Getting an Electric Scooter in Shanghai
In Shanghai, everywhere you go you will see bikes and scooters zooming around. I am a frequent user of shared bikes, just use Alipay, WeChat or Meituan to scan the QR code on the bike, pay a one-off deposit, and off you go, and you can park and lock the bikes at any designated location in the city.
However, there are limitations, they are slow and are difficult to use in bad weather. Some of my clients have enquired about getting their own scooters. However, registering your own e-bike with the police is complicated; prices vary greatly, maintenance and service is difficult unless you are fluent in Chinese, and they often get damaged and or stolen.
I want to tell my readers about MUTE. A business started in 2016 by an Australian expat living in Shanghai. MUTE now have outlets in Shanghai and Sanya (China), Bali (Indonesia), London and Manchester (UK), Antwerp (Belgium), Perth (Western Australia) and will be opening more locations in other cities/countries in the near future.
Why buy when you can rent? Just like a Netflix subscription? No deposit, no contracts, all maintenance and repairs are covered, theft proof (with GPS), just walk in and ride away!
Here is a description from SmartShanghai:
The showroom for an electric scooter subscription service: pay a monthly subscription fee and get an electric scooter with insurance against theft and damage. Their scooters include top brands such as Soco; NIU, Jielin and Niuding scooters with lithium Ion batteries and solid range. Subscriptions start at one month, with an average scooter price of 300rmb per month. This includes insurance, roadside assistance and repairs at their service centre. If the bike is stolen or lost, they'll recover it within 24 hours (all scooters have a theft-proof GPS system) or replace it free of charge. Each scooter comes with a lock, storage box, and raincoat. All scooters are registered and have licence plates and soft licences.
I often recommend my clients visit MUTE Garage located in Jingan’ 425 on Yanping Lu and get a test drive to see if they want to invest the time to get your ones or just rent one with MUTE and ride away!
Having a scooter also means you can explore the city and get familiar with the roads to get around much quicker!
Here are some rules I would recommend following:
Wear a Helmet
Follow the signs and traffic lights. Some main roads forbid scooters and bikes, while some are one-way only.
Be Mindful of other bikes and vehicles, bare right.
Use navigators such as Apple Maps to get familiar with the route, and do not use phones while driving.
Park only in the designated areas, do not bring your scooter inside any buildings.
Only 1 child passenger is allowed on the backseat of a scooter, do not bring any adult passengers.
Tips: if you fail to follow these rules, you will be stopped by the police and given a fine between 30-50 RMB.
Ready to give it a try?
MUTE offers genieyip.com customers a 2-week free subscription voucher. Get in touch!
One last thing to mention, MUTE is not only a scooter rental company. They also connect members and provide members’ club deals and benefits. Read more about the Mutant Club by Mute, which hosts many community events!