Two years ago, Uber acquired the bike-sharing startup Jump but, three weeks ago, decided to transfer the business to Lime. As part of the deal, in addition to laying off most employees, some electric bikes were moved from one company to the other. However, nearly 20 thousand units were discarded.

A series of videos shared on Twitter shows trucks taking the vehicles to a recycling yard. There, employees remove the batteries and tires and recycle the metal parts of the bikes.

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In a statement, Uber stated that the intention was to donate the bikes that wouldn't be reused by Lime, but issues prevented all of them from having that fate. "We encountered many significant issues—including maintenance, liability, safety concerns, and lack of consumer charging equipment—and decided that the best approach was to recycle them responsibly," the company explained.

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Designed for shared use, the bikes have certain features that complicate donation. Special equipment for charging would need modification for domestic use, while the size and weight make the vehicle difficult to use without the electric feature.

Despite everything, this ends up being an ironic fate for equipment designed in the name of sustainability. At least some parts are being recycled and could be used in new bikes or other items.

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Source: Fast Company