Residents of Toronto can now test out a new, greener way of getting around the city because Bike Share Toronto just launched their very first e-bike pilot program as a part of their 2020 expansion. 

Starting today, the pedal-assist electric bikes will be available to riders across the city, with 10 e-bike charging stations to be installed over the coming weeks.

Today we are also officially launching @BikeShareTO's e-bike pilot program. The pedal-assist electric bikes will reach a maximum speed of 25 kilometers per hour and can travel up to 70 kilometers without requiring a charge. pic.twitter.com/TuEGAfEfQw

— John Tory (@JohnTory) August 19, 2020

Each e-bike charging station will be able to charge between 20 and 25 bikes at a time, and the charging stations are also fully compatible with the rest of the Bike Share Toronto system. This means both manual bikes and e-bikes can be docked in any station. 

"The e-bikes will allow users to travel a maximum of 25 kilometers and can travel up to 70 kilometers without requiring a charge," reads a city release about the new pilot program. 

"E-bikes will be picked up by operators throughout the date to ensure that they are being charged for the next day."

Once the bikes have been recharged, operators will then leave them at one of the 10 e-bike charging stations across the city.

The city says there is no additional cost for cyclists who want to try out one of the new e-bikes instead of a manual one.

"To ensure e-bikes are powered from low-polluting sources, e-bikes will be rebalanced for recharging purposes during official off-peak times, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.," notes the release.

E-bikes have been introduced in a number of other North American cities in recent months, including Montreal, Calgary and Detroit.

E-bike charging stations will be able to charge 20-25 bikes at each station. Learn more: https://t.co/QJvF9BXkO6.

— City of Toronto (@cityoftoronto) August 19, 2020

"Cycling has increasingly become a mode of transportation for people in this city to use and to get around," said Mayor John Tory in a statement. 

"Our city is committed to investing in our cycling infrastructure by creating new bike lanes and investing in the Bike Share expansion to ensure that residents have opportunities to cycle across the city."

In addition to the e-bike pilot launch, the city also announced today that Bike Share Toronto and CAA South Central Ontario are bringing back Free Ride Wednesdays this September.

To further encourage people to take advantage of @BikeShareTO in our city, I am happy to announce the return of #FreeRideWednesdays during the month of September. This is a great opportunity for people who haven’t used @BikeShareTO yet to try it out. pic.twitter.com/KOAVWZY7Qo

— John Tory (@JohnTory) August 19, 2020

Throughout the month of September, riders will be able to take out a bike for up to 30 minutes for free, return the bike to any station, and take out another bike for an additional free 30-minute ride if they choose.

And of course, Bike Share Toronto has ramped up its cleaning program to ensure the safety of cyclists throughout the pandemic.