Lime e-bikes are hitting Hobart’s streets today, replacing the city’s old shared e-scooter scheme that drew years of complaints about dumped vehicles and footpath hazards.
Around 340 bikes will be available across the city under an initial 12-month permit, connecting the CBD with Sandy Bay, Battery Point and Salamanca.
Acting Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock said the council was “incredibly delighted” to partner with Lime.
“We are so excited that the city has another option in terms of public transport, something that’s low emissions, it’s flexible, it’s convenient, it’s affordable,” she said.
Sherlock said the arrangement addressed previous concerns about e-scooters, with Lime handling compliance, improper parking and customer service.
Parking rules will work across three tiers.
In designated blue zones within the CBD, riders must park at specific pins shown in the app.
Outside those zones, bikes can be parked anywhere that does not block a footpath.
The app will ask riders to take a photo when they finish a trip and AI technology will help detect whether a bike has been parked properly.
Geofenced no-ride zones cover parts of Liverpool, Murray and Elizabeth streets, while slow-speed zones operate along Macquarie Street and within St David’s Park.
No-parking zones will apply around Salamanca from Thursday to Saturday for the market.
The same bike is used in Sydney, Paris, Seattle and Zurich.
“We’re thrilled to provide Hobart with affordable, reliable, low‑carbon shared e-bikes,” Lime’s head of Asia-Pacific Will Peters said.
Sherlock said the council would use 12 months of data on compliance, customer service and resident feedback to decide whether to extend the contract.
Lime will host a launch event at Mawson Place Concourse on Saturday from 10am to midday.
New riders can get a free trip of up to 10 minutes using the promo code LIMELOVESHOBART until December 31.
