Free Now partners with Moby to offer Dublin e-bike service

27 May 2024

Free Now Ireland general manager Charlie Gleeson and Moby operations manager Akash Kajal.

Moby plans to expand its Dublin fleet to 1,500, while Free Now said the service mirrors its offerings in other markets such as the UK, France, Germany and Spain.

Free Now has partnered with Irish bike sharing provider Moby to make a fleet of more than 500 pedal and electric bikes available on the Free Now app.

This partnership will let users of the app book either taxis or co-branded bikes in Dublin from the company’s app from today (27 May). Users pay a €1 fee to unlock a bike on the app, then the first three minutes are free. After that, it costs €0.15 per minute for an e-bike and €0.02 for a manual bike.

Moby currently has 500 bikes in Dublin but plans to expand this fleet to 1,500. These bikes can be located on the Free Now app under the ‘2-wheels’ option and can be used within a designated operating area in Dublin.

The Irish bike provider operates public bike share schemes in Dublin, Athlone, Mullingar, Ashbourne and Tullamore, along with corporate bike share schemes for Dublin Airport, Eastpoint Business Park and Sport Ireland.

“By integrating seamless Moby bike rentals directly into the Free Now app and leveraging Dublin City Council’s commendable efforts in expanding bike lanes citywide, we truly believe that multi-modal transportation can empower consumers with more efficient, sustainable and healthier travel options throughout Dublin,” said Moby operations officer Akash Kajal.

Free Now said the partnership follows actions it has taken in other markets to allow flexible transport options, such as the UK, France, Spain and Germany. Free Now Ireland general manager Charlie Gleeson said the announcement is “timely”, given the recent micromobility regulations introduced under the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023.

“The new legislation will positively contribute to the integration of both e-bikes and e-scooters on Irish roads and support the safer use of micromobility moving forward,” Gleeson said. “This partnership with Moby forms part of our wider plans to integrate additional mobility options into the Free Now app, offering more choice to passengers in Ireland in the coming months in line with this new legislation.”

This partnership follows a similar offering Free Now announced in 2022 as part of a partnership with micromobility company Tier.

Find out how emerging tech trends are transforming tomorrow with our new podcast, Future Human: The Series. Listen now on Spotify, on Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.

Leigh Mc Gowran is a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com