New Edinburgh e-bikes with 15mph top speed will arrive in Edinburgh in days - here's everything you need to know about them

The new fleet of e-bikes will mean cyclists in Edinburgh will get some assistance to pedal up hills. | other

Edinburgh Cycle Hire’s rentable e-bikes will be available to ride from March 2, Transport for Edinburgh (TfE) and the scheme’s operator, Serco, have confirmed.

It is hoped that the electrically assisted bikes will help users navigate Edinburgh’s hilly terrain and play their part in the Capital meeting its sustainability targets in the future.

The new electrically assisted e-bikes can reach 15mph through the constant electric assist function as the user pedals.

The existing fleet of hire bikes in the Capital will be bolstered with the addition of 168 e-bikes that will be phased into the current scheme.

Cost

But the new e-bikes will come with an additional charge of 10p per minute.

Currently there are over 90 hire points located in Edinburgh and around 500 pedal bikes.

Cycle users will be able to access the service through the same Just Eat cycles app as before.

The average trip length on the scheme’s existing pedal bikes is 16 minutes. But service operator Serco anticipates that e-bike journeys will be far shorter given the greater distances which can be covered in the same time.

Alex Macdonald, General Manager of Just Eat Cycles, said: “We’re proud to announce that we will launch our e-bikes on the 2nd of March – this is an exciting step. The thousands of people who live, work, study and visit this brilliant city can look forward to an easy to use, sustainable and affordable alternative mode of public transport. I am looking forward to seeing them being enjoyed around the city, alongside our fantastic pedal bikes.”

Made in Britain by Pashley, the new e-bikes are similar to the existing pedal models but have a slightly different frame and a new colour scheme.

Users with an annual, university or 24-hour subscription can unlock e-bikes for no charge other than the 10p per minute tariff. Per minute charges will begin at the start of each minute an e-bike is in use.

Current users will also be able to continue to make multiple trips across a day and will be able to choose whether to use a pedal bike or pay extra for an e-bike, depending on each individual journey.

'Easier' travel

Transport and Environment Convener Councillor Lesley Macinnes said: “We’ve already seen how popular and handy the bike hire scheme has been amongst residents and visitors, and this addition will be game-changing for the many more people who might consider exploring our city on two wheels.

"We’re making great strides toward transforming Edinburgh to make it safer and more welcoming for travel by bike and these new e-bikes will make traversing the city’s unique landscape even easier.”