British e-bike firm VOLT has announced they will be allowing customers to use their range of e-bikes with a subscription model in partnership with rental provider Blike. E-bikes can be quite a significant outlay, often costing thousands of pounds, and with many people’s finances being squeezed, they’re not always attainable. So instead of requiring people to drum up £2,000+ for an immediate purchase, the new subscription offer will start at £89 per month.
For that money (£89.93 actually) you'll get a VOLT Kensington, one of their city step-through models. There are currently four other e-bikes available for leasing: London, Pulse, Pulse LS and Burlington.
All five are primarily urban and commuting bikes. (We really liked the VOLT London when we gave it a try.)
But what do you actually get for your money? The monthly fee includes insurance, a yearly service by Blike, extra servicing or repairs by Fettle, and the ability to use the bike for both business and personal use. The plan runs for 36 months, at which point you own the bike – similar to the Cycle to Work Scheme.
VOLT founder James Metcalfe commented on the announcement: “At VOLT, we’re on a mission to encourage as many people as possible to join the e-bike revolution by increasing access to sustainable transport. Partnering with Blike’s subscription scheme is the next natural step for us and perfectly complements our existing financing options. We’re excited to help new riders across the country get in the saddle of a VOLT e-bike.”
Tim Carrigan, Blike’s founder added, “We’re pleased to be partnering with VOLT to be able to offer more riders easy, accessible, and hassle-free ways to move towards sustainable transport. We look forward to seeing how users respond to the latest exciting additions to our scheme.”
This isn’t the first scheme VOLT has run to help provide more people with e-bikes at a more affordable rate. Last year, they announced they were offering subsidised e-bikes to Deliveroo riders.
If you want to learn more about these types of schemes, read our guide to four of the best e-bike subscription services, or our piece about e-bike subscription pros and cons.
You can find out more on the e-bike subscription section of the Volt website.
