CIVITAS project city, Ioannina, rides towards a greener future with 55 new e-bikes
Image by ELABORATOR project
The Municipality of Ioannina recently made an exciting advancement towards sustainable micromobility, by introducing fifty-five electric bicycles to the city’s bicycle sharing system. This step forward signals the city’s broadening commitment to sustainable transport solutions.
CIVITAS involvement
Ioannina is involved in both the ongoing MOBILITIES for EU and ELABORATOR projects, with activities that are not directly related to the new electric bicycles, but thoroughly complement and encourage the growing sustainable mobility landscape in Ioannina.Â
The ELABORATOR project, specifically, is contributing to the growth of cycling and an engaged community of users in Ioannina. Through the lens of the ELABORATOR’s Living Lab in Ioannina, the Municipality is taking steps to co-design a municipal e-bike system, which will focus on the optimal placement of the e-bike docks considering land use, population density and usability. These e-bike stations will be co-designed together with local authorities, citizens, cultural clubs, neighbourhood groups, and private companies. In addition to the e-bike system, the Living Lab aims to facilitate the design of bike lanes that will connect the city centre to the lake waterfront, while addressing important safety issues related to bike mobility.Â
Features of ELABORATOR’s planned e-bike stations
The planned e-bike stations will be managed via software that enables automatic bike rental and charging without staff presence. For the first two years, citizens will be able to use the electric bicycles free of charge - a decision that will hopefully ignite greater local interest in active and micromobility. A mobile application will provide real-time updates on bike availability and station status, ensuring ease of access and convenience for users.
Three of the eight stations will feature a bicycle rental terminal with touchscreen functionality and integrated card readers. Additionally, users will have the option to access the system via a dedicated mobile application. The remaining five stations will function exclusively through the mobile app, which users can install on their smartphones. These stations will also include an advanced charging system integrated with an industrial computer and 4G router for seamless connectivity.
Looking to the future in Ioannina
Ioannina’s involvement in both the MOBILITIES for EU and ELABORATOR projects underscores its commitment to fostering a greener urban environment while promoting sustainable and accessible mobility options for all citizens. With a focus on reducing CO₂ emissions by 20% in the short term (2020) and 40% by 2030, the Municipality of Ioannina aims to lead the way in sustainable transport solutions.
