The electrification of GIRA's 400 "classic" bicycles is planned for this year and will cost about 520 thousand euros, in parts. The promised integration of GIRA and Navegante will happen very soon.
When Lisbon's shared bikes were launched in 2017/18, a mixed system of "classic" bikes - that is, bikes without electric assistance - and electric bikes was considered. The initial idea was even to charge users more for trips on electric bikes than on classic ones. However, it was quickly realized that in a city not as flat as Lisbon, the "classic GIRAs" did not have the same popularity as the others. Therefore, EMEL did not buy non-electric bicycles again, and is now preparing to electrify the 400 "classics" in the current fleet.
This electrification had been announced last December in the municipal and EMEL's budget for 2023, and will cost about 520 thousand eurosin parts. The "supply, in a phased manner, of components for the electrification of conventional bicycles that integrate the public shared bicycle system of the city of Lisbon" was divided by EMEL into five batches distinct. The municipal company will receive parts such as wheels with electric motors, batteries, cables, brakes, GPS kits and lights from three different companies - Lightmobie, Edmtech and Castanheira E Castanheira - selected through public tenders.
The plan of the Lisbon Municipality and EMEL for this year is to reinforce the GIRA system with 400 electrified "classic" bicycles, since today; although these bicycles are already available to the population today, the truth is that, in practice, many GIRA users end up not choosing these vehicles without electric assistance to make their trips, so the bicycles are left parked at the docks.
"EMEL has very concrete plans for this to happen as soon as possible, and the procedure for the acquisition of another 2,000 bicycles (all electric, in line with the preferences demonstrated by users) is already underway, 500 of which will be available next year. In parallel, a partner is being sought for the repair and simultaneous electrification of 400 bicycles that are in the workshop - with these two measures it will be possible to double, as early as 2023, the fleet available."
- EMEL's PAO for 2023-2026
New stations installed
In early March, EMEL began installing new GIRA stations in the city, including the first two from the parish of Beato. The municipal company and the Lisbon City Council plan to expand the bike-sharing system at a rate of 20 new stations per year, with nine stations placed on the street last year to be activated by 2023, in addition to the 20 new stations to be installed annually - a total of 29 new stations.
GIRA currently has 139 active stations and 1600 theoretical bicycles, and it can be said that the first phase of the system, which foresaw 140 stations and 1410 bicycles and had as its first date October 2017. Efforts are now focused on the second phase, whose ambition is to reach 300 stations and 3000 bicycles by 2026leading to the network covering all parishes of the city.
Integration with Navegante coming soon
EMEL and Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa (TML), responsible for Navegante fare pricing, are preparing to launch very soon the GIRA's long awaited integration with the pass. As announced, it will be, in a first stage, only for Lisbon residents (tax domicile) in two age groups: students up to 23/24 years old (holders of the Navegante Under 23 pass) and older than 65 years old (Navegante +65 pass).
Screenshots taken by Lisboa Para Pessoas show how the new pass GIRA Navegante will work: only trips of up to 45 minutes will be free of chargeIf users exceed this time, they will have to pay an additional fee or pay with points, as with the other passes (Daily, Monthly, and Annual).
To use the Navegante with GIRA, you will only need to add the card number to the application and accept the terms and conditions of the service.
GIRA is free of charge for students up to 23/24 years old and over 65 years old. first quarter of this yearThis was a Lisbon City Hall measure presented by Moedas' executive in the context of an anti-inflation package.
