4, the first electric scooter from the company in the motorcycle category. In 2012, GOVECS won the "E-Scooter of the Year" Award in two categories and once again won the eCarTec Award for the GO! S1.4, the first GOVECS scooter with an exchangeable battery.

High-resolution photographs are available at http://www.govecs.com/media-center.

All photographs (unless otherwise stated): © GOVECS GmbH

For photographs and further press information, please contact:
Petra Umlauf from LEWIS:
Tel: +49(0)89-17-30-19-47
Email: petra.umlauf@lewispr.com
http://www.lewispr.de