Bolt has said it will commit up to €5m to its rollout of e-bike operators across Irish towns and cities after launching an e-bike rental service in Sligo on Tuesday.
Up to 2,000 bikes are to be made immediately available by the company following its recent fundraising and investment in micro mobility, with founder Markus Villig having committed €150m to expand its fleet of light vehicles across Europe.
Bolt confirmed that it has held talks with several councils keen to implement active travel services such as e-scooter and e-bike rental, and that if all its current tender applications are successful, it will likely add 50 jobs and expand its Dublin head office.
The Estonian-founded firm is keen to add e-scooters to its operations once long-gestating legislation is passed, believing that they could shift Irish transport users away from private car use.
"We have long identified Ireland as having high potential for micro mobility and are really excited to back this launch in Sligo with further investment," said Aisling Dunne, head of public policy for Bolt Ireland.
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"There is persistently high car usage and many journeys across Ireland are very short, falling well below 4km, so we see sustainable alternatives as having the potential to be a gamechanger.”
The Bolt e-bike has been designed with solid rear and front-wheel drum brakes to efficiently control speed and puncture-proof pneumatic tyres for better grip and durability as part of an overarching focus on safety.
It is equipped with GPS for navigation and a functional dashboard providing information about speed, battery level and speed zones, and users can also charge their phones with the wireless charger located on the handlebar.
The Bolt app has an in-built cognitive reaction test to prevent users from riding while intoxicated, and the e-bike, which is made from recycled aluminium, has a lifespan of up to five years as well as a replaceable battery that offers a range of 9km with a top speed of 15km/h.
Geo-fencing technology enables the prevention of high speeds in designated ‘go-slow’ zones where pedestrian footfall may be high, such as O’Connell Street and Rockwood Parade.
To rent a Bolt e-bike, users need to download the Bolt app, scan the QR code on the bike to unlock it for a rental price of 15 cent per minute during the launch campaign.
"This is an excellent initiative, and one that I expect will prove very popular with the Sligo community. I would like to commend the project team and the people who are working with them to facilitate and promote the scheme," said Cllr Paul Taylpr, Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council.
Bolt offers micro-mobility services in 170 cities in 20 European countries, and its app has 100m users in 45 countries and over 400 cities in Europe and Africa. The company is one of several planning to launch e-scooter services in Ireland, pending legislation.
Photo: Cllr Paul Taylor.
