Swedish company Voi swaps the current hireable for e-bikes in city rollout
This November, Swedish company “Voi Technology” rolled out a new e-bike scheme which promises to bring over 1,000 e-bikes to the city, replacing the 1000 non-electric nextbikes.
The scheme has been implemented after a successful trial in Edinburgh, which saw an initial 50 bikes implemented across the city centre. Within a month, around 5,800 individual riders used the scheme, leading to an increased roll out, bringing the number of bikes available to 800.
Voi bikes operate through an app, which you can download and hire bikes for 16p per minute or a total of £2.99 for a half-hour trip. Similar to other e-scooter or bike schemes, users will have to pick up and drop off their bikes in designated locations, with photo verification to ensure that bikes are returned correctly.
The bikes will be available 24/7 at over 150 locations across the city, and are already flying off the stands in the West End.
Voi have also stated that, across Glasgow, two bike models will be introduced. The company states that the “Explorer 4” is the “comfy, practical choice” with a large metal basket, soft saddle, and an easy to adjust frame “to suit different riders”. The “Explorer Light 1”, on the other hand, is “25% lighter than standard e-bikes” and has been designed with “accessibility in mind” to create an easy and enjoyable ride.
Councillor Angus Millar, City Convener for Climate and Transport welcomed the move saying: “It’s great to have Voi on board for the next five years as the new operator of Glasgow’s hugely popular cycle hire scheme, offering a fully electric fleet for the first time…Opening up access to affordable, sustainable transport creates more options for everybody to get about Glasgow, and it’s great that Glaswegians will continue to be able to take advantage of cycle hire with this refreshed scheme.”
The previous “NextBike” scheme was implemented in 2014, which saw almost three million hires and 280,000 registered users. However, the contract was put up for sale earlier this year, and was bought by Voi for £1 million, for a five year contract across the city.
One of the main differences between the existing NextBike scheme and Voi’s is the charging structure. While NextBike operates on a thirty minute minimum hire, Voi will introduce a minute by minute schem, which will be useful for commuters or students looking for a quicker way to get to class.
Voi are also open to hearing from the public about where they cycle from and to, and where they would like to see parking spots across the city, via their “Suggest a Parking Spot” form on their website, or via their support email.
On their website, the company states “From Sauchiehall to Shawlands, Kelvinbridge to Kinning Park, we’re delighted to be here, keeping Glasgow moving.”
Image credit: Voi Technology on X