Thousands engage with Mercury’s e-bikes

This story first appeared in the december issue of evtalk CLICK HERE to download the magazine FREE

 Mercury’s sell-out Xmas Lights e-bike Tours in Auckland are now in their third year.

The event is a bespoke tour of the city’s Christmas hot spots, hosted by a dedicated e-bike guide.

These tours are offered exclusively to Mercury’s customers, who are becoming increasingly engaged and interested in electrified transport, the energy company says.

Thousands of customers and others have experienced their first e-bike or e-scooter with Mercury since the company launched its Ride Days in 2016, with many going on to buy an e-bike.

Last year, 67 riders took in the city’s Christmas lights, which included the famed Franklin Road and Britomart precinct.

“I can’t wait to get an e-bike and race up those hills,” one customer says.

“I really enjoyed my first e-bike experience, will definitely do this again.

Bike access has made it more accessible.

Can’t wait to see more of these types of changes.

One day I hope we will be like Oslo where people take bikes into the city, not cars,” another says.

ArtWeek – another tour concept – held in Auckland in October, was an opportunity for riders to experience the best of Auckland’s art scene by e-bike.

Mercury communications head Craig Dowling joined one of the ArtWeek tours, saying it was “an empowering experience”.

“The freedom was really surprising, instead of battling up hills, you take in the surroundings and can really enjoy Auckland’s new cycle ways,” Dowling says.

“Having someone take you through the safety requirements was super helpful too.

Having clear guidance on how to deal with inner city traffic and having the confidence to navigate the roads and the cycle ways changes the experience from a nervous one to a wonderful one.”

This year, more than 900 people have experienced Mercury’s e-bikes from a variety of events such as Big Boys Toys (269 e-bike and e-scooter riders), EVworld NZ 2019 (133 e-bike and e-scooter riders), and Auckland’s eBike Expo (113 e-bike and e-scooter riders).

Mercury brand and activation manager Sarah Cowan says e-bike and e-scooter imports increased from 2507 units to 47,306 since Mercury launched its first e-bike campaign.

“If you look at the number of people who got on an e-bike or e-scooter at this year’s Big Boy Toys, you can see how popular they are – everyone wants a go.” Cowan says.

“We’re keen to promote the benefits of e-transport and that you don’t have to invest in an EV to enjoy the benefits, you can do this through e-bikes and e-scooters – and it’s super fun.

“This year we had three dedicated Ride Days experiences, and supported 15 events from Ironman New Zealand to Evie [Mercury’s converted 1957 Ford Fairlane] at Motat and the Go Green Expo in Auckland, where 202 people got a taste of e-bikes and scooters,” Cowan says.

She says telling the story of renewable energy and the wonderful things you can do with it is a key reason why Mercury is an advocate of electrified transport.

“Climate change is front of mind and people need solutions that still fit into their lifestyles and are affordable,” Cowan says.

“We have a lot of options and deals for customers looking to reduce their carbon footprint and we’re delighted to be able to help customers do this.”

Mercury has partnered with selected e-bike retailers to bring customers discounts.

Visit https://www.mercury.co.nz/e-transport/e-bikes/view-the-e-bike-range for more information and Christmas deals.