Kite Mobility reimagines sustainable, urban transportation

Customer stories · Sep 20, 2024

In the bustling cities and communities throughout Canada, a visionary tech startup,

(Kite), is transforming the urban transportation landscape. Established in 2020, Kite introduced a modern alternative to traditional car ownership — a new model that uses mobility hubs for electric transportation options. Driven by a commitment to positive impact and community empowerment, they strive to forge a cleaner, more interconnected world.

By introducing a cutting-edge mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platform, they effortlessly blend electric bicycles, scooters and vehicles into daily routines. Their mission is simple: to make electric vehicles (EVs) available and affordable to everyone, while also decreasing the reliance on personal vehicle ownership. This approach paves the way for a future that is both more economical and environmentally-friendly.

Their advanced mobile platform offers unmatched access to EVs and their charging networks, embedding these solutions directly into local communities. Kite collaborates with real estate developers to transform conventional parking spaces into modern mobility hubs. This innovative strategy offers flexible service options like subscriptions, pay-per-use and free access, leading to significant cost reductions for real-estate developers and providing a consistent revenue stream for Kite. This method aims to streamline sustainable transportation, lessen dependence on conventional parking methods and promote lively, environmentally-conscious neighbourhoods.

Overcoming obstacles with smart technology

Facing their challenges head-on, Kite’s journey wasn’t without its hurdles. The startup needed a scalable and reliable fleet management system, robust network connectivity and the ability to monitor and report on user behaviour and its environmental impacts. To help tackle these challenges, Kite needed a partner that offered a complete technology solution that could quickly scale with them as they grow. To achieve their ambitious goals, Kite has teamed up with TELUS to create a smarter, safer and more sustainable future for personal transportation.

“I think fundamentally we’re vision and mission-aligned,” says Scott MacWilliam, Founder and CEO of Kite Mobility. “I think TELUS is really focused on fleet management solutions to support us beyond just the network. They are primed for rapid scalability, which is happening at our company right now.”

With a small but mighty team of 12, Kite has built its own proprietary software, allowing them to keep their infrastructure light. This tight-knit team has helped them maintain operational efficiency, provide consumers with a top-notch user experience and plan well into the future.

Building a scalable solution

The ability to continue growth planning is important for managing Kite’s electric vehicle fleets - making swift and effective implementation of fleet management solutions key.

“Although we are working directly with automotive manufacturers, that only takes you so far. We need a solution that can measure the key performance indicators (KPIs) from various equipment easily, ” says MacWilliam.

“Taking a step back and looking at the gaps in our technology roadmap, TELUS' offerings made sense for us. We could have gone to different companies to try and piece together the technology, but with TELUS we don’t need to.”

After evaluating all their options, Kite decided to start testing a telematics solution for 12 vehicles, with plans to expand to 70 by 2025. The scope of the project has also expanded to include electric bikes and scooters. This will provide the company with the ability to aggregate data quickly to make effective improvements in areas such as safety and help them to guarantee the availability of vehicles for their rapidly growing customer base.

“Safety is our top priority, covering not just drivers but also communities in urban areas, including those in large condos. We serve a wide range of individuals, so paying close attention to how drivers behave both during and after using the vehicles is paramount,” says MacWilliam.

“We want to ensure they maintain the vehicles well, leaving them charged, clean and ready for the next user. Not to mention, we also have a responsibility to address any driving issues, while we manage our fleet, to promote safe user behaviour.”

Telematics lets you see vehicles’ past and present locations, in addition to how they are being used. Kite has been able to collect detailed data on fuel/energy use, vehicle charging, mileage, the current state of the engine, as well as all trip data in real-time by using a telematics device. It allows Kite to stay agile, make data-driven decisions and gain complete insight into all of their electric vehicles’ systems and state at any time.

In an age of metrics, business owners are becoming more efficient and productive by collecting and analyzing operational data. By connecting their assets to the network, and monitoring every aspect of their operation, business owners gain insights into an area where previously they were either blind, or reliant on guesswork – resulting in a smarter, safer and more sustainable fleet.

Driving growth through innovation

Since it started, Kite has grown from a single vehicle to over 50. It plans to have 200 by 2025 and 1,000 in the next few years. And this is just one of many remarkable achievements for them. The company has secured over $4.5 million in investment capital, is raising another $10 million and was recently

featured in Forbes

gaining recognition for its innovative approach to sustainable transportation.

“Our fleet sizes are growing rapidly and it’s important for us to stay agile,” says MacWilliam. “TELUS' responsiveness to our needs has been exceptional, and that is a great first sign of a solid partnership.”

With its sights set on continuous growth, Kite plans to break into Western Canadian markets and the U.S. by the end of next year. The company is focused on scaling its fleet and further developing its technology solutions, with the support of TELUS’ robust network and fleet management capabilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and a shared vision, Kite is well on its way to redefining urban mobility and promoting a greener, more sustainable future for all.

Whether you’re a small business looking to add vehicle diagnostics, live video streaming and in-vehicle Wi-Fi to stay connected while on-the-go — or you’re a large commercial fleet in need of real-time monitoring, advanced reporting and ELD capabilities – TELUS Business has a solution that’s ideal for your needs.

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