Shared electric vehicle company, Scoot, is introducing a shared e-bike scheme in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile.

Scoot had been awarded 650 permits to operate the e-bike programme, making it the first shared, electric bicycle operator in Chile.

With the launch of e-bikes in Santiago, it also claims to be the first company in Chile to operate two types of shared electric vehicles in a single city.

Expanding programme

The company intends to expand to other parts of Santiago with additional e-bikes and electric scooters in the coming months.

“Our new e-bike is a major step forward for electric mobility in cities. We are proud to introduce it first in Santiago, in close consultation with the administration of Las Condes,” said Michael Keating, founder and president of Scoot.

The e-bikes have a top speed of 25km/hour and are free to unlock and then cost 100 Chilean Pesos per minute to ride. Each e-bike comes with a custom smart lock which allows riders to secure the vehicle to bike racks at the end of each ride.

"Patrolled by a safety enforcement team on Scoot scooters, the initiative created a space with a maximum speed of 30km/hour for cars"

Scoot points out the addition of e-bikes to its service in Santiago shows how it is offering more comprehensive solutions for cities’ mobility needs.

Its collaboration with Las Condes and its mayor Joaquin Lavin extends beyond electric vehicles. Last month, Scoot partnered with the mayor to roll out the Holland Plan, which established a low-speed, shared transit zone in the El Golf neighbourhood.

Patrolled by a safety enforcement team on Scoot scooters, this initiative created a space with a maximum speed of 30km/hour for cars, thereby allowing bicycles, scooters and pedestrians to safely travel through some of the busiest streets in Chile

Scoot claims to be the first smartphone-activated electric vehicle service. It operates in San Francisco, Barcelona, and Santiago with fleets of e-bikes, electric kick scooters, and electric motor scooters, all accessible through the same app.

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