How one couple’s frustration with Dubai’s roads turned into ScootUp — a company now reshaping the way residents move through their communities.
When Jim and Ericka Mansfield relocated to Dubai Marina in 2022, they quickly discovered what thousands of residents already knew: getting around the city on four wheels was an exercise in patience. Traffic, scarce parking, and relentless heat made even short journeys feel like an ordeal. Rather than simply adapt, they started asking a different question — what if there were a smarter way?
“We were looking for high-quality scooters and realised the market was fragmented — mostly low-end options, no variety, and nothing centralised,” Jim recalls. “So we created what we couldn’t find.”
That insight became ScootUp, a curated electric scooter retailer built around a deceptively simple idea: give UAE residents access to the right ride for their lifestyle and budget, backed by genuine expertise and long-term support. Four years on, the company has grown into one of the most recognised names in the country’s expanding micromobility sector.
“We didn’t just want to sell scooters — we wanted to understand them, educate people, and help shape the conversation.”
— Ericka Mansfield, co-founder, ScootUp
A Voice for the Industry
ScootUp’s reputation extends well beyond the showroom floor. Jim and Ericka are now regularly called upon by media and industry forums to speak on electric mobility — including appearances on Dubai Eye, where they discuss regulations, rider safety, and the road ahead for e-mobility in the UAE. It is a role Ericka says the company always intended to play.
“We didn’t just want to sell scooters,” she explains. “We wanted to understand them, educate people, and help shape the conversation.”
That positioning has resonated in a market hungry for trusted guidance. As the UAE accelerates its push toward sustainable urban transport, ScootUp has been well-placed to help riders — both newcomers and enthusiasts — navigate their options.
Life on Two Wheels at Emaar Beachfront
The Mansfields have recently moved to Emaar Beachfront, and the neighbourhood, they say, is a case study in why scooters make sense for modern Dubai communities.
“With new cafés, restaurants, and soon a mall, everything is close — but not quite walkable in the heat,” Ericka explains. “Yesterday we grabbed coffee at a new café, the day before lunch by the harbour… on scooters, we’re there in minutes. It completely changes how you experience the area.”
Jim has noticed the shift rippling through their building and beyond. “We’re seeing more neighbours embrace it. It’s not just convenience — it’s a better way to live in these communities.”
“What used to take time with cars, parking, and traffic now takes minutes.”
— Ericka Mansfield, co-founder, ScootUp
The Business Case for Micromobility
Scooters have also become mission-critical for the couple’s second venture, Prestige Retreats, a holiday home management company also operating in Dubai Harbour. Cleaners, maintenance staff, and guest relations teams all rely on scooters and electric bikes to move between towers — cutting down on the delays that once came with navigating car parks and congested streets.
“It’s been a game changer for our other business,” Ericka says. “What used to take time with cars, parking, and traffic now takes minutes.”
Service as a Foundation
ScootUp’s offer doesn’t end at the point of sale. The company operates a dedicated service and repair centre in Dubai, where technicians handle all major brands — from routine tune-ups to complex repairs.
“We always said if we were going to do this, we’d do it properly,” Ericka says. “That means full service — not just selling a product and walking away.”
It is an approach that Jim frames in explicitly environmental terms. “At ScootUp, we believe everyone has a role to play in building a greener future. Electric scooters are practical, efficient, and a genuinely fun way to reduce your carbon footprint.”
For the Mansfields, that mission is still in its early chapters. “We’re not just building a business,” Ericka says. “We’re helping shape the future of how people move.”
