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The Electric vehicle, which seemed a distant dream for many before the start of this century, has become a reality today. Driven by the depleting conventional sources, rising fuel prices, increasing pollution levels, etc., the number of people opting for electric vehicles over conventional vehicles is significantly increasing. Catering to this increased demand, many companies are disrupting the EV market with their new, innovative vehicles.
Established in 2009, Inokim is one of the pioneers in the electric scooter market. It was the first company to introduce the modern-day electric scooter—which is recognized today as the ‘contemporary urban commuting e-scooter.’ There were scooters and e-scooter before Inokim. However, it was the first company to create an ultra-light, easy-to-fold solution by incorporating a lithium-ion battery and brushless hub-motor technology with a foldable frame design.
Inokim began its operations in 2009 as MyWay Ltd. and started producing e-scooters within a small shop in central Israel. In 2011, Kfir Ben Shushan and his brother Dror Ben Shushan—who already owned a successful e-bicycle import business—became the exclusive distributors of MyWay. The duo rebranded the company to Inokim—Innovation of the last kilometer. As the name suggests, the company is laser-focused on urban last mile transportation innovation.
Inokim continuously develops and evolves its micro-mobility product range. When urban commuter e-vehicle started to proliferate in the previous decade, Inokim was the first to introduce a range of e-scooters to fit every type of commuter’s needs—from the Tiny 8kg MINI2, to the small and light 12kg LIGHT2, to the classic QUICK3, and to the high-end performance OX series.
Inokim also focuses on commuting accessories for safety, convenience, and fashion. As the new urban rider expects all the accessories to be wearable and lightweight for the seamless daily transition from ‘riding’ to ‘working’ and vice versa, the company provides the new urban commute lifestyle experience. Presently, Inokim is working on creating the next level of urban commuting and introducing a higher level of safety and connectivity with an amazing user interface that can monitor all aspects of the experience from riding, parking, and maintenance, as well as emergencies.
The cornerstone of Inokim’s strategy is its post-sales, customer support infrastructure. Knowing that an e-scooter requires maintenance like replacing tires, aligning wheels, replacing the battery, etc., Inokim offers a 1-year warranty. “We are the only e-scooter brand in the market to build a network of support centers to service its riders’ scooters during the warranty and for many years after purchase,” says Kfir. We are the only micromobility brand that is vertically integrated from design to retail and service…
Kfir has been a well-known name in the e-scooter industry for over a decade. He grew the Inokim brand from a small innovative local Israeli concept to a legitimate commuting solution hailed around the globe. He was one of the first who recognized the need for electric scooter in the smart mobility landscape. He dedicated his efforts to building a team that can deliver a foldable, light-weight, low-maintenance, affordable, and safe-to-ride personal electric vehicle without compromising on the fun riding and stylish urban lifestyle user experience.
Kfir incorporated all the safety expected from a legitimate vehicle with the look and feel of a ‘must have’ fashion accessory. This resulted in a global following of Inokim riders that appreciate the Inokim brand values. To facilitate the Inokim brand’s global expansion, Kfir has enlisted a cadre of top-tier Israeli tech investors and partners that can contribute to his vision of the future of Inokim. Together, they are planning to IPO in the foreseeable future.
Challenges are a part and parcel of every business, small or large. Like many successful businesses, Inokim has also faced several challenges over the past few years from different directions. The first challenge for the company was the proliferation of the e-scooter market which brought many strong competitors with cheaper priced options. This has caused pricing pressure on all players. However, Kfir believes that a rider that uses their e-scooter for daily commute to-and-from work and school realizes that having a high-quality, high-performing e-scooter backed by a brand that offers maintenance services, is a much more cost-effective commuting solution.
Furthermore, the market observers predicted that e-scooter manufacturers like Inokim will lose sales to ride-sharing services such as Bird and Lime which have boomed since 2018. However, the contrary happened. Riders preferred a high-quality e-scooter that they owned and is always available, unlike ride-sharing services that often have the issue of availability. Additionally, for a daily commute, ride-sharing services cost more than owning an e-scooter outright. Thus, Inokim successfully managed to tackle the challenges and is continuously growing.
Marketing is one of the most important aspects of a business. No matter how good the product is, it cannot reach the desired audience unless it is marketed properly. As a growing company, Inokim has leveraged several marketing platforms such as traditional billboards in popular commuter riding areas and social media ads. The best marketing, according to Kfir, is the Inokim scooter itself. “Inokim is not only a practical last-mile transportation solution but also a fashion statement. Its not by accident that people refer to Inokim as the Apple of e-scooters, it’s a beautiful vehicle,” he adds.
Besides this, Inokim’s most successful advertising venue is via influencers. Having an influencer, such as Paris Hilton or Shaquille O’Neil, photographed riding an Inokim e-scooter, is the best advertising channel. Moreover, Inokim’s community of loyal riders is also an effective sales channel for the company. “A happy Inokim customer is our best advocate, and results in real organic growth.”
Inokim’s biggest asset is its experience of over a decade. Everything that the company does stems from its belief in micro-mobility as a commuting solution and is loyal to the values it lives by. These values include—safety first, always innovate, value for money, to create a green-urban commuting lifestyle experience, and always deliver a smile to the last mile. Inokim is planning to develop B2C service-oriented platforms that will enable it to bring its relationship with its loyal riders to the next level.
