Business 3 min read By Callum Montgomery
Bolt and Lime say Bucharest's new scooter tax will raise user prices
Electric scooter operators Bolt and Lime say the new tax imposed in Bucharest on renting scooters without a fixed station will increase costs and could affect the viability of their business.
Electric scooter operators Bolt and Lime have reacted to the new taxes imposed in Bucharest on renting vehicles without a fixed station, warning that the measure increases their operating costs and could affect the viability of their activity in the capital. According to Bolt representatives, the artificially created costs will ultimately be reflected in the final price paid by users.
Bolt officials told Profit.ro that they have not yet determined the operational details related to the situation. "The artificially created costs are ultimately reflected in the final price of using the scooters, however, for now, we have not established the operational details in this regard. We will try to find the best option to balance operating costs and rates for users," they said. The wording suggests that the operator is seeking a compromise between cost pressure and maintaining acceptable prices for customers, without announcing a concrete decision for the moment.
Lime is also analysing the impact of the new tax. The company says it is evaluating whether the effect will be passed on, at least partially, to user rates. Company representatives argued that the tax will affect the feasibility of the business, beyond the costs generated by vandalism cases, which were already a burden for operators. In this way, the two operators place the problem not only at the level of a single expense, but of the business model as a whole.
In parallel, operator Splash announced the closure of its activity in Bucharest. However, the material published by Profit.ro does not provide further details about the exact reasons for the decision, the number of vehicles affected, or the impact on customers in the capital, and the information should be viewed within this limited framework.
The new taxes target the rental of electric scooters without a fixed station, an operating model in which vehicles can be left in various locations across the city, not only in specially designated points. Operators argue that the tax adds to a set of costs already in place and that a balance must be found between operating expenses and the level of rates so that the service remains accessible to the public.
The long-term consequences depend on how operators decide to adjust their rates and activity. For now, both Bolt and Lime say they are in the analysis phase, and the evolution of the situation will show whether the impact of the tax will be felt directly by users in Bucharest.
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