Christchurch City Council has given Lime Technology a permit to operate up to 200 e-bikes in the city until the end of August 2021.
Lime is going to start with an initial fleet of 100 e-bikes, which will be available for hire starting next week.
Said city councillor Mike Davidson: “E-scooters have changed the way that many people move around the city. We are keen to see what impact a shared e-bike service might have on travel patterns.
“We expect the e-bikes will be popular with people wanting to travel further distances or go up the hills.
“Giving Lime a permit to operate its shared e-bikes here on a trial basis gives us a chance to assess how such a service might fit into our transport network in the long-term.
“E-bikes are soaring in popularity worldwide. They are an environmentally-friendly form of transport that could help us reduce congestion on our roads and lower carbon emissions, so it is a travel option we want to investigate thoroughly,’’ he said.
Lime New Zealand public affairs manager Lauren Mentjox said the company is excited to be able to bring its shared e-bike service to Christchurch.
“Christchurch people really embraced e-scooters and we are hoping they will be equally keen to make use of e-bikes. With both e-scooters and e-bikes available for hire around the city, it will be really easy for people to move around and get to the places that they want to go.’’
E-bike users will need to comply with the usual road rules for biking and will need to park out of the main thoroughfares on footpaths, as with e-scooters.
Lime’s e-bikes will be available for hire on both the Lime and Uber apps.
Features of Lime’s e-bikes:
- Electric pedal assist
- A 30-60km range
- QR codes to unlock the e-bike quickly
- Swappable lithium-ion batteries
- Retractable cable lock
- Front and rear LED lights
