Lime vs Wave: Which is the best rent-to-ride e-scooter on Auckland streets?

Monday, 18 March 2019

Stuff journalists Nicole Lawton and Ryan Anderson do a head-to-head test of the Lime and Wave e-scooters.

A wave of sleek, black e-scooters have flooded into downtown Auckland but are they capable of knocking Lime clean off their perch atop the city's micro-mobility market?

More than 250 brand new Wave e-scooters are available to riders under the council's shared e-scooter service trial, which ends on March 31.

If successful, the trial could raise the number of e-scooters available for rent in the city to about 2000.

But which e-scooter is better? Stuff reporters Nicole Lawton and Ryan Anderson took to the streets to test them out.

Stuff journalists Nicole Lawton and Ryan Anderson put the new Wave e-scooter up against the tried and tested Lime e-scooter.

* A convenient mode of travel, a public nuisance?

* Onzo abandons plans to enter New Zealand's rental e-scooter market**

Riders need only download the app, load their account, scan the code and go.

Locking/unlocking

Lime: 5/5. Unlocking a Lime has always been quick and painless - you just need to find one that hasn't been snuck onto someone's private property. It's a very fast procedure, you simply point the camera at the code and within seconds you're ready to go. Locking is much the same.

Wave: 5/5. Unlocking the Wave is similarly easy - if there is one thing these e-scooter startup's lack, it's not a decent user-interface. Wave is partnered with international electric vehicle ride-share giant Bird, so you'll need to download the Bird app, load up your account, scan the Wave's QR code and you're away. Locking is as simple as hitting 'end ride'.

Speed

Lime: 4/5. After a firm push-off the accelerator kicks in quite suddenly, which can cause a bit of a jolt. However, you quickly get up to 30kmh and are zipping past cyclists - much to their annoyance.

More than 250 Wave e-scooters hit Auckland streets last week.

Wave: 3/5. The acceleration was a smooth as drips of ice cream on a hot summer's day. The electric motor brings you to a comfortable cruising pace, allowing you to remain totally in control the whole time. An important thing to note is that Wave's speed are restricted in high pedestrian areas, so you'll automatically be slowed down to a reasonable 15kmh per hour when you enter Queen Street, the Viaduct and Wynyard Quarter.

Handling

Wave e-scooters are sleeker and better looking than Limes.

Lime: 3/5. There is a bit of bulk to the Lime which can make it hard to do any tight turns or manoeuvre when you are going slow. Once you get cruising it becomes a lot easier to handle and you feel a lot more comfortable on it.

Wave: 4/5. Because Waves are a little slower off the mark, you're going to feel a little more secure and in control. Also, Waves sport two braking systems - one on the handle and one on the back tyre, so all you have to do is stomp on the back brake and you'll come to a grinding halt in no time.

Price

Lime: 2/5. It does hurt the wallet a bit, especially when compared to the pedal-powered alternative, Onzo rental bike. As it hasn't really had any competition up until now Lime has been able to set the price at whatever they want. With a $1 unlock fee and a $0.30 per-minute charge, the bill can soon add up.

Wave: 2/5. Same goes for riding Waves - they're priced exactly the same as Limes, leaving them no match for the Onzo's attractive low prices. Onzo bikes cost just $1 per hour, compared to the e-scooter's $18 per hour.

Safety

Lime: 1/5. You only have to do a quick google search of Lime in the news to know that there have been a few hiccups. Unexpected wheel locking at high speeds and no consequences for not wearing a helmet add to the climbing ACC stats.

Wave: 4/5. In New Zealand, Waves are innocent until proven guilty. There have been no reports of glitches or faults yet so we have to say Wave are winning in this category. A point is detracted, however, because they don't come with helmets.

Overall impression

Lime: 3.5/5. If you discount the glitch that caused them to banned from Auckland street and take the proper safety precautions when riding - the overall Lime experience is pretty good. You're going to get places faster and have fun doing it. Just don't let the need for speed get to your head.

Wave: 4/5. Waves look great and, more importantly, they play by the rules. Their speed is restricted when it needs to be and they have an extra brake for double the stopping power, just in case. They'll get you where you need to be, and in one piece.