Most US households own at least one car. However, those cars are used for an average of just over an hour a day—meaning that 95 percent of the time, they just sit still. For Scott MacWilliam, founder of a Canadian company specializing in sustainable transportation, this business proposition “makes no sense.” MacWilliam leads Kite Mobility, a Toronto-based initiative that aims to change the public's perception of personal vehicles as a “blanket.”
Kite's mission focuses on establishing electric vehicle (EV) access to all residential buildings in major cities. With the creation of EV hubs that contain bicycles, scooters and electric cars from Tesla ( TSLA ), BMW ( BMWYY ) and Volvo that can be rented through the Kite mobile app, MacWilliams hopes to improve the mobility of citizens, replacing the need for parking infrastructure and creating dense urban areas. become green. The company already has test programs in place across Canada and is preparing for US expansion in 2025.
Besides taking more cars off the road in congested cities, MacWilliam says his startup helps real estate developers save money on parking for residential projects. A single parking lot costs about $100,000 on average to develop, according to the founder, including $40 million to $50 million for a typical 400- to 500-space parking layer. Kite, which is looking to offset the need for additional layers of parking with its EV facilities, says the fees could instead benefit the residents who build them.
A portion of the savings will be used to fund promotional programs for the startup, offering free access to the company's fleet of EVs—as long as users give up their personal cars. “This will change or help the way buildings are built going forward, because it reduces a lot of costs, faster time to market and provides a clear and distinct benefit to the end user,” said MacWilliam.
These promotions are expected to run for six months to a year, after which users will have the option to start paying monthly subscriptions in the $200 to $400 range. Active pilots of Kite are currently underway in eight apartment buildings in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Calgary, with MacWilliam saying the launch has seen 25 percent of building residents use Kite's EV hub at least twice. Initial user feedback led to updates to the Kite EV app such as the booking feature, which allows users to book vehicles in advance for specific dates and times.
Bringing EVs to the elderly
The specific transportation offerings of Kite travel hubs vary by location. “If the structure moves slowly or slightly; Whether it's the affluent or the affluent, we're going to put in cars that match that demographic,” MacWilliam said. Younger citizens, for example, have shown interest in e-scooters and e-bikes. Based in Ontario, the startup decided not to use the flashier Tesla but instead offered the reliable Volvo XC40.
The benefits of Kite's system are especially important in settings such as retirement homes where the use of a vehicle is minimal, according to MacWilliam. “Actually, this car is sitting there at 96, 97, 98%, but they are still paying,” he said. Besides helping users understand how to use an EV, he noted the use of the Kite app as one of the biggest obstacles for older residents, some of whom do not have smartphones.
Founded in 2020, Kite last year raised $3.5 million from investors such as Good & Well and Enlightened Building Technologies. It plans to raise additional capital to bolster the startup as it begins to expand within and outside of Canada, with plans to launch pilot programs in four US states next year.
MacWilliam is convinced that, regardless of location, Kite EV hubs will provide a new model for a world that is looking to solve congestion and move towards sustainable modes of transport. “The same problem exists in the US. In fact, the same problem exists in many developed countries,” said MacWilliam. “My hope and dream is that every new building going forward in every major city has a mobility hub—preferably a Kite Mobility hub.”
