AMSTERDAM, May 8, 2019 - In a serious attempt to get more people out of their cars and onto E-bikes and bicycles for commuting and business travel, several players have joined forces. ConnectBike, as the alliance is called, expects to have a significant share of the market for business electric bikes in the Netherlands and Belgium by 2021, while making a substantial contribution to improving air quality, greening and livability of cities and the vitality of employees.
ConnectBike is an initiative of E-bike2work, a social venture dedicated to improving air quality and sustainable mobility in and around cities. In order to take a stand, E-bike2work has gathered around it a coalition of innovative scale-ups and renowned names. Besides E-bike2work, it consists of the world's largest bicycle manufacturer Giant and Mobilock, developer of hardware and software for shared bicycle systems and the only digital lock that is ART 4 approved. By working together, ConnectBike is able to offer companies, business parks, organisations or municipalities complete solutions as an alternative to the car or public transport. Strategic partners of ConnectBike are insurer Allianz and leasing company Arval.
No hassle with broken bicycles or complex sharing systems
"Companies and government organisations are currently missing great opportunities to get employees out of their cars and onto their bikes," says Kenneth Erselina, co-founder of E-bike2work. "They want to switch to a sustainable mobility policy, but don't want the hassle of broken bikes or complex sharing systems. With our offer we remove those obstacles."
The full-service The solution offered by ConnectBike is tailored to the wishes of the buyer and end user. That may be an E-bike sharing programme, a private lease solution or a combination. Erselina: "A large part of commuting consists of trips of 8 to 20 kilometres per day. A distance that can be easily covered with an electric bike.
The ConnectBike offer includes a breakdown service developed in cooperation with Allianz. Within 120 minutes after the report, a repairer is on the spot to repair the bike, exchange it or take the rider to his destination. This service is offered everywhere in The Netherlands and Belgium.
Giant introduces special electric bike for the business market
Giant Benelux continues to focus on the consumer market through Giant dealers, but is now taking its first serious step towards the business market for electric bicycles with ConnectBike. This market is developing rapidly. It is estimated that in 2022 there will be over 300,000 "B2B" E-bikes on the road in the Benelux. Almost 120,000 of these E-bikes will be used by meal and parcel deliverers, who are increasingly exchanging their vans and scooters for electric bikes. Giant already makes various E-bikes, but has developed an E-bike especially for ConnectBike. electric bike It is unique in its price, quality and service package and particularly suitable for, for example, meal and parcel delivery companies or organisations that opt for shared bicycles.
An essential part of any E-bike sharing system is a well-functioning digital lock and platform so that different users can easily reserve, unlock and log off the E-bikes. Mobilock has developed a sharing technology that allows ConnectBike customers to integrate the E-bikes and bikes from ConnectBike into their own (sharing) system without significant IT efforts and high costs.
First projects already operational
Behind the scenes, ConnectBike has already started. For example, TU Delft employees have recently been able to use an electric bicycle. The intention is that at least 400 people from TU Delft will be trying out an E-bike for two months in the coming months. Experience shows that a large proportion of the riders are convinced afterwards.
In Amsterdam, employees of the Johan Cruijff ArenA and Ajax have recently been able to get on an electric bike from ConnectBike. ConnectBike will also use 70 E-bikes for a campaign of the municipality of Amsterdam to get employees of care and educational institutions in Amsterdam on an electric bike. In the coming months, similar campaigns will be rolled out in other cities.
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