It’s been four years since Bird launched a mobility revolution with shared electric scooters that could be rented by the minute. Now, the Santa Monica company is spreading its wings with a different way of getting around: an electric bicycle called the Bird Bike that is available for outright purchase.
“The demand for consumer e-bikes has never been greater, and neither has the need for innovative vehicles that get riders excited about cycling,” Bird Chief Vehicle Officer Scott Rushforth said in a blog post announcing the new bike.
Bird is hoping to capitalize on the COVID-induced craze for bicycles of all kinds, including electrics. In 2020, Americans bought an e-bike every 52 seconds. The pace of sales is expected to continue, topping $20 billion globally by 2023 with more than 40 million units sold annually, Bird says.
“The future of urban transportation is electric,” Rushforth said. “Expanding Bird’s product line into high-quality e-bikes enables us to increase our market by billions of trips per year and deliver on our goal of providing eco-friendly transportation to everyone.”
Since pioneering the on-demand scooter market in Santa Monica in September 2017, Bird has expanded to 44 U.S. cities and more than 60 markets in Europe. Bird plans to offer a similar service with shared electric bikes later this year, but it will use a different, more heavy-duty type of vehicle.
Recognizing that shared mobility is one of many options for helping people get around in a way that is environmentally and economically viable, the Bird Bike is a sleeker, more design-conscious, purely consumer offering — similar to the foldable Air scooter Bird began selling at Target last year.
Designed to be an urban alternative to a car, the $2,299 Bird Bike is powered by a rear hub motor that propels it to a top speed of 20 mph, while its 36-volt battery helps it travel up to 50 miles per charge. It has a removable battery that can be brought inside and plugged in separately.
The bike comes with a manual thumb throttle called the Bird Boost, for riders who want an extra rush of acceleration. Otherwise, it operates with pedal assistance that provides power as it is being ridden.
Instead of a derailleur and metal chain, it uses a low-maintenance carbon belt drive. The frame is aluminum alloy, the brakes are discs, the tires are puncture resistant and LED head and tail lights are integrated.
Facing the rider is a handlebar LCD dash display that shows how fast and how far the bike is traveling, as well as how much juice is left in the battery. If the rider pairs a phone with the bike, that same information is available in the Bird app.
The Bird Bike is offered in step-through and step-over versions, in black or gray color schemes. While limited quantities can be ordered through the Bird website now, they will be more widely available “from leading U.S. retailers” this fall, the company said.