Forest, London’s most affordable and sustainable shared e-bike operator, has launched a new pricing and fleet management model, to keep both Londoners, and its bikes, moving around the city.
Forest is replacing its 10 minutes free daily offer with three tiers of free ride minutes which riders can access after paying the existing £1 unlock fee. The tiers will be assigned and clearly displayed in-app on each e-bike: 1-5 minutes; 10 minutes; or 30 minutes. The pricing tier that each e-bike is placed in will depend on a number of factors, including over-supplied bays and e-bikes that have been idle for an extended period of time, in order to help balance supply and demand across the capital.
Unlike previously, there will be no limit to the number of free ride minutes the rider can use after paying the £1 unlock fee and Forest is removing the £1.50 daily service fee.
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Unlike pricing models that increase prices during peak demand, Forest’s approach works by rewarding riders for choosing bikes in high density areas to reduce overcrowding at parking bays, and aid fleet rebalancing.
As a result of the move, after paying the £1 unlock fee, every Forest e-bike will now offer riders between 1 to 30 free ride minutes, with at least 10% of the fleet offering the highest 30-minute tier at any given time.
The move builds on the success of Forest’s recent “£1 Bike” pilot, where e-bikes that had been idle for more than five days were offered with 30 free ride minutes for just £1. The trial saw discounted bikes being ridden on average 20% sooner, helping keep Forest’s fleet in motion across London. To build on this success, Forest will use real-time fleet data to determine when and where bikes should be relocated, while working closely with local authorities, residents, and riders to deliver a system that benefits the whole city.
In addition to improving fleet distribution, the new pricing structure will also help Forest reduce its operational energy consumption. By incentivising riders to move bikes rather than relying solely on support vehicles, Forest expects to improve the energy efficiency of the fleet’s support vehicles by 50%. This efficiency is projected to deliver an annual energy saving of 16,800 kWh – roughly enough energy to supply six average homes for a year – from its electric vans, further strengthening Forest’s position as London’s most sustainable shared e-bike operator.
To mark the launch, on Wednesday 12 November, all Forest bikes across London will be available at the maximum discount, following payment of the £1 unlock fee – offering 30 minutes of riding for just £1, with no limit on the number of rides throughout the day.
Agustin Guilisasti, Founder and CEO of Forest, said: “Our goal has always been to empower Londoners to move around the city in ways that are more affordable, accessible, and sustainable – while doing so responsibly and in partnership with local communities. We want Forest bikes to complement London’s transport network, not complicate it. Our new pricing model helps achieve this by encouraging riders to play an active role in getting bikes where they’re needed most, supporting user demand and keeping our streets tidy.”