20 Things You Didn’t Know About VanMoof
VanMoof is an urban bike designer and developer that produces e-bikes for making the commute to work and school effortless and convenient. It’s a business that is based in The Netherlands and it’s been around for more than a decade, but its most recent products have captured a lot of attention. If you’re hearing about the VanMoof brand for the first time, here are 20 things you probably didn’t know about the company and its products that you might find interesting.
1. VanMoof has been in business for 13 years
VanMoof is an electric vehicle manufacturer that was founded in 2008 under the legal name VanMoof B.V. The headquarters is located in Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands. It is an established European company that has found traction in the EV industry with increasing relevance.
2. VanMoof provides smart technology features
Modern commuters benefit from the goods and products that VanMoof offers. The company creates urban e-bikes with electric power but it also develops other technology-based products that are useful for example, it provides antitheft systems that are digitally based. The company also sells intelligent motor and automatic electronic gear shifting systems which make commuting far easier than pedaling a traditional bike.
3. The technology for VanMoof’s website requires complicated systems
When you visit the VanMoof website it functions like most other modern sites. It’s easy to navigate and find what you’re looking for. Most users do not realize that the website requires the use of 98 active technologies just to make it easy for visitors to use. The complicated array of technologies are distributed across 41 technology products and services, such as jQuery, Google Analytics, HTML5, LetsEncrypt, WordPress, WordPress Plugins, and many more. The sheer volume of technology products and services is expensive and can easily cost the company hundreds of thousands per year or even more in overhead costs.
4. VanMoof has several patents
Several factors help VanMoof to stand out among the competition in the electric vehicle industry. Many of these are included in the intellectual property that the company has developed. VanMoof has secured 8 registered patents in the land vehicles for traveling otherwise than on rails category. That’s the description that the patent office uses to describe the inventions and technologies that VanMoof has created. It owns the rights to these patented vehicles so none of the other companies can imitate or copy them. This helps them to maintain an edge in the industry and stand out as being different from the herd.
5. VanMoof offers downloadable technology
The electric bikes that VanMoof provides are also called Smart bikes. They are equipped with smart technology that is software-based and operates via downloadable programs. The company is experiencing a good amount of business over the past 30 days, according to the analytics. Consumers have downloaded 12,747 products within the last month. The most common place to download VanMoof’s app is through the Itunes Connect or Google Play app stores.
6. Interest is growing in VanMoof
The analytics reports maintained for VanMoof show that there has been a sharp increase in interest in the products and services provided by the company. Web traffic has increased over the past 30 days by a rate of 11.21 percent overall. There were 1,012,750 visits to the site. This has resulted in VanMoof achieving a ranking of number 45,581 of the millions of websites registered on the world wide web.
7. VanMoof is the most popular in Germany
Thirty-three percent of the web traffic originates from visitors in Germany. Twenty-nine percent of visitors are from the Netherlands with a 24.59 percent increase in the monthly visits rate. Thirteen percent are from the United Kingdom with more than 14 percent growth. Ten percent of the web traffic is from the United States with a monthly visits growth of more than thirty-one percent, and eight percent of the visitors are from France with a nearly fifty percent increase in visitors over the past thirty days. Interest has increased from people from all over the world in all countries but Germany in the past month, which shows that the new products are likely to be a success on the global market.
8. VanMoof has an 8-member executive leadership team
The executive leadership team of VanMoof is comprised of eight members. Ties Carlier is the co-founder and chief executive officer. Taco Carlier is a founding partner. Jeranne Koekkoek is the chief people officer. Frank Goovaerts is the chief operating officer. Martijn Hazelaar is the head of digital. Nienke Wajon is the global marketing manager. Dave Shoemack is the chief of staff. BVA is the general manager of the USA operations.
9. VanMoof has one board member
There is one board member listed as an advisor for VanMoof. Jon Kossow joined the board as an observer in September of 2020. Mr. Kossow brings years of business experience to the group. He is a managing partner at Norwest Venture Partners. He currently serves on seven boards of directors in advisory roles. Part of his role is to observe the goings-on of the business affairs of the company and to provide advisement in strategic planning and financial matters.
10. VanMoof is a venture capital-backed enterprise
VanMoof has participated in five rounds of venture capital funding. The most recent round of Series C funding closed on September 1, 2021. The total amount raised so far is $189.1 million. The most recent investors to join in fundraising were Felix Capital and Balderton Capital. VanMoof is supported by a total of eight investors. Other investors include Gillian Tans, TriplePoint Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, and Hillhouse Capital Group.
