Conversations with Nimrod Sapir, Founder of Inokim
Since 2009, Inokim has been the premier electric mobility brand that defined a new era of urban mobility. Inokim is the original electric mobility company responsible for creating the concept of a last mile solution before any transport authority was even thinking about solving the problem.
Nimrod Sapir, the inventor of the Inokim and the person who coined the term “last mile solution”, is plotting his next move into urban mobility.
Sgscooters spoke to Nimrod from his design studio in Israel about how he deals with the cheap Inokim e-scooter clones and what he has in store for the future.
Sgscooters: What do you think of the copycats/counterfeit e-scooter companies flooding the market with cheap counterfeits?
Nimrod: Any successful or useful product has copies. You cannot prevent it. It is natural in our globalized and commercial age. You have to be prepared and strengthen your brand by constantly developing and keep leading the niche market. In a way, cheap copies are enlarging the market. Even people who at first buy the cheaper products and then get acquainted with the original product will later on want a higher quality product so they will come back to you.
Sgscooters: What is your plan to stay ahead of the competition?
Nimrod: Whilst most of these e-scooter companies are mainly targeting one of our products (specifically the Inokim Quick), we are staying ahead of them by developing a range of products aiming for different needs and different types of users, such as daily commuters, “last mile” users, or for recreational users. This includes defining speeds, weight and performance. Each product has its trade-offs and is suitable for its own market. For example the Quick is for longer and more comfortable rides, the Light is an optimum combination of weight and performance, and the new Inokim Mini is targeted as being ultra-lightweight and portable. However, our focus is always in producing safe, reliable and high quality products while staying one step ahead of the competition.
Sgscooters: We are all excited about the launch of the new Mini. Are you optimistic about the mini in terms of how the customer will receive it?
Nimrod: There is no doubt that there is a place for the Mini. People are looking for a solution which is lighter than what we have now and are willing to pay the cost of performance such as distance or speed. We will be launching an exciting and really attractive kickstarter campaign for the Inokim Mini so do watch out for it.
Sgscooters: The world is moving into internet enabled products. How does Inokim fit into the picture in your ideal world?
Nimrod: Today everything is connected to your phone. We already have an app out there. The app keeps your e-scooter from theft. Ideally the app can work in the background of the phone showing how much battery you have left and whether you need to charge it or not before you go to sleep or warning you at the start of your journey if you will be able to reach your destination without charging or if you have to take your charger to work etc. It can give you information regarding maintenance and when it needs to be serviced.
Sgscooters: Thank you for your time Nimrod. We look forward to many more industry defining products in the near future.
The all new Inokim Mini, the lightest e-scooter in the Inokim range, will be launched in June 2017 so follow us for more updates on it.