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Bird has announced the addition of shared e-bikes to its fleet of micro-electric vehicles, as well as the launch of the Bird Bike.
Bird currently operates e-scooters in more than 250 cities globally and will bring its shared bikes and Smart Bikeshare platform to select cities this year.
The shared Bird Bike delivers on Bird’s commitment to broadening access to eco-friendly transportation around the world at a time when global demand for bikes and scooters has never been higher. With shared e-bikes, Bird will partner with cities that do not have, or are looking to supplement, an existing bike or scooter-sharing network.
“Shared e-scooters catapulted shared micromobility to the centre stage of eco-friendly transportation in cities by providing more than 150 million zero-emission trips globally,” said Travis VanderZanden, founder and CEO of Bird. “We are launching our shared Bird Bike and Smart Bikeshare platform to meet fast-growing demand from cities and riders for more sustainable transportation options while expanding our serviceable addressable market by five billion trips per year.”
Built with safety and durability as the focal points, the shared Bird Bike is a smart, connected vehicle that complements cities’ existing transportation networks, said Bird. Each bike is equipped with a high-powered electric motor capable of powering riders up hills with as much as a 20% grade while its 75-pound frame and step-through design offers riders a ‘sturdy yet manoeuvrable’ vehicle for increased safety.
Additionally, the shared Bird Bike has a front basket for storage, large pneumatic tyres and IoT features such as self-automating onboard diagnostics, geospeed technology and multi-mode geolocations.
“Cities and riders are best served by efficient, collaborative and non-monopolized transportation networks,” said VanderZanden. “Our vision of smart, responsible bike sharing is to provide the best shared bikes and operations when cities need them, and having the foresight to offer the best support and multimodal integrations when they don’t. Cities, people and the planet win when there is greater access to eco-friendly transportation.”
Bird Bike, Bird’s newest vehicle built for shared use, will be available in select cities throughout North America, Italy, Spain, Germany, Ireland and France this year. Riders will be able to access Bird Bike via the Bird app’s effortless “scan and ride” experience and QR codes on each e-bike.
Cities and others interested in bringing Bird Bike or Bird’s Smart Bikeshare platform to their communities can email hello@bird.co for more information.
In May, Bird entered into a definitive merger agreement with Switchback II Corporation (NYSE: SWBK) in a transaction that would result in Bird becoming a US publicly listed entity. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2021, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
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