Boston To Get 750 Electric Bikes In The City
Boston just got a little more electric with the launch of e-bikes being added to the city’s fleet. In fact, 50 electric bikes were launched this week in and around Boston at participating bike-share pods.
“Bluebikes’ e-bike has a power-assisted kick for electric urban adventures, leisurely rides, and commutes,” Bluebikes said in a press release.
Sounds Cool, But What is An E-Bike?
In short, these unique-looking rides have the general appearance of bicycles but are set up with “pedal-assist technology.” Furthermore, they are battery-operated using electric power, allowing riders to experience less resistance pedaling. The purpose here is to allow riders to travel longer distances, given they offer a 60-mile range and manage uphill rides easier.
In Boston, these electric bikes also have LED lights. They are installed on both the front and back to enable clear visibility. They look slightly different from the traditional Bluebike in that they are lighter in color. “Every e-bike is coated in custom reflective paint to enhance your visibility during night rides,” they explain.
In addition, The Boston Globe reported that “The bicycles are being added as part of a seven-year agreement between the bike share program sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, the five participating cities, and Lyft, which contracts with the municipalities to operate the system network and manufacture the bikes.”
In total, 750 e-bikes are scheduled to be dispersed around the Boston metro. The areas include Boston-proper, Brookline, Somerville, and Everett. Kendall Square and Cambridge were among the first areas to receive these new e-bikes.
Boston.com detailed the expected cost for riding stating, “The new bikes will be available to Bluebike members for $0.10 per minute for most riders and $0.07 per minute for low-income residents enrolled in the public bike share’s Income-Eligible Program.”
Over the summer when the city announced the “Boston Delivers” where electric bikes deliver cargo, Mayor Wu reinforced that it is a priority in Boston initiative “to explore how to make our streets flow more smoothly and safely for everyone.” Now with e-bikes starting to become available throughout city neighborhoods, we are beginning to see that initiative come to life.
