Pakistan’s first electric bike sharing service launched

An NIC Islamabad startup has launched “ezBike”, Pakistan’s first electric bike sharing service, for connectivity and to revolutionize transportation in urban areas.

The Islamabad-based startup Roamer Technologies, announced the news at a launch event at National Incubation Center which was graced by Syed Amin UI Haque Federal Minister for IT & Telecom and dignitaries from government, technology sector. ezBike is an app-based service which deploys electric bikes conveniently around the city and makes them available for use by the general public.

Users can locate and reserve an electric bike parked near them using the ezBike mobile app, ride it themselves to their destination and park it in a designated zone, after which it becomes available for the next user to ride. The entire experience from registration to booking and payment is digital.

Users pay Rs.5 to unlock the bike and Rs.5 per minute on their ride. Rides can also be paused so that users can stop and run errands while paying a reduced rate of Rs.2 per minute. Ezbike has partnered with Jazz through Jazz xlr8 to provide connectivity through Jazz sims and promote ease of payments through JazzCash.

Addressing the launching ceremony, Syed Amin Ul Haque, Minister for IT & Telecom, said: “It is a proud moment for Pakistan that innovative companies like ezBike are being launched in Pakistan. The future of Pakistan lies in information technology and without tech innovation we cannot progress. Electric vehicle technology is the biggest game changer for the mobility market and our government will support startups that want to leverage this technology. We would also like to acknowledge the role of Jazz in supporting the startup eco-system through our national network of incubators.

I would like to congratulate public private partners such as Ignite, Jazz xlr8 and Teamup that are proving to be an effective catalyst in scaling-up the startups.” He said said that ezBike facility will be very useful for masses. This service will also play important role in women empowerment, he added.

He said that Ministry of IT will continue supporting the projects which will be useful and helpful for public.

Earlier, Mohammad Hadi, CEO of Roamer Technologies, said: “Only 10% of the Pakistani population owns a vehicle and mobility is still a largely unsolved problem. With ezBike we are providing access to shared vehicles to every individual in Pakistan. This is the next wave of disruption in mobility.

It will be the most cost-effective, convenient, and environmentally-friendly mode of transportation in Pakistan. And in a COVID impacted world, self-drive provides a safe way for people to move around Islamabad while maintaining social distancing.”

Bike sharing companies are revolutionizing urban transportation globally, with over 100,000 bikes deployed across 88 cities today. Roamer Technologies plans to deploy over 2,000 electric bikes within the next year and bring millions of dollars of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Pakistan.

By launching Pakistan’s first bike sharing company, first electric Bike service, and first tech enabled self-drive service, the startup will provide tremendous value to middle-class Pakistanis while delivering huge social and economic impact to the country.

Speaking on the occasion, CEO Ignite Syed Junaid Imam said that launch of ezBike service is not only great business innovation but also an opportunity for real impact on our society. He said this launch will jumpstart Pakistan’s electric vehicle industry since these electric bikes will be manufactured in Pakistan.