electrical bike Phoenix-based Phat Scooters make a splash with electrical autos
Peter Johnson took a trip 4 years in the past that modified his life.
He was tooling across the Arcadia neighborhood on a electrical scooter from China {that a} good friend had purchased when he seen plenty of consideration from folks within the space.
“Inside a mile, we obtained stopped perhaps 15 instances by folks asking what we had been driving,” Johnson mentioned. “I knew there was one thing there.”
Johnson now sells custom-made electrical scooters by means of Phat Scooters, a Phoenix firm that he based with two companions. Johnson expects to promote 3,000 of the mini, wide-tire autos this yr at costs starting from about $2,400 to $6,000. Gross sales may double subsequent yr, he forecasts.
Quick out the gate
Phat Scooters logged 22 gross sales the primary day a cargo of scooters arrived from China, and the tempo hasn’t let up. The corporate has gone from a handful of workers to greater than 60 in lower than 4 years.
Clients embrace companies and shoppers of all ages, mentioned Rick Johnson, Peter’s father and the chief working officer of Phat Scooters. “We promote to plenty of outdated guys who used to trip Harleys however cannot get their legs over the bike anymore,” he mentioned.
Quarterbacks Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals and Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys have purchased scooters for his or her offensive linemen, Rick Johnson mentioned. Varied different athletes and celebrities have turn out to be clients, too.
The corporate promotes its scooters in numerous methods and even has a reality-TV present within the works. Extra info on that, pricing and choices could be seen at https://phatscooters.com. Phat Scooters additionally sells on Shopify and thru different retailers.
Opponents embrace Skooza and different firms, together with these based mostly in China.
Enterprise purposes vary from pizza deliveries to police patrolling in crowded areas.
HELPING OUT:Tempe-based Phat Scooters helps local restaurants keep serving their customers
Enhance from pandemic
Phat Scooters was helped by the COVID-19 pandemic in a few methods. For one, the scooters could be geared up to hold golf luggage and thus make a great possibility for golf programs looking for to advertise social distancing amongst clients. They’re much less heavy and costly than common carts but nonetheless provide a cushty trip.
“It is like driving a sofa,” mentioned skilled golfer Pat Perez in a testimonial on the corporate’s web site.
Additionally, the pandemic has meant lots of people are all of a sudden working from dwelling with time on their fingers, in search of enjoyable issues to do.
The scooters could be ridden in bicycle lanes and sidewalks with no license or registration, Rick Johnson mentioned. They weigh as much as about 180 kilos, go as much as 20 miles per hour and may run 30 to 50 miles with no cost. Charging could be finished on customary electrical retailers.
Phat Scooters does not depart autos mendacity round public areas for lease, although some firms which have bought scooters lease them at seaside areas and different vacationer locations.
Manufacturing shift to North America
The corporate just lately moved right into a three-acre facility south of Sky Harbor Worldwide Airport, at 3637 E. Miami Ave. in Phoenix, the place it assessments and inspects the scooters after they arrive from China. Potential clients can take a check drive on the location.
Phat Scooters is working to deliver extra of its scooter manufacturing to North America. It just lately began making scooter frames in Mexico and can quickly make motors there. Electrical-wiring harnesses shall be bought from a metro-Phoenix provider.
Chinese language imports are topic to tariffs starting from 10% to twenty-eight%, relying on the half, Rick Johnson added. Manufacturing in North America thus may assist the corporate get monetary savings, enhance high quality and have higher management over its provide chain.
“We’re making an attempt all the pieces we are able to to place these (shipments) on a truck relatively than a ship,” he mentioned.
Attain the reporter at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.
