Uber is to launch its electric bike service Jump in Germany, after it has already been rolled out in San Francisco and Washington.
Jump's latest expansion into Europe was announced by CEO Dara Khosrowshahi during a conference in Berlin, Reuters reports.
While he said on stage with a Jump bike that the launch wanted to signal a deep commitment to Germany and a desire to work with local authorities, protesting taxi drivers outside were said to have waved placards that read "Uber go home.".
Uber's move into bike services comes after it ran into trouble with authorities over its taxi service. In London, the company now lacks a license and has also been blocked elsewhere in Germany, France, Italy and Spain.
In bike services, Uber is entering a market that is already saturated in various parts of the world, such as China. There, local players Mobike and Ofo have been forced to look abroad and have found their way to Berlin, among other places. Limebike, which originated in the US, is also present in the German capital.
Uber will also launch Jump in Berlin after the summer, said Dara Khosrowshahi, while announcing more launches in other European cities in the coming months.
Source: finwire
