New trend? High-profile car club starts selling e-bikes

By dpa | 29 November 2019


BERLIN: Germany's huge ADAC motoring organisation, which is one of the world's largest, plans to start selling electric bicycles and scooters.

In response to changing mobility needs, the club said it was time for the organisation to diversify and drop its long-standing "fixation" with the automobile.

The ADAC, which has 20 million paying members, is launching the pilot project in co-operation with the Rydies urban micro-mobility start-up.

Under the scheme "We are electrifying Germany", the club will sell new and used electric scooters until March 2020 before launching its own subscription scheme for members who want to lease an electric two-wheeler.

Vehicles available include e-bikes from Van Moof and Greenstorm along with electric-powered scooters from Sweden's Vaessla and retro-styled Kitos.

The ADAC leasing contract includes maintenance, repairs and insurance.

Car clubs need to cater for the whole range of mobility if they are to hold on to customers, experts say. E-bikes and electric scooters appeal to young and old members alike, many of whom have a private car as well.

Some car clubs arouind the world, like the Royal Automobile Club in Perth, western Australia, already offer discounts to members who buy an e-bike.

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