A new metropolitan system of shared transport with electric bicycles, Ambici, will be implemented from the first months of 2023 in the Catalan capital and 15 surrounding towns.
The service will not be merged with Bicing, which already operates in the city. It will extend a model of 100% electric bicycles and the latest generation model E-smartbike 2.0.
It is worth mentioning that during the first year of service, the electric bicycles will have promotional prices. And because of the characteristics of the bikes, they will be very useful in high neighborhoods or for use by people with mobility difficulties or the elderly.
These models are equipped with a motor that accelerates in the first few meters of the journey, by means of a soft start.
With respect to the motor circulation, it is automatic and is adjusted according to the pedaling. It will stop working when it reaches 25 kilometers per hour or when the user brakes the bicycle.
Pricing of the new metropolitan system with electric bicycles
During the first year of implementation, the system is launched with promotional rates.
The general price will be €25 per year during 2023 and will rise to a value of €40 from 2024. For those riders who do not use the service on a permanent basis will have the first 30 minutes of the ride free next year. During 2024 it will cost 15 cents.
When the ride exceeds half an hour, the fare will be 50 cents starting next year. The integrated pass to make Bicing and Ambici compatible will be between 53 and 65 euros per year.
Ambici electric bicycles features
The bicycles of the new Ambici shared system will have a display that will register the vehicle’s charge level and, in turn, gives the option to turn the engine on or off.
Another advantage is that the automatic system’s assistance can also be activated or deactivated via a mobile application.
The bicycles will be controlled by a geolocation system and half of Ambici’s 236 stations will be equipped with electric recharging points.
For the time being, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has no plans to extend this service beyond the immediate crown of Barcelona. And for now, they started to implement the system where there is more urban continuity.
With respect to the municipalities farther away from the capital, the objective is to ensure that they have a good metropolitan public transportation system, a task on which they are working continuously.
The new metropolitan bike-sharing service will start in 2023 in Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Sant Joan Despí and Cornellà de Llobregat. Subsequently, it will be extended to 12 more municipalities.
In total, Ambici will have 2,600 state-of-the-art electric bicycles available, as well as 236 docking stations. It will serve some 1.2 million citizens, facilitating their travel at a lower cost and saving time.
