London rental e-bikes to triple amid soaring demand

More Londoners than ever will soon have access to an e-bike, with the UK capital set to increase the number of rental e-bikes on its streets by more than three times the current amount.

At present there are 600 electric bikes available as part of Transport for London’s wider fleet of hire scheme bikes, which are sponsored by Santander but still commonly referred to as ‘Boris bikes’ in a nod to the former Mayor of London.

That figure will rise to 2,000 in the summer, with 1,400 more e-bikes being produced for journeys through the bustling capital – a remarkable increase of 233%.

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The move points to the growing popularity of e-bikes, with TfL suggesting that demand is double that for non-motorised bikes. Since e-bikes were introduced to the Santander scheme in 2022, a quarter of a million hires have taken place, which is twice as many per bike per day as mechanical bikes.

“I’m delighted that we're adding a further 1,400 new e-bikes to the fleet, almost tripling the number available to hire. The e-bikes have proved hugely popular since they were introduced and help break down the barriers that stop some people from cycling,” Sadiq Khan, the current Mayor of London, said.

"I'm determined to continue building a cleaner, greener and more prosperous London for everyone, and Santander Cycles plays a hugely important role in making active travel around the city as accessible as possible."

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The additional e-bikes can be parked at any of the scheme's 800 docking stations, where they will be serviced and re-charged by cargo bikes and electric vans. The pricing will remain £3.30 for a 30-minute ride for non-members, or £1 per hour for members, who pay £20 per month or £120 per year.

There will also be an e-bike option on a new Day Pass tariff, which will be introduced across the scheme from March. A fee of £3 will allow for unlimited journeys of less than half an hour, while hires longer than that will incur an extra charge of £1.65 per half hour, and an extra £1 on top of that if in the case of an e-bike.

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“Following feedback from Santander Cycles users, customers indicated a new tariff structure would encourage more people to try the scheme and is a more economical way to use the service,” read a statement from Transport for London.

The new e-bikes are designed to build on what TfL described as a record-breaking year in 2023, with the highest-ever number of annual hires at 6.75 million.

Want to know more about e-bikes and how they work? Read our complete guide to e-bikes here.