A couple scrapyards around Nashville TN sell parts and nearly complete like new units. They say they sell a lot of the Zero batteries to off grid solar hipsters, since they have a large capacity and are shaped like bricks so they stack very well.
Go to a few local scrapyards and see what they got. You won't go far with a phone call, they like face to face.
Local sherriff auctions sometimes sell them and impound lots. It's easy to find them laying around in the hood, with dead batteries that are off Birds radar. If the red light is out, that means no network connection, which means bird or the chargers can't find it, and it will just rot until someone throws it away. I think it's better to save it from the landfill, and put it to good use. The sheep can talk about rules all they want, but unless they never jaywalk or exceed the speed limit their just being hypocritical. Do you care about Chinese investors losing money? I certainly don't. That said, I would only buy scooters from people who claim they acquired them legally. Who am I to call him a liar, and I could care less if he shows me a receipt. You may be concerned however with all the recent press about Bird prosecuting scooter thieves.
Just kidding, they pursue nobody. They're too busy losing millions while they try to dupe more would-be investors in this unsustainable brief scooter "bubble". I hope venture capitalists start leaving flat screen TV's and power tools on the sidewalks. I could also use a new riding mower.....