Green mobility is no longer just a vision of the future, but is already part of everyday life in many cities that have successfully integrated it into their urban infrastructure. Many local authorities are investing in and ramping up electric vehicles and car-sharing services, creating new mobility options that are environmentally friendly and easy for citizens to use.
One of the most common practices is providing electric bicycles on city streets. In Hangzhou, China, “Hello Bike” has distributed over two million electric bicycles, with free parking and an app that shows location and battery status in real time. Portland, United States, has launched the “Bike Town” program in collaboration with private operators, offering a fixed monthly fee for unlimited use and full maintenance assistance. Copenhagen has also expanded its public fleet with electric bicycles connected to the urban transport network, where residents find reserved parking stations in every neighborhood.
Beyond bikes, car-sharing services are growing rapidly. In Berlin, after the merger of Car2Go and DriveNow, citizens can use more than 15,000 dockless cars, which are unlocked via an app and can be left in any approved zone. In London, Zipcar has brought its own fleet, while the Ubeo pilot program allows companies to place cars directly with residents in neighborhoods, in a new collaboration model. Paris remains a pioneer of car-sharing with electric vehicles: Autolib' has proven that charging stations can be combined with public parking, while Free2Move offers basic daily rates with unlimited kilometers.
To start using these services, you must first install the local service application and register with your personal data and bank card. Then, plan your trip by checking the location of free bicycles or cars on the map and the corresponding fares. With a click on “Start” you can unlock the device, take care of the battery or fuel, and park it again in an allowed area once you have finished your journey. Payment is made automatically through the application, without the need for physical transactions or additional time.
The benefits of these solutions are numerous: significant reductions in CO2 emissions, reduced congestion on the roads and the creation of more efficient parking spaces. Better control of vehicle flow and the possibility of moving without the burden of maintaining a personal car or bicycle bring a new level of freedom and flexibility. By adopting these global examples, every city can become cleaner, greener and more responsive to the needs of its communities.
