Ghent cycling on electricity in 2010
12/10/2009
Max Mobiel is a Ghent-based association that works towards implementing sustainable solutions for commuter mobility. Soon, it will be going electric. This NPO will be acquiring electrical bikes and scooters later this year, and will also be building its first paid charging station shortly before the New Year. Both decisions are aligned with the City of Ghent's mobility policy that aims to make city traffic more eco-friendly and sustainable.
Max Mobiel transports employees en masse, rents bicycles and runs its own courier service. Thanks to the NPO's latest initiative, electrically powered bikes and scooters will also be available for rental for the daily commute. 'Several years ago, these bikes were simply not practical and far too expensive, but the market has evolved enormously. We've tested electric bikes and scooters ourselves, and were amazed at just how user-friendly they were. This is why we decided to jump on the bandwagon,' explains Pieter Vercruyssen from Max Mobiel.
Max Mobiel has ordered a mobile electric unit for the end of the year to be used for engraving bicycles at markets and making Max Mobiel's name familiar to a wider public. In addition, two electric scooters and eight electric bikes have been ordered that will be available for rental from Max Mobiel. These bikes and scooters run on batteries that last between two and four or even six hours – long enough for the daily commute. They can be charged at home simply by plugging them into a regular wall socket.
Vercruyssen also wants to build the first electric charging point at Dampoort station in collaboration with Ghent University. This charging point will be located next to Max Mobiel's bike racks and will be able to charge eight bikes simultaneously. If electric bikes catch on, then Vercruyssen hopes that even more charging stations will be built throughout the city, so that users will be able to plug in their bikes, charge up their batteries and pay using their charge cards.
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