Bike-sharing Industry Pioneer PBSC Urban Solutions to Revolutionize Electric Urban Mobility in Barcelona

MONTRÉAL and BARCELONA, Spain, September 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

• 1,000 state-of-the-art electric pedal-assist bikes in a smart hybrid system to be deployed in Barcelona as part of 7,000 total bike rollout
• New contract crowns a year of exceptional growth for PBSC with the launch of bike-sharing systems in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Porto Alegre, Vila Velha, Nicosia, Valence, Santiago, Buenos Aires and expansions in the cities of Montréal, Toronto, Honolulu, Columbus, Chattanooga and Guadalajara.

PBSC Urban Solutions, the leading global provider of sustainable urban mobility solutions, is bringing state-of-the-art electric pedal-assist bikes to the city of Barcelona after being awarded one of the largest and most prized contracts of the industry.

Barcelona's Bicing bike-sharing network is about to enter a new era. PBSC, through a joint venture with renowned infrastructure and services operator Ferrovial, was entrusted under a ten-year contract to roll out a total of 7,000 bikes, including 1,000 industry-leading pedal-assist BOOST e-bikes, all slated to be in operation in 2019 across the city's ten districts. In both the planning and deployment phases, PSBC will be working in close collaboration with Barcelona de Serveis Municipals, B:SM, the organization responsible for the city's bike-sharing system as mandated by the City of Barcelona.

This massive rollout will leverage the fruit of years of research and development conducted by PBSC's tech labs by a talented team of mechanical, electrical and electronic engineers to deliver the most convenient and flexible experience. Riders will be able to unlock bikes using a mobile application, a smart card, or NFC technology.

"Barcelona is a city of unparalleled dynamism. Often featured as one of the world's most thriving cities in the fields of gastronomy, culture, urban planning, architecture and sports, Barcelona continues to set the bar higher and higher with new initiatives, each more inventive than the last. We are extremely excited to bring both our BOOST and ICONIC bikes, as well as our latest hybrid bike-sharing technology to Barcelona, thus contributing to the city's reputation as a capital of innovation. We couldn't possibly think of a better partner than Ferrovial Services to help bring to life this urban mobility revolution and promote it as an even more attractive and convenient option for everyday commuting."
- Luc Sabbatini, CEO, PBSC Urban Solutions

BOOST: Game changer for pedal-assist e-bikes 

Designed with passion for riders, operators and modern transit ecosystems, PBSC's BOOST bike is by far the most impressive and advanced electric pedal-assist shared bike the market has seen so far:

• High-capacity battery integrated in the aluminum bike frame with an autonomy range of more than 60 km for peace of mind
• Propels riders smoothly and comfortably without noise or vibrations
• Single-speed and rear propulsion motor that adjusts to provide each rider with assistance tailored to their needs
• Patented PBSC docking stations act as responsive power hubs, ensuring bikes are always charged and ready to go
• Mobile application provides a user-friendly interface that allows riders to customize their experience by setting their assistance threshold and logging their user preferences for automatic configuration
• In-app gamification to further motivate riders and encourage a fun and healthy lifestyle

Offering the same comfort and world-class ergonomics as the award-winning ICONIC bike, BOOST bikes will allow a wider array of riders to enjoy a smooth, fun and easy ride across longer distances, up steeper hills and against stronger headwinds. They will go further and faster, without even breaking a sweat.

Smart Docking Stations for a Smarter overall System 

Unlike dockless shared bikes, which have made headlines for being scattered chaotically around cities and ravaging our planet, PBSC bikes have proven their efficiency, reliability and sustainability. They are intelligently integrated in city planning initiatives and public transit systems. The smart stations offer:

• FLEXIBILITY: Smart stations continuously monitor and report on bike health, battery charge, diagnostic information and riding data. Smart hybrid stations can also accommodate both the ICONIC and BOOST electric pedal-assist bikes with smart technology that recognizes and charges the e-bikes as needed.
• PERFORMANCE: Unlike other electric pedal assist suppliers, PBSC developed a system that does not require any manual recharging or swapping of batteries. It is a simple dock, charge and play approach that guarantees increased efficiency and availability. With a single connection point per station, getting power from the grid is a breeze for cities, reducing installation cost to a minimum.
• SAFETY: The system is certified according to the most stringent safety and quality standards in the world.

About PBSC Urban Solutions 

Through sustainable technology solutions for smart cities, PBSC is changing the world, one city at a time. As a leading global provider of bike-sharing solutions and urban mobility pioneer, PBSC's team develops, markets and operates - directly through its subsidiary operator, or indirectly through a global network of local partners - the most advanced and customizable urban solutions for smart cities. Recognized as a catalyst for social innovation, PBSC currently has three models of bicycles - ICONIC, FIT and BOOST (e-bike) - deployed around the world and continues to expand its global footprint of 65,250 bikes and 5,750 stations - with more than 240 million rides so far.
For more information, visit http://www.pbsc.com.

Source: Nathalie Doré, PBSC
ndore@pbsc.com
+1-450-748-7272 ext. 2039

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