Lockdown gives e-bikes new life

Electric bikes and scooters, dismissed before the pandemic as a curiosity or nuisance, are getting fresh traction in cities seeking new transportation options as they emerge from lockdowns.

Some “micromobility” operators which cut back or shut down during the coronavirus lockdowns are now expanding to meet growing demands.

Shared mobility operators Lime, Bird and Ford-owned Spin report robust growth in cities worldwide, despite a near shutdown of tourism, as people turn to scooters and e-bikes for commuting or errands.

David Spielfogel, chief policy officer at Lime, which has relaunched in most of its 100-plus cities, said: “People are desperate for open-air transportation where they can maintain social distancing.”

Spielfogel said city officials have warmed to the idea of micromobility, despite a cool attitude just months earlier.

“There has been a sea change in the attitude of cities from seeing micromobility as novelty, primarily used by tourists, to seeing bikes and scooters as a core piece of the transportation system that will thrive in the post-pandemic period,” he said.

“Cities are afraid people will return to cars, so they see this as a good option.”

Lime, which has agreed to take over the Uber Jump scooters and bikes, said it has seen “exponential” growth in cities such as Paris, Washington, Tel Aviv, Oklahoma City and Zurich, among others.

Spin said it had seen weekly usage increases of some 30% since April, with people using scooters for longer periods.

The scooters “are being used now more than ever as a utility rather than for leisurely activities”, said Euwyn Poon, president and cofounder of Spin.

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Citizen reporter