The JCDecaux firm on Friday launched eVillo!, the electric version of its Villo! shared bicycle service.
Some 1,800 electric two-wheelers are scheduled to be deployed in the capital. One thousand are already available, while the remaining 800 will be added between Friday night and Saturday morning. They were to have been launched in summer, but there was a delay.
The electric bicycles will make up over a third of the Villo! fleet of 5,000.
A pop-up store also opened on Friday in Joseph Stevens Street, Sablon, to provide information to users, who can also obtain portable batteries there. Users of the service, who will be able to subscribe to the electric option for €4.15 per month, will need to own one of these pocket-sized batteries.
The battery can be recharged in two hours through a USB-C port, and can be used without recharging for 8 to 10 km. In the event of loss or non-restitution, users will need to pay a €150 safe deposit for a new bicycle.
The eVillo! can be used either in mechanical mode or in electric mode. While it is more modern than the classic version, its weight is still significantly high.
“We wish to give Brussels residents the largest number of alternatives to personal vehicles and, for that, innovation must be supported,” said Brussels Mobility Minister Elke Van den Brandt. “We are therefore investing in better cycling infrastructure and launching this electric offer by Villo!”
The Brussels Times