11. VanMoof just raised $128 million
According to Techcrunch, The most recent round of Series C fundraising brought in an additional $128 million for VanMoof. This has given the startup a head start in its quest to become the leading brand of e-bikes in the world today, according to the report. They’re going up against some stiff competition but the infusion of funds will help them to power into new markets at a more rapid pace. The recent funding gives them a big jump over the competition with greater ability to move full-on in the production of their latest models.
12. VanMoof could usher in a new generation
This is a pivotal point in the history of the world. Many cities are just coming out of their lockdowns from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. We’re seeing an increase in wildfires, more catastrophic storms, and changes in society and the environment that are pointing us in the direction of becoming more conservation-minded. Society is ready to make changes as we realize that life is fragile and so is the planet that we live on. The EV movement is not only smart, it is necessary. VanMoof is getting in on the wave of new transportation technologies that take on a more sustainable and socially responsible role with zero-carbon emitting electric vehicles for short-distance transportation options. The recent influx of funding will give VanMoof the resources to move ahead more quickly and provide the newly opening cities with economical, affordable, and earth-friendly transportation options.
13. VanMoof faces stiff competition
When compared to some of the new brands such as the new Ola Electric scooters coming out of India, VanMoof e-bikes are more expensive. They are offered at a price of about $1,198, which is about t$1,000 more than the Ola Electric bikes. VanMoof is betting on their advertisement that the bikes are premium models that are designed for rising in urban areas. They’re stylish and feature all of the latest modern conveniences and technologies. Only time will tell which brand will reach its goal of becoming the leading manufacturer in the world.
14. The technology of VanMoof e-bikes is impressive.
VanMoof e-bikes are easy to recognize if you are familiar with the brands. They are distinguished by an iconic triangular-shaped frame with a futuristic aesthetic. The bikes are equipped with integrated lights, hydraulic brakes, and smart features. A GPS chip provides cellular connectivity and there is an integrated motion detector that is blended with an alarm. The GPS chips come alive when the bike is reported as stolen for tracking the bike through the VanMoof app. It’s state-of-the-art technology for a modern world.
15. VanMoof e-bikes are not for everyone
According to Elektrek, while the new VanMoof commuter smart e-bike is considered a modern marvel, it’s not a bike that will meet the needs of everyone. Those who are observing a strict budget may find the price to be a bit steep when compared to similar new bike models coming out from other brands. The battery range is between 37 to 93 miles on a full-charge in Eco mode, which isn’t quite up to the specs for performance offered by Ola Electric. It’s a bike that is more in line with what those who don’t mind premium products are expecting but there is a large market for luxury goods even in the short-haul transportation industry.
16. There is no suspension
The specs provided for the VanMoof e-bikes reveal that there is no suspension. What this means is that when you’re riding the bike, if you hit a bump you’re going to feel it. They’re equipped with Schwalbe Big Ben 28-inch tires that help to absorb road noise. The hydraulic disc brakes work very well in test runs. This is a mixed bag that further reinforces that the VanMoof e-bikes will be acceptable rides for some of the population, but not for those who may have physical issues that make them less tolerant to jars and bumps in the road.
17. VanMoof is expanding its workforce
According to LinkedIn, VanMoof currently employs a workforce of 440 workers. The company is currently hiring. There are 38 new job openings posted on the company’s LinkedIn profile page. Most of the current openings are for people who live in the Amsterdam area, suggesting the company is beefing up its infrastructure at home.
18. VanMoof is moving into Taipei City
VanMoof is also hiring workers for its location in the Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan. This is just the beginning of its plan to expand the company’s operations into a global force. The operations in Taiwan are gearing up for the push that the CEO confirmed would happen as the result of the influx of new capital made by investors. VanMoof is entering a new stage of development with global expansion in its sights for reaching the established goal of becoming the number one e-bike manufacturer in the world.
19. VanMoof is preparing for more activity in the United States
As part of the global market penetration plan, VanMoof is also hiring for the Los Angeles, California area. They’re looking for a new store manager. This is in preparation for the new bikes that will be exported to the United States for distribution. It’s too soon to tell how well the expensive more premium e-bikes will be received, but we’re about to find out.
20. VanMoof is a privately held enterprise
VanMoof is a company that holds tremendous potential for providing its investors with a good return on their investment. The products are timely and socially responsible. They will appeal to a certain niche of the population. There are many indicators to suggest that the response to their new e-bikes will be positive. This makes it a company work keeping your eye on if you’re an investor. However, at this point in time, it is a privately owned company that has not yet filed for an IPO. This means that you won’t be able to find stock shares listed on the public stock exchanges. For now, it’s not open to the public for investment as it has a solid group of private investors supporting its growth. We’ve not heard of any plans to take the company public, but you never know, it’s still worth watching to see what happens in the months to come.
