The Role of Electric Bikes in South Korea's Smart City Initiatives

As the world’s most wired country, South Korea is investing in smart city initiatives that include electric bikes as a way to reduce pollution and traffic congestion.

In Seoul, the capital city, electric bikes are being used in a bike-sharing program that launched in May 2017. The program, called SoBi (Seoul Bicycle), has 500 bikes that can be rented by the hour or day. Users unlock the bikes with a smartphone app and return them to any of the dozens of docking stations around the city.

The program is part of Seoul’s goal to have 20 percent of all trips made by bike by 2030. Currently, only about 1 percent of trips in the city are made by bike.

The city is also working on plans to build more dedicated bike lanes and is considering a rule that would require new buildings to have bike parking.

Electric bikes are also being used in other parts of the country to deliver food and packages. In the city of Gwangju, a delivery company called YoGo has been using electric bikes since 2015. The company says its bikes can make up to 30 deliveries a day, which is about double what a delivery person on a regular bike can do.

YoGo says its electric bikes have helped it save money on fuel and reduce its carbon footprint. The company is now expanding to other cities in South Korea.

As South Korea continues to invest in smart city initiatives, electric bikes are likely to play an important role in reducing pollution and traffic congestion.

Sep 04, 2023