Ramzi Nammas will test riding on an electric bicycle for 3 weeks. The municipality of Växjö lent out 28 pedelecs to employees and
inhabitants from the municipality on March 22nd.
Photo: Mats Persson, Växjö municipality
28 electric bicycles were lent out on March 22nd for employees and
inhabitants of the municipality of Växjö, Sweden to test new
mobility habits during 3 weeks
Within the EU South-Baltic project ELMOS the municipalities of Växjö and Karlskrona in Sweden, Rostock in
Germany and Trabki Wielkie and Malbork in Poland are introducing electric mobility through the lending out
of electric bicycles as well as the elaboration of electric mobility strategies. Let’s zoom on how the
municipality of Växjö is reaching these goals.
2500 people will try an electric bicycle in the city of Växjö during 2013 and 2014!
People who live or work in Växjö and want to try a new way of transportation are offered the opportunity to
borrow a pedelec (electric bicycle) for three weeks. The lending out of the 25 pedelecs happened on March
nd
22 . About 2,500 people will try a pedelec in 2013 and 2014. “After the term of the loan we will evaluate how
pedelecbiking was perceived, how much the travel pattern has changed, possibilities to purchase an own
pedelec etc.”, says Mats Persson – project leader on the Traffic department in Växjö municipality.
Why pedelecs?
The reason for the municipality to lend out pedelecs is that if more people discover how fast, easy and
convenient it is to travel with pedelecs in Växjö, most likely more will choose that mode of transportation in the
future. There are several advantages with a pedelec. The cost for charging the electric battery amounts to no
more than 0.03 € per 10 km. Also for the environment and health there are major advantages. According to
th
Greenpeace, the environmental impact of pedelecs is only a 1/60 of a regular car. As you need to pedal to get
help of the electric motor, both fitness and fresh air are provided in the bargain. However the difference
between a regular bicycle and a pedelec is that you don´t arrive sweaty at work or meetings, the electric motor
allows you to easily manage both inclines and headwinds, effortlessly.
A pedelec garage
A survey of 1,000 travelers who regularly travels to/from Växjö station shows that a secure bike storage
probably would increase the number of cyclists to/from the station area by over 40%.
In order to stimulate the use of public transportation combined with bicycles/pedelecs a pedelec garage is
being built at Växjö’s train station. It is expected to be in use during June this year, holds 62 bicycles and is
equipped with charging facilities for pedelecs and storage cabinet for bicycle helmets.
5 electric mobility strategies
In order to create future conditions for planning and development of electric mobility, an e-mobility strategy
will be adopted in all 5 partner cities of the project. The strategy is expected to be completed in the spring/fall
of 2014.
Find more about the project on www.elmos-project.eu
Text: Mats Persson, the city of Växjö and Camille Delepierre, Energy Agency for Southeast Sweden