Bolt, the European mobility champion, will launch two new shared electric bike schemes in Wexford Town and Bray in Spring 2023. These schemes add to Bolt’s successful existing operations in Sligo and Kilkenny, bringing its total Irish fleet to 400 electric bikes across 4 regional towns.
There are 200 electric bikes earmarked for the year-long pilots with up to 100 in each town. Bray will form the first Irish location where the Bolt app provides both taxis and eBikes, a multimodal offering that has proved highly valuable across European cities.
Since launching shared mobility schemes in the summer of 2022 in Sligo and Kilkenny, over 105,000 km have been travelled on Bolt’s eBikes. With surveyed users opting for this sustainable mode of transport over cars, Bolt schemes have saved 14,800 km of car trips in Ireland to date, approximately 1,545 kg of CO2*.
Bolt has previously earmarked up to €5m in its bid to roll out electric bike operations across Irish cities and towns with up to 2000 bikes available to deploy immediately as required.
The Government recently committed to promoting e-mobility solutions in cities and towns and will be relying on such schemes to provide essential alternatives for commuters as Demand Management solutions are considered in the coming year.
Cathaoirleach of Bray Municipal District, Cllr Erika Doyle, said, ‘With a number of cycle schemes planned for the area, such as linking the stunning seafront and harbour area with neighbouring Dun Laoghaire Rathdown and a cycle link planned with Greystones, Bray is the perfect location for a shared electric bike scheme. Aside from being a sustainable alternative to car trips, electric bikes can offer a more accessible option for many. They can also assist when tackling some of Bray’s hilly stretches. The simpler and more convenient we can make accessing electric bikes, the more likely people are to use them. I’m delighted that both local residents and visitors to the town will soon have the option to avail of Bolt’s eBikes.”
Claire Goodwin, Cycling & Walking Officer from Wexford County Council said, “Wexford County Council is delighted to provide local residents and visitors with a sustainable mode of transport. We are seeing a real enthusiasm for making the change from private car use if there is a convenient and affordable alternative. With the introduction of Bolt’s Bikes on a trial basis for Wexford town, we hope people will try them out and perhaps change how they travel, where possible”
Bolt Operations Manager for Rentals in Ireland, John Buckley, said, “We’re very excited to take Bolt to the East Coast, and we’re working closely with Wicklow and Wexford County Councils to roll out the service as soon as possible. Bolt’s shared electric bike offerings in both Sligo and Kilkenny are proving extremely popular and our user surveys show our eBikes are reducing the reliance on private cars and supporting the National Climate Action Plan. One user has clocked up over 400 rides alone and we expect to see similar levels of utilisation on the East Coast!”
Bolt is in talks with several other councils keen to accelerate their active travel services in line with the National Development Plan and the Climate Action Plan. Bolt is keen to add electric scooters to its operations when legislation is in place later in 2023. Electric bikes and electric scooters cover a fuller range of travel options across most European cities and could help significantly move Irish transport users away from private car use.
Bolt is a leading European mobility champion operating a range of services including electric bikes, electric scooters, ride-hailing and car clubs for over 100 million people across 500 cities in 50 countries in Europe and Africa. The company currently operates ride-hailing taxi services in Dublin and Cork and is seeking to bring electric bikes, and in time, electric scooters to cities and towns across Ireland.
How to rent a Bolt electric bike
Users need the Bolt app, available on app stores, and a payment card tied to an account.
Follow these steps to start riding a Bolt electric bike:
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Open the app and tap on the electric bike icon to locate your closest bike;
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Scan the QR code on the bike to unlock it;
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Carefully read through the safety tips;
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When you’re ready to roll, push off and go!
Continuing Bolt’s reputation of offering affordable micromobility service across continents, Bolt is the most affordable provider of shared electric bikes in Ireland, thanks to having low rates and no unlock fee. The per-minute rental price is the lowest on the market at just 0.15 EUR/minute during the launch campaign.
