It is not by coincidence that this town is to start a pilot project, as it is the home of the manufacturer of the Powabyke. Powabyke does not only manufacture electric bicycles but also makes a name for itself with Park and Charge systems, allowing bicycles to be parked securely and be charged at the same time.
By introducing the system as a rental bike project, Bath local authorities hope to considerably enlarge the range of rental bikes. The rental sites will be located in the town centre, near public transport transfer points and at shopping centres and hospitals.
In the Netherlands OV-fiets has already started renting electric bicycles. OV-fiets is an inexpensive rental bike mainly used from public transport stations. Until the end of this year a pilot will be conducted using 100 electric bicycles, distributed over ten train stations, to find out whether these bicycles may entice people to cycle over slightly larger distances from the train station. According to Nederlandse Spoorwegen customer surveys have revealed real interest in the use of electric bicycles for OV-fiets, as well as a demand for bicycles with gears and handbrakes among subscribers. These wishes have been incorporated into the electric OV-fiets: a sturdy bicycle specially made for the rental market.