Micromobility.com’s non-binding bid to take over VanMoof has been rejected by trustees, CEO Salvatore Palella has announced on X (formerly Twitter).
Dutch e-bike brand VanMoof was declared bankrupt last month, with administrators looking into whether it can sell assets and restructure.
Palella said trustees, “opted to negotiate with another party,” adding that, “my gut tells me financial figures are taking precedence over consumer protection.”
> Is now the time to buy a second-hand VanMoof e-bike?
Micromobility.com today offers e-scooters, e-bikes and e-mopeds on short-term and long-term rentals as well as retail sales, after beginning with shared e-scooters in Italy in 2018. The company had previously said its non-binding bid “was positively received”.
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Palella wrote: “Regrettably, our bid for #VanMoof, which deeply prioritized consumer protection & job preservation, wasn’t accepted by the trustees. They’ve opted to negotiate with another party. My gut tells me financial figures are taking precedence over consumer protection. Best wishes to the @VanMoof community (@VanMooferNews) – they deserve respect & quick answers. We’ll be watching closely.”
Regrettably, our bid for #VanMoof, which deeply prioritized consumer protection & job preservation, wasn’t accepted by the trustees. They’ve opted to negotiate with another party. My gut tells me financial figures are taking precedence over consumer protection. Best wishes to the… https://t.co/lYO1shMIHD
— Salvatore Palella (@palella) August 8, 2023
An Amsterdam judge declared Dutch entities VanMoof Global Holding BV, VanMoof BV and Van Moof Global Support BV bankrupt on July 17. This came after the closure of its stores and filing for protection from creditors a week earlier.
Belgian rival Cowboy has since created the Bikey app which enables VanMoof riders to generate their unique digital key, which can then be saved locally, so they can continue using their e-bike.
> Cowboy launches "streamlined" bike model "for the price conscious rider"
