Capital Bikeshare and Lyft are rolling out an ebike fleet this week in the DC area

Capital Bikeshare, which is operated by Lyft, has begun rolling out a fleet of ebikes in the D.C. area.

The ebikes are equipped with pedal-assist technology and can be unlocked using a scannable QR code in the Lyft and Capital Bikeshare apps or with a member key. Lyft is now the only mobile operator in D.C. that offers bikeshare, escooters, rideshare, shared rides and transit options in one app.

Along with D.C., the District Department of Transportation (DDOT) announced that Capital Bikeshare’s ebikes will also be available in Arlington, Virginia; Alexandria, Virginia; Montgomery County, Maryland; Prince George’s County, Maryland; Fairfax County, Virginia; and Falls Church, Virginia.

“For close to two decades, the District has led the way with mobility options for our residents and visitors,” said DDOT Director Jeff Marootian in a statement. “Capital Bikeshare eBikes are a fun, affordable transportation alternative for long-time members and new customers to get around the region.”

The ebikes can be parked at Capital Bikeshare’s docking stations for free, where traditional bikes are also held. If you plan on making multiple stops, the bikes can also be parked at public bike racks using a built-in cable lock for an additional fee. DDOT did not disclose how many ebikes will be in this initial fleet, but it did report that Capital Bikeshare has more than 5,000 bikes available at its more than 600 docking stations across seven jurisdictions.

Low-income residents in the D.C. area can pay $5 a year for unlimited, 60-minute rides on classic bikes with no additional ebike fees during 2020. Capital Bikeshare is offering annual memberships for $85 which includes unlimited, 30-minute rides on classic bikes and a $1 charge per ride to upgrade to ebikes. Single 30-minute trip on a classic bike normally cost $2, and day passes run for $8, with an option to upgrade to an ebike for $1.

“We are thrilled to expand access to Capital Bikeshare by introducing ebikes into the fleet in order to make trips even easier during this time,” said Chris Dattaro, general manager for Capital Bikeshare at Lyft, in a statement. “We’re proud to provide people with affordable, reliable transportation and we look forward to continuing to expand mobility options in Metro DC in partnership with DDOT.”

To continue combating the coronavirus, Capital Bikeshare reports that it disinfects all bikes when they arrive at its depot, and all transport vehicles are also disinfected at the start of each shift before deploying the bikes.