Bolt launches new fleet of 600 e-bikes on the streets of Prague

Bolt, which already operates a ridesharing service and food delivery service in Prague, has launched a new bikesharing service this week with more than 600 electronic bikes distributed around the Czech capital.

Prague is just the second city, following Barcelona, where Bolt has launched the bikesharing service.

Bikes can be rented from a smartphone app, and cost five crowns for the first five minutes, and four crowns for each following minute. The bikes can be picked up and dropped off through virtual parking spaces visible in the app.

"In most cases, these are places near existing bike racks or areas where parking bikes does not prevent the normal use of the sidewalk or path," Bolt stated in a press release.

The operator is working in cooperation with the city to ensure that bikes do not interfere with pedestrian traffic, and are only left in designated zones.

The e-bikes can be found throughout the city, not only in the center. Bolt will adjust the number of bikes in its Prague fleet based on customer demand.

Unlike other shared vehicles, which are collected overnight to be re-charged, Bolt's team will replace their bikes' batteries directly on the street. The company encourages riders to wear a helmet, and has set a maximum speed of the bikes at 25 kilometers per hour.

Bolt isn't the first company to launch shared e-bikes in Prague.

NextBike launched a fleet of electronic bikes earlier this year, while Lime has also recently complimented their e-scooters with a fleet of bikes under the Jump brand.

Traditional, non-electronic shared bicycles can also be found on the streets of Prague, with the pink Rekola bikes among the most prevalent options.

Beyond Prague, Bolt also offers e-scooters in Olomouc, Boskovice and Pardubice.

Due to the recent COVID-19 epidemic, many are turning to shared bikes as a safer, more socially distant form of transport compared to public transportation.

"Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people are currently changing their mobility habits," Lime's Ondřej Široký told CzechCrunch.

"We have a great opportunity to attract them to our offer of micromobility [vehicles]."