— Battery packs are currently being sent back to existing ebike subscribers.
Existing DublinBike ebike subscribers are to receive their personal battery packs back soon after a recall in 2021.
The hybrid-electric bicycle share system, where subscribers receive and charge personal battery packs. was used in Dublin, Brussels and Lyon when problems were found in Lyon and the battery packs were recalled in all three cities.
At the time of the recall, 396 users who were renting battery packs were warned not to use or recharge them and half of 1,600 DublinBikes fleet had the ‘hybrid’ electric function where users inserted the batteries into the bicycles.
Dublin City Council said that as a goodwill gesture, when the reconditioned and certified batteries are received by ebike subscribers, they will have their 12-month subscription restarted plus an extra six months added free of charge.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: “JCDecaux launched a hybrid ebike option in Brussels, Dublin and Lyon in 2021. A potential issue was identified with the batteries for these ebikes in Lyon and the batteries were recalled in all three cities in June 2021 as a precaution. The number of dublinbikes available on street was unaffected as a result of this.”
He said: “The recalled batteries have now been reconditioned and certified and are currently being sent back to existing ebike subscribers in Dublin. As a gesture of goodwill and to acknowledge the inconvenience caused to these subscribers, in addition to restarting their 12 month subscription from date of receipt of the reconditioned battery, an extra six months has been added to their subscription free of charge.”
Anybody wishing to take up a new ebike subscription will have to wait a bit longer as there’s a delay in the supply of new batteries.
The spokesperson added: “Due to circumstances beyond our control the manufacture and supply of new battery components has been delayed over the past twelve months. It is expected that new ebike batteries will be delivered to Dublin later this year and e-dublinbikes will become available to additional subscribers again at that point. Unfortunately due to supply chain issues we do not have a definitive date at this time for reopening subscriptions.”