Philadelphia's bike sharing service Indego released its new bike fleet on Nov. 8. The two-month pilot program boasts electric bike rental at the same cost as regular bikes.
The electric bikes are equipped with a battery on the rear tire and are designed to decrease commute time, according to Indego's website. Even though they have a motor, the bikes require human force to propel the riders forward.
The speed of the electric bikes tops out at around 17 miles per hour.
Indego first released its bike share program in Philadelphia in 2015, following other major cities in implementing bike rentals. In October, the Indego bike share program received a grant to expand with as many as 250 stations throughout the city by 2019.
Philadelphia is currently rolling out 10 bikes in its pilot program, according to KYW News Radio. If these are well received, the company hopes to introduce a larger fleet of 100 more bikes next spring. However, a spokesperson for the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability said the price of the electric bike rentals will likely increase if they are permanently introduced, according to Billy Penn.
Indego currently has 1,400 bikes in their regular fleet, according to WHYY Radio.
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