20,000 E-Scooters To Be Auctioned by Superpedestrian Following Shutdown

More than 20,000 electric scooters belonging to Superpedestrian will be auctioned off later this month, along with other equipment from the startup’s U.S. operations, after closing its doors December 31. Two “global online auction” listings have appeared on the website of Silicon Valley Disposition, an online market for “surplus assets,” which will feature scooters and other paraphernalia from cities Superpedestrian operated in, like Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. The first auction opens January 23, and will run for three days. A successive auction is set to run from January 29-January 31. Though it raised $125 million less than two years ago, the company struggled financially in 2023 as it operated its shared scooter fleets in dozens of cities around the globe.

Superpedestrian’s departure from the electric scooter market has left many questioning the future of shared micromobility. After the company announced its closure on December 31, a staggering 20,000 scooters will soon hit the auction block in a “global online auction” hosted by Silicon Valley Disposition.

The digital sale will feature not only Superpedestrian’s iconic scooters but also equipment from their operations in major cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York City. With two simultaneous auctions opening on January 23 and January 29 respectively, it’s safe to say that these scooters will be quickly snatched up by eager buyers.

Superpedestrian, known for its signature scooter brand “Link,” acquired the assets of Boston-based Zagster in 2020 as part of a larger trend of consolidation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite raising $125 million in funding just two years prior, the company struggled financially in 2020 as they operated fleets of shared scooters in cities worldwide.

Although a potential merger and fresh funding seemed promising in November, talks ultimately fell through, and Superpedestrian’s demise came just days before another major player, Bird, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

According to reports from former employees, Superpedestrian informed its workforce on December 15 that it would be shutting down U.S. operations at the end of the year and possibly selling off its European assets. The current state of their European business, however, remains unclear as CEO Assaf Biderman did not respond to requests for comment.

The final weeks leading up to Superpedestrian’s closure were a scramble to retrieve the numerous scooters scattered throughout cities across the country before locking up facilities for the last time on December 31.

“The workers who stuck it out during those final two weeks were tasked, in part, with retrieving the company’s many scooters from cities around the country,” reported one former employee.

As Superpedestrian fades into the past, it serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of the shared micromobility market. With companies frequently rising and falling, it’s a constant battle to stay afloat and remain relevant. And despite the setbacks, the allure of convenient, eco-friendly transportation through shared scooters remains strong, leaving many wondering what the future holds for this ever-changing industry.