Splash to end electric scooter rentals in Bucharest

The Romanian electric scooter company Splash has announced it will cease its rental operations in Bucharest by the end of 2026. Founder Octavian Marin attributed the decision to new regulations approved by the Bucharest General Council on October 27.

The new regulatory framework introduces a daily fee of 0.75 lei for every active scooter placed on public property, alongside an annual authorization fee of 5,000 lei per operator. While these costs are levied on companies rather than individual users, other major operators like Bolt and Lime have warned that the increased financial burden could lead to higher prices for customers.

Bolt reported facing significant operational challenges, including over 12,000 cases of vandalism in Bucharest since the start of 2026. The company noted that the combination of new taxes and existing maintenance and security costs may impact the profitability of the service.