Friday August 22nd 2025
Edinburgh's new Voi e-bikes
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Swedish company Voi will be the sole e-bike operator in the Scottish capital, beating rival firms in a competitive tender process.
The coral bikes will be available to hire from Wednesday 3rd September as part of a two-year trial, appointed by the council.
Costing £2.20 for 20 minutes, meaning travelling from Haymarket to Easter Road Stadium costs £2.20 the same as a bus. Customers simply find the Voi app on the App Store or Google Play store, add their payment details and set off.
In close collaboration with the City of Edinburgh Council, the Voi scheme will bring another affordable option for car-free travel to the city.
Pick-up and drop-off parking locations for the bikes will be decided upon by the council and marked out in the app, aiming to keep pavements clear. Customers will have to upload a photo of their parked bike to prove it’s been done properly.
With Voi e-bikes and e-scooters across Europe, Edinburgh becomes the first in Scotland to embrace app-based e-bikes.
Several other cities expect to set-up similar cycle hire schemes soon including Glasgow and Aberdeen.
Transport and Environment Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, Stephen Jenkinson, said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve returned a cycle hire scheme to Edinburgh. Voi is a highly experienced operator, with many successful schemes across the UK and abroad, and I’m looking forward to working with them in this exciting new chapter for our city. I’d also like to thank Council colleagues who have been able to progress this important scheme quickly and efficiently.
“The new scheme will allow everyone to be able to move around our city in a healthier and more sustainable way. We’re also ensuring that the scheme is accessible for all our residents and visitors, with a wide range of concessionary and discount fares available.
“We know that the demand and appetite for cycling is already strong. Just last week we saw the record for daily cycle journeys on Leith Walk being broken with 2,147 at the Picardy Place counter. Our other major active travel routes such as the City Centre West to East Link (CCWEL) and Roseburn to Union Canal have all seen increasing patronage since their opening too.
“The scheme will heavily complement our existing active travel and transport infrastructure and enhance connectivity, along with many other benefits such as cutting congestion and reducing emissions. I’m very excited to see how this new scheme will evolve throughout the Capital.”
James Bolton, Voi’s UK General Manager, said: “We’re excited to set up in Scotland, starting in the historic capital.
“We are working closely with the council to make an affordable scheme that is sensitive to, and learns lessons from, the previous scheme and our experience in similar cities like Oxford, Cambridge and Liverpool.
“At Voi we see massive amounts of untapped potential in Scotland, where people are really looking for affordable, quick and convenient ways to get around.”
Two models of e-bikes will be available in Edinburgh:
– The Explorer 4 e-bike (larger metal basket, softer saddle, easier to make adjustments)
– Explorer Light 1 (25% lighter than standard e-bike models, designed for accessibility)
An event launch is taking place on Friday 22nd August at The Meadows, with several councillors, officers and city stakeholders attending.
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