Citi Bike increasing e-bike prices this week

Citi Bike is hiking its prices for the second time this year. The bike-sharing service, operated by Lyft, is raising its prices for e-bikes starting Wednesday, July 10, with fees increasing from 20 cents to 24 cents per minute for those with Citi Bike and Lyft memberships and from 30 cents to 36 cents per minute for non-members. The ride-share company cited “higher than anticipated battery swapping, insurance, and vehicle expenses” for the rate increases.

Despite making up roughly a third of all bikes in the Citi Bike system, e-bike rides account for 65 percent of all trips taken, according to a report by Curbed.

To address the high costs, Citi Bike is working with the city’s Department of Transportation and Con Edison to pilot charging stations allowing e-bikes to be charged on-site. This eliminates the need to transport them to a facility in Long Island City for charging, a major factor behind the high upkeep costs.

Two grid-connected charging stations were installed earlier this year, in Manhattan at 35th Street and 9th Avenue and in Brooklyn at Meserole Avenue and Manhattan Avenue. On Monday, a third electric charging dock arrived at Astor Place in the East Village, as EV Grieve first reported.

According to Hell Gate, Lyft needs 20 percent of the system’s docks connected to the grid to remove the need for battery swapping.

The prices for standard Citi Bikes will stay the same, and the new e-bike rates will not affect riders in New Jersey.

Here are the new price changes according to Citi Bike’s website:

Member Pricing Changes

• No changes to the Annual Membership price
• E-bike fees will increase to $0.24 per minute.
• Overage fees (classic and e-bike) will increase to $0.24 per minute.
• The cap on e-bike rides 45 minutes or less that enter or exit Manhattan will increase to $4.80 (all other e-bike rides are $0.24 per minute and uncapped).

Reduced Fare Bike Share Members

• No changes to the monthly membership price
• E-bike fees will increase to $0.12 per minute.
• Overage fees (classic and e-bike) will increase to $0.24 per minute.
• The cap on e-bike rides 45 minutes or less that enter or exit Manhattan will increase to $4.80 (all other e-bike rides are $0.12 per minute and uncapped).

Lyft Pink All Access

• E-bike fees will increase to $0.24 per minute.
• Overage fees (classic and e-bike) will increase to $0.24 per minute.
• The cap on e-bike rides 45 minutes or less that enter or exit Manhattan will increase to $4.80 (all other e-bike rides are $0.24 per minute and uncapped).

Non-member Single Ride

• No changes to the Single Ride Pass price.
• E-bike fees will increase to $0.36 per minute.
• Overage fees (classic and e-bike) will increase to $0.36 per minute.

Non-member Day Pass

• No changes to the Day Pass price.
• No changes to Day Pass overage fees.
• E-bike fees will increase to $0.36 per minute.

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