Details of a new, dockless, e-bike rental scheme have been released.
The scheme is being run by Swedish microbility company Voi on a two year trial and will open to the public from Wednesday 3rd September.
Riders will be able to rent the dockless e-bikes via the Voi app, with a typical 20-minute journey costing £2.20.
There are a range of discounts and concessions for many groups including those on low incomes, people with disabilities, those over the age of 60, blue light workers, veterans, students, apprentices and many more.
In addition to pay-as-you-go fares, Voi will also offer day passes and multi-day passes.
Full fleet of 800 e-bikes
There will be an initial tranche of around 50 e-bikes in the city centre, with a target of approximately 800 e-bikes for the full scheme in coming months.
The contract between Voi and the Council runs from 22 August 2025 for a period of two years with the option to extend for up to a further 18 months at the discretion of the Council.
The contract will also run at no cost to the Council.
“I’m really pleased that we’ve returned a cycle hire scheme to Edinburgh,” said Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson.
He added: “Voi is a highly experienced operator, with many successful schemes across the UK and abroad, and I’m looking forward to working with them in this exciting new chapter for our city.
“The new scheme will allow everyone to be able to move around our city in a healthier and more sustainable way. We’re also ensuring that the scheme is accessible for all our residents and visitors, with a wide range of concessionary and discount fares available.
“We know that the demand and appetite for cycling is already strong, and getting stronger, here in Edinburgh. Just last week we saw the record for daily cycle journeys on Leith Walk being broken with 2,147 at the Picardy Place counter. Meanwhile, our other major active travel routes such as the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and Roseburn to Union Canal have also seen increasing patronage since opening.
“The scheme will complement our existing active travel and transport infrastructure and enhance connectivity, while also cutting congestion and reducing emissions. I look forward to seeing the benefits the scheme will bring to the city and our residents.”
Lessons learned
The previous contractor, Just Eat Cycles, used a dock model where e-bikes were parked in charging bays around the city. It folded after 3 years, due to high levels of damage to the bikes. It was supposed to be run at no cost to the city, but in the end cost the council £1.8 million.
James Bolton, Voi’s UK General Manager, said:
“We are working closely with the council to make an affordable scheme that is sensitive to, and learns lessons from, the previous scheme and our experience in similar cities like Oxford, Dortmund, and Regensburg.”
Voi was founded in 2018. Since bringing its e-scooter and e-bike sharing model to the UK in 2020, Voi estimates that 46 million trips have been completed, replacing almost 18 million car journeys and saving over 8,000 CO2e tonnes.
Bolton added: “At Voi we see massive amounts of untapped potential in Scotland, where people are really looking for affordable, quick and convenient ways to get around.”