MADRID: Global ride-hailing giant Uber on Tuesday launched in Madrid its first electric kick scooter rental service in Europe through its subsidiary Jump.
The company, which already offers a car-hailing service which competes with taxis in Madrid, said it distributed 566 of the electric scooters in the Spanish capital, where they will compete with a dockless electric bicycle sharing scheme.
People can locate a scooter via its app or maps and then ride it by paying a one euro unlocking fee plus riding costs of 0.12 euro per minute, it added in a statement.
“Uber picks Madrid for the first launch in Europe of Jump by Uber, its electric scooter service. Users in that capital have since today a new alternative to move around,” the statement said.
Madrid city hall has authorized a total of 22 companies to provide shared electric scooters, part of its push to encourage more environmentally-friendly forms of transportation. and cut air pollution. It will allow a maximum of 10,000 electric scooters to be distributed across the city of some 3.2 million residents.
Uber already provides electic scooters for rent in several cities in the United States.
Several European cities have in recent months introduced restrictions on the use of electric scooters to reduce the threat to pedestrians
Paris earlier this month introduced fines for riding on sidewalks with electric scooters while Barcelona, Spain’s second-largest city, has banned the use shared electric scooters.
Uber Jumps into electric scooters in Europe
Uber Jumps into electric scooters in Europe
- Uber launched in Madrid its first electric kick scooter rental service in Europe through its subsidiary Jump
- "Users in that capital have since today a new alternative to move around,” the statement said
Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, Samref ink deal to study Yanbu refinery upgrade
RIYADH: Energy giants Saudi Aramco, ExxonMobil, and Samref have signed a venture framework agreement to upgrade the Yanbu refinery and expand it into an integrated petrochemical complex.
As a part of the deal, the companies will explore capital investments to upgrade and diversify production, including high-quality distillates that result in lower emissions and high-performance chemicals, according to a joint press statement.
The agreement will also see the parties explore opportunities to improve the refinery’s energy efficiency and reduce environmental impacts from operations through an integrated emissions-reduction strategy.
Samref is an equally owned joint venture between Aramco and Mobil Yanbu Refining Co. Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corp.
The refinery currently has the capacity to process more than 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day, producing a diverse range of energy products, including propane, automotive diesel oil, marine heavy fuel oil, and sulfur.
“This next phase of Samref marks a step in our long-term strategic collaboration with ExxonMobil. Designed to increase the conversion of crude oil and petroleum liquids into high-value chemicals, this project reinforces our commitment to advancing Downstream value creation and our liquids-to-chemicals strategy,” said Aramco Downstream President, Mohammed Y. Al Qahtani.
He added that the deal will help position Samref as a key driver of the Kingdom’s petrochemical sector’s growth.
The press statement further said that companies will commence a preliminary front-end engineering and design phase for the proposed project, which would aim to maximize operational advantages, enhance Samref’s competitiveness, and help to meet growing demand for high-quality petrochemical products in Saudi Arabia.
The firms added that these plans are subject to market conditions, regulatory approvals, and final investment decisions by Aramco and ExxonMobil.
“We value our partnership with Aramco and our long history in Saudi Arabia. We look forward to evaluating this project, which aligns with our strategy to focus on investments that allow us to grow high-value products that meet society’s evolving energy needs and contribute to a lower-emission future,” said Jack Williams, senior vice president of Exxon Mobil Corp.
