Cities around the world are taking significant steps towards a more sustainable tomorrow with micro-mobility options. One of the projects aiming for a greener future is Freebike, a platform for bike and e-bike sharing. Offering a convenient, accessible, and environmentally friendly way for residents and visitors to explore their urban surroundings, the system uses the world’s first tap-and-ride electric bike relying on a payment processing gateway by Sfey.
SFEY AND FREEBIKE
Sfey is excited to announce the groundbreaking collaboration with Freebike, which has resulted in the launch of an innovative tap & pay micromobility project in Lahti, Finland.
This project represents a significant milestone in the urban mobility sector, as it is the first of its kind in the world to offer a simple, app-free solution where users can ride just by tapping their contactless payment card.
Sfey is committed to revolutionizing urban mobility by making digital payments easier and more efficient. Sfey’s partnership with Freebike exemplifies this dedication, showcasing their capability to deliver user-friendly, sustainable payment solutions that can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure.
Discover how Sfey and Freebike are paving the way for a smarter, more sustainable future in urban transportation.
LEAVING THE CAR BEHIND
Freebike is an innovative solution championing green urban mobility. Bike-sharing programs, emerging worldwide, are encouraging people to embrace pedal bikes and electric bikes for short commutes and leisure activities. By providing a clean and efficient alternative to cars, these initiatives bring a range of environmental benefits:
DESIGNED WITH THE USER IN MIND
Besides environmental benefits, one of the key strengths of the Freebike solution is its user-friendliness. Unlike traditional bike-sharing systems that require registration and app downloads, Freebike’s system is ready to ride in 4 seconds. After you squeeze the brake lever on the bike to unlock it, a reader will light up. Then you simply tap any payment device on the reader – and the bike is unlocked and ready to ride. When your journey ends, you just park the bike within a designated virtual parking zone (identified through the app if available).
There’s no upfront fee and riders have the option to pay per minute (at a competitive rate) for quick trips while the cost is conveniently tracked on the e-bike’s display. For longer commutes or recreational outings, daily, weekly, and even monthly subscriptions are available through the Freebike app.
PROMOTING FINANCIAL INCLUSIONS AND ACCESSIBILITY
Apart from ecological benefits, open-loop payment systems contribute to social sustainability by promoting financial inclusion and accessibility in public transport. The ability to use common payment methods, such as credit cards or mobile wallets, eliminates barriers for individuals who may find traditional ticketing options difficult, like people with disabilities or foreigners.
This inclusivity ensures that a broader segment of the population can easily access and use public transport services, fostering a sense of community and shared responsibility towards sustainability. As more people embrace public transportation, cities can invest in the expansion and improvement of their transit systems, further promoting equitable access to eco-friendly modes of travel.
“The e-bikes have a 135 km range and are 100% designed for sharing.”
POWERED BY THE TAP-AND-GO MAGIC
Making this user-friendly experience possible, Freebike recently partnered with Sfey, an Estonian fintech company specializing in smart and secure mobility payments. Sfey’s advanced contactless payment infrastructure goes beyond just processing transactions. Its modular design allows for easy integration with Freebike’s system, while the full configurability ensures the payment process aligns perfectly with Freebike’s unique needs.
To understand how the seamless payment system works, let’s take a closer look at the transaction process:
Settlement: The payment processing gateway facilitates the settlement between Freebike and your issuing bank, ensuring secure and efficient payment processing.
The partnership between Freebike and Sfey guarantees a reliable and user-friendly payment experience for riders. More than just a payment solution, it paves the way for a more seamless and accessible bike-sharing experience. By prioritizing user convenience, sustainability, and tap-and-go technology, this micro-mobility project is poised to revolutionize urban mobility globally, helping cities reduce traffic congestion and pollution.
ON THE RIGHT WAY WITH SFEY
Sfey is a provider of a modular cloud-based payment processing gateway. Based in Tallinn, Estonia, we help EV charging, public transit and micro-mobility operators streamline, simplify, and cheapen their payment processes. By promoting cashless transactions in mobility sectors, we help the whole society embrace card-based transactions and move to a more sustainable world.
Interested in tapping into the ecological benefits of cashless payments?
Read our previous papers on the Intelligent Transport website:
Helping cities go greener: The power of cashless transactions
From apps to taps: How payment cards are changing the EV charging game (intelligenttransport.com)
EU mandates contactless payments at all EV charging stations: What you need to know
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