Electrifying bike-sharing systems: a positive impact on the environment and our society!

During this month dedicated to the Earth, Lyft Urban Solutions took the opportunity to look at one of shared micromobility's biggest trends which has created an unprecedented craze: the electric bike. Discover its positive impact on our environment and society! 

The size of shared electric vehicle fleets worldwide is expected to expand from about 3.6 million vehicles in 2021 to 10.5 million in 2030. Shared electric mobility is experiencing rapid growth in Europe and North America says Frost & Sullivan in one of its latest analyses of urban mobility trends.

Electrification is one of the key trends in the micromobility industry. In recent years, a growing number of cities around the world are integrating electric bikes into their bike-sharing systems. According to the Meddin Bike Sharing World Map 2022 Report, between August and December 2022, the number of bike-sharing systems equipped with e-bikes increased by 62.9% and the number of e-bikes increased by 72.95% worldwide. 

This tendency is also observed on Lyft Urban Solutions' bike-sharing systems. Let's take a closer look:

Lyft Urban Solutions’s bike sharing systems are going electric!

Over the past five years, Lyft Urban Solutions has deployed its bike sharing solutions accross 20 cities around the world and the majority of these systems have chosen to integrate e-bikes into their fleet. These include systems in Barcelona, Santiago, Valladolid, Pittsburgh, Bogotá and many others, all featuring mixed fleets. 

Some cities are taking electrification a step further by choosing fully electric schemes such as, Dubai, Monaco, Quebec City and Madrid.

This trend is also being observed in older bike-sharing systems, which have recently added e-bikes to their fleets. These include Montreal's Bixi system, which introduced E-FIT e-bikes in 2019, Bike Share Toronto, which joined the electric movement in 2020, and most recently, London, which chose to add E-FITs to its fleet in 2022.

Yet why is electrification in bike-sharing growing so fast?

An alternative to cars 

Not only is the electric bike an active, convenient and fast way to travel, it is also good for the planet! In fact, because of its size, speed and autonomy, it is an excellent alternative to the automobile, since it allows you to make longer trips at a faster pace, while avoiding road congestion. 

Recent studies confirm that the use of an e-bike can replace up to 86% of car trips. Thus, the electric bike encourages users to adopt a more active and sustainable mobility. 

E-bikes open up access to cycling

The e-bike is helping to break down the barriers that previously prevented people from cycling, as journalist Ben Hubbard points out in this Zag Daily article. Barriers such as travel distance, fitness of the users or others, making active mobility accessible to a wider range of people.

It is also worth noting that users enjoy riding an e-bike. Fast and easy to ride, it requires less physical effort and cyclists no longer have to worry about arriving at their destination drenched in sweat. The latest NABSA Shared Micromobility Report shows that in 2021 in North America, shared e-bikes were used about 36% more than shared regular bikes. There is therefore a significant interest for e-bikes in bike-sharing systems!

Lyft Urban Solutions' impact on the planet 

Let's pedal towards a sustainable world, together! 

We are proud to provide cities and cyclists around the world with an active, sustainable, accessible and inclusive mobility solution. With over 20,000 e-bikes deployed accross 20 cities around the world, Lyft Urban Solutions is committed to a more sustainable planet, healthy people and active mobility! 

Lyft Urban Solutions wishes you a beautiful and sustainable earth day and invites you to preserve our planet, together with us for years to come!

To learn more about Lyft Urban Solutions' global impact, smart cities, or to get the latest industry news and updates on technologies and events, sign up for the Lyft Urban Solutions newsletter today.