Hilo EV Boosts e-scooter initiative with grant from Warwickshire county council

The founders of Warwickshire-based business Hilo EV have stated that a grant from the county council was pivotal to the development of their safety-oriented Hilo One e-Scooter, which is now available for pre-order.

The Leamington-based start-up, established by James Browne and Robin Harris, secured £5,750 from Warwickshire County Council’s Digital Creative Recovery Co-Investment Fund.

This funding was utilised during the ‘Proof of Concept’ phase for the creation of a Native Android Auto Mobile App for the scooter.

Browne said the team realised there was an “interesting opportunity to develop an e-Scooter which could be folded and put into another vehicle to continue travelling in an environmentally-friendly way”.

“The project was focused on how we could integrate an e-Scooter with an electric car to allow for seamless integration, and we knew we needed to work with a technology partner to move the navigation information from the car to the screen on the e-Scooter,” he added.

He mentioned that their partner EVware had been “outstanding,” and with their help, the company has now developed an app integrated into the e-Scooter’s dashboard. This development will enable them to launch the scooter this June, a timeline that would have been unachievable without the grant.

Harris added: “Improving safety has been at the core of what we have been doing because we have come up with different ideas such as a bigger front wheel, illumination and AI technology, and the screen which we developed as part of the grant.

“It looks at information connected to the road such as directions, speed and range along with warning indications such as to keep your hands on the handlebars and the charging status.”

Unveiled at Micromobility Europe 2023, the Hilo One e-Scooter is setting new standards in urban mobility. This innovative e-Scooter is designed with a distinctive halo light to enhance visibility and is equipped with a large front wheel, ensuring a smoother and more comfortable ride.

Despite the current legal restrictions on e-Scooters in the UK, Hilo EV is witnessing a surge in global demand for its cutting-edge products. The company has opened pre-orders, with the initial batch of customers expected to receive their Hilo One e-Scooters by the end of the year.

In a move to support sustainable urban development, Hilo EV is actively participating in the URB Accelerator Programme. This initiative is in line with the UAE’s ambitious Net Zero by 2050 strategic plan, which envisions transforming Dubai into a bicycle-friendly city, thereby promoting eco-friendly transportation solutions.

Cllr Martin Watson, portfolio holder for economy and place at Warwickshire County Council, said: “We started this fund to help digital creative businesses who had struggled through Covid because they had had to put their expansion plans on hold just to survive.

“The digital creative sector is thriving in Warwickshire and Hilo EV is a great example of the innovation which can be achieved with extra financial support.”