Nearly a quarter of Europeans are willing to use electric bicycles for commuting, including 47% in the Netherlands, 39% in Spain, and 33% in Italy, which are the three countries with the highest proportion in Europe. (According to the Environmental Information Center on August 26, 2024)
Germany is not far behind in this regard. In addition to being ranked among the top 10 bicycle-friendly countries in Europe, the number of cyclists in Germany is as high as 61 million in the European bicycle market! In major cities in Germany, there is also a rental system similar to Taiwan's Ubike, but in Germany, you don't have to return the bicycles to a designated location. You can park them wherever you want after use. Isn't it great to think about it? You don't have to rent and return them to a designated location. It's super convenient!
Through the APP software on your phone, use the GPS search, and it will immediately tell you where the nearest bicycle is parked. After finding the bicycle, just shake the phone. This is very similar to Taiwan's shared bike sales^^
There are also electric scooters (Elektrische Tretroller), also known as electric scooters (E-Scooter) or PLEV (personal light electric vehicles) available for rent, even foreigners can rent them. The maximum speed of electric scooters is limited to 20 km/h. The relevant regulations are: electric scooters can use bicycle lanes but not sidewalks; wearing a helmet is recommended, but not mandatory; drivers do not need a driver's license, but must be at least 14 years old. The charging standard is a one-time rental fee of 1 Euro plus a usage fee of 15 cents per minute, which is actually quite cost-effective for short distances.
Eric Quidenus-Wahlforss, co-founder of German startup Dance, said he founded Dance in the hope of making transportation and the environment better.
The company's policy is to provide "subscription-based services" that combine the two features of lightweight electric vehicles rental and comprehensive after-sales services, so that people can use electric vehicles without spending extremely high costs, thereby increasing people's willingness to use electric vehicles. And in 2021, the brand's electric bicycles and electric motorcycles will be officially launched. At the same time, subsequent warranty and anti-theft measures are also included in the service content. Users can apply for repairs in the official application, and the maintenance team will arrive at the user's designated location within one day to perform repairs. In addition, when developing the car body, Dance deliberately used parts that can only be removed with special tools, and installed an alarm system and GPS location tracking on the car body, hoping to reduce the chance of the car being stolen through these methods. I can only say that this is a very, very long-term vision!
Germany, which has already abolished nuclear power, wants to become a green energy power. From the government to the grassroots people and enterprises, everyone is trying to take action. In addition to providing a friendly driving environment for cyclists, they also hope to contribute to the sustainability of the earth!
