Australian mobility startup Bolt Bikes has launched in the US and the UK with an ebike rental service for delivery couriers and businesses.
The introduction comes on the heels of a $2.5 million round of seed funding led by global mobility venture capital firm Maniv Mobility along with European emobility VC Contrarian Ventures, individual VCs, and former executives of Uber and Deliveroo.
“Couriers using Bolt’s Light Electric Vehicles have up to 30 percent more earning potential, enabling them to make more deliveries per shift, with Bolt’s servicing network keeping them on the road for longer,” the company stated in a release.
Bolt’s smart ebikes can be rented for $39 a week on a week-to-week contract, with the first week free. The bikes have a 350W hub motor and come with integrated front and rear lights, a rear rack for deliveries, a battery charger, and an ABUS U-lock. Bolt says the ebikes get 20 to 40 miles of range, with the battery fully charging in 5.5 hours.
The rental fee additionally covers bike repairs, service, and a safety induction. Bolt also plans to offer ebikes for sale, as well as rentals of electric mopeds and electric cargo bikes.
The initial US and UK ebike rollouts are in San Francisco and London, respectively, working with food delivery partners in those cities. The company said it plans to expand to more cities in the US, the UK, and Australia, where it currently operates in Sydney and Melbourne.
A Bolt ebike can be reserved using the Bolt app. In San Francisco, the ebike can be picked up at service partner Warm Planet Bikes on Market Street.
Bolt was co-founded in 2017 by Mina Nada, former executive at European food delivery company Deliveroo and Chinese dockless bike share company Mobike, and former Bain & Company consultant Michael Johnson.
Bolt CEO Nada said: “Being in the food delivery industry since its inception, we saw that light electric vehicles were the real future of ‘last mile’ logistics, yet no one was offering the right vehicle, financing or maintenance solution. We are proud to be serving the real needs of delivery couriers while building the logistics infrastructure of the future.”
Postmates has been piloting a rental program in San Francisco since June. Claire Sands, Postmates’ director of community communications and engagement, said: “Bolt has the potential to provide yet another mobility solution for our Postmates to navigate dense urban areas and quickly deliver goods from pickup to drop-off, helping to boost efficiency, power, and additional earnings for the fleet, and create more sales for local businesses.”
For more information, visit getboltbikes.com.
