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The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has announced the purchase and rollout of 70 new electric-assist Capital Bikeshare ebikes. This is the County’s first purchase of the popular bikes that have driven record ridership growth in the region’s Capital Bikeshare network. The ebikes are an investment that improves first- and last-mile transit access, reduces traffic congestion, and offers a cleaner, healthier transportation choice.
Capital Bikeshare pedal-assist ebikes have electric motors that enable users of a wide range of ages and fitness levels to more easily climb hills, extend riding distance, or simply provide a more comfortable ride on hot days. With more than half of daily Capital Bikeshare trips being under three miles long, about 15- to 20-minute rides, they also increase options for quick trips to nearby businesses, shopping, recreation, or other destinations, without needing to find or pay for parking.
The current cost of a fifteen-minute rental for ebikes is about $2.25 for Capital Bikeshare members and $6.25 for nonmembers. Ebikes can be rented through the Capital Bikeshare app by scanning the QR code located on the bike.
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Capital Bikeshare ebikes are found alongside standard pedal bikes in the Capital Bikeshare app but are labeled with the lightning bolt symbol to signify the electric motor. Ebikes may be ridden in most places where pedal bikes are permitted, though they are not permitted on sidewalks in the County. Additionally, unlike standard bikes, ebikes may be picked up and dropped off outside Bikeshare docking stations and locked at any public bike rack within the service area, for an additional fee of $2 for members and $3 for nonmembers. This provides added flexibility to users who may not have easy access to an existing station and expands the overall reach of the system.
“These new ebikes will help make bikeshare an even more practical choice for residents and employees working in the County to use for their daily commutes and errands,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Ebikes were difficult to find previously as they only belonged to surrounding jurisdictions and were brought here by users starting elsewhere. This investment will boost availability, and we know they are very popular and will help a lot of residents get around easier.”
Capital Bikeshare has experienced rapid growth in the past few years, setting a new ridership record in 2025 with over 6.6 million trips, a 9% increase year-over-year.
“Montgomery County has experienced even more growth than the national average, more than doubling Capital Bikeshare ridership within two years, from 102,000 rides in 2023 to over 224,000 rides in 2025,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We also know that 70% of all Capital Bikeshare trips currently being taken are on ebikes, and we expect the addition of these 70 ebikes to our fleet will contribute to further use rate growth.”
Environmentally, ebikes help reduce carbon emissions. In 2023, shared electric micromobility nationally offset 81 million pounds of CO₂, compared to using private vehicles. This is equivalent to planting over a half-million trees over 10 years. The County’s investment in Capital Bikeshare ebikes will further contribute to local air quality and the County’s aggressive climate goals.
The County remains dedicated to equitable access through the “Capital Bikeshare for All” program, which provides qualifying residents low-cost memberships ($5 per year) and $40 in monthly credits.
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Founded in 2010 and expanding to the County in 2013, Capital Bikeshare is the largest municipally owned bikeshare system in the U.S., operating across multiple jurisdictions in the Washington Metropolitan Region with over 800 stations and more than 8,000 bikes, including both pedal and ebikes. The County now has a total of 540 bikes with 80 docking stations.
“These bikes bring equitable, convenient, zero-emission mobility to Montgomery County,” said Conklin. “This reflects our commitment to a multimodal system that supports health, connectivity, and sustainability.”
For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook, and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
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Read the original article at mcdot
