It was only a matter of time before two of the largest growing fields in the last few years, micromobility and cryptocurrency, combined their influences. Major micromobility retailer Voro Motors has just announced that it is now accepting Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) as a payment method.
As the largest cryptocurrencies gain wider acceptance as everyday forms of payment, currencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum are starting to be accepted at an increasingly large number of retailers.
Tesla even got into the Bitcoin game this past March when it began accepting the digital currency as a form of payment for its electric cars.
However, the electric vehicle manufacturer backtracked less than two months later, removing Bitcoin as a payment option over concerns regarding the heavy fossil fuel use in mining of the cryptocurrency.
That hasn’t stopped Voro Motors though, as the California-based electric mobility company adds crypto to its list of acceptable payment methods.
Just don’t plan to get rich if the exchange rate jumps in your favor. The company explained that they will process any returns at the current exchange rate. So if Bitcoin doubles next week and you return a product for a refund, you’ll only get the current exchange rate back (i.e., the same USD value and half the number of Bitcoins).
From medium and high-power electric scooters to some funky electric bike-like scooters, Voro Motors carries one of the widest selection of electric mobility products.
I’ve personally tested several of Voro Motors’ rides, and one of my favorites is the 51 km/h (30 mph) Emove Cruiser electric scooter.
The scooter comes with a massive 52V and 30Ah battery rated for 1,560 Wh of capacity. The company claimed that the scooter could travel 100 km (62 miles) on a charge, though I thought that was just marketing hype until I tested it myself. Riding at full speed, I managed around 104 km before the scooter’s battery finally drained.
You can see my range test in the video below.
Voro Motors may be the most recent micromobility company to begin accepting Bitcoin, but they are far from the first. Croatian electric bike company Greyp accepts several cryptocurrencies for its high-end electric bicycles, and Furosystems also accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin.
Is this a sign of the times?
Will more companies begin selling e-scooters and e-bikes in cryptocurrency?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
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