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Honda launches scooter-sharing service

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. launched Japan's first scooter-sharing service in partnership with SoftBank Group Corp.-backed startup OpenStreet, the Nikkei Asian Review reported Sept. 21.

The Japanese carmaker reportedly rolled out the service, which is called Hello Scooter, to help offset declining motorcycle sales in the country.

Hello Scooter allows users to rent Honda's roofed Gyro Canopy three-wheelers using a dedicated app, which identifies the motorbike and unlocks its cargo box containing the key and a helmet, the report said.

Nikkei said the scooters are equipped with a data-gathering device that SoftBank and OpenStreet owner Yahoo Japan Corp. can use to identify areas with strong demand.

Riders pay ¥160 for every 15 minutes of use and ¥20 per kilometer driven, on top of a monthly membership fee of ¥1,000, the newspaper said. Honda is also offering discount packages of ¥1,500 for three hours and ¥6,500 for 24 hours, according to the report.

Riders can also reserve a return spot in advance but they can also return the scooter at any station as long as a spot is available, the Nikkei said. The service has a fleet of 20 vehicles stationed at four areas in Tokyo's Shinjuku, Hibiya and Meguro districts.

OpenStreet President Akira Yokoi reportedly said he wants Hello Scooter to expand to the same scale as his existing bicycle-sharing service, Hello Cycling, which operates a fleet of 10,000 bikes across Japan.

The Nikkei added that there are plans to boost Hello Scooter's fleet to 3,400 by April 2021.

As of Sept. 20, US$1 was equivalent to ¥107.94.