Residents and visitors may soon be using electric bikes.

Monaco's bus service (Compagnie Monegasque des Autobus, CAM) is promoting its electric bikes scheme from today until Saturday at the Monacology event in Port Hercule. The public transport company plans to install some 30 bike stands and charging stations around the Principality, each holding about 15 bikes.

For now tho', CAM is looking for 30 volunteers to test the bikes' reliability, recharging, and validating cards. The experimental phase will last several months, during which there'll be 3 stands:

• near the beach at Villa Sauber
• in the pedestrian street next to Decathlon
• in Port Hercule behind the Stade Nautique bus stop

For more information, contact CAM at velos[at]cam.mc.

Electric bikes for Monaco, a world first

Monacology launches the electric bike in the Principality

Electric vehicles were also in the news last month, when Monaco's postal service La Poste took delivery of two new electric vehicles. They can be seen around town in livery that's been designed especially for them using the colours of the Principality, red and white.

Two electric vehicles for Monaco's postal service

The electric bikes and post office vehicles are a further step in the Principality's continuing plan to make Monaco more environmentally friendly. The Mairie, SBM, public car park services, post office and utilities have already been using electric utility vehicles for several years. Electricity company SMEG, and La Poste each have about 38% of their fleet electric powered. Around 484 "clean" vehicles are registered in Monaco, 272 of which are electric, corresponding to 1.28% of the Principality's motor vehicles. So there's still some work to be done to reduce the pollution caused by the 30,000 vehicles that have a Monegasque number plate.

Last year, Tesla opened a store in Monaco and delivered two of its cars to local clients. The Government offers a 9000 euros eco-bonus for residents purchasing the Tesla Roadster, bringing its price down to 91000 euros. In December 2009, 10 electric fortwo Smart cars took to the streets, and before that, the Principality took delivery of 4 Mitsubishi IMiev cars.