Voi offers free rides for national Car Free challenge

Above: People riding an e-bike and e-scooter. Credit: Voi

Micromobility rental company, Voi, is offering free e-bike and e-scooter rides to support a national Car Free Challenge taking place during June.

Climate action charity, Possible, is challenging people across the UK to cut their car use from 1-30 June, either by swapping the daily commute from the car to another form of transport, swapping the car for a bike, or pledging to go car free for a day, week or the whole month.

New Voi riders can enjoy a free 30 minutes ride on an e-scooter or e-bike to help them meet the challenge. Simply download the app and use code: CARFREE24

Voi recently supported a trial run by Possible in Oxford during March where people were challenged to reduce their car use for three weeks.

The Oxford Car Free Challenge was run in partnership with LCON and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), funded by the Foundation for Integrated Transport, Oxfordshire County Council’s Councillor Priority Fund and many Oxford residents, as well as receiving support from Voi and Avanti Cycling, Bainton Bikes, Co Wheels, Laka Bike Insurance, Pedal & Post and Oxfordshire County Council’s road safety team. 

The participants discovered that they cut carbon, saved money, and found a new love for car-free travel that they plan to keep up for the long term.

E-scooters can help to reduce air pollution in cities by replacing short car journeys, and have been shown to cut commuting time by 47%, helping to reduce congestion as well.

James Bolton, General Manager, Voi UK, said: “In the UK, over a quarter of our carbon emissions come from transport. We aim to transform how people move in cities, freeing us from car dependency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and really hope to help encourage that shift during June by offering free rides to support the Car Free Challenge.

“A growing proportion of riders are giving up their cars as alternatives like e-bikes and e-scooters become available.

“Using an e-scooter is a reliable way to get around without causing congestion or pollution. They’re easy-to-use, affordable, reliable and sustainable and we hope new riders will have a go and see how easy and convenient it is to make the switch.”

Izzy Romilly, sustainable transport manager at climate charity Possible, said: “It’s great that Voi is offering free e-bike and e-scooter rides to support our national Going Car Free Challenge in June.

“We know that car miles across the UK need to fall significantly to hit our climate goals. Replacing car trips with more sustainable options where we can is better for the planet and better for our health. We need everyone to work together to shift our transport system away from a reliance on private cars, and towards walking, wheeling, cycling, e-mobility and public transport.

“Using e-bikes and e-scooters to get around can help enable people to get out of their cars and benefit from cleaner air, less congestion, and better overall health and wellbeing.”

More information about Possible’s Car Free Challenge can be found at www.wearepossible.org/actions-blog/going-car-free-challenge

For more information about Voi’s commitment to sustainability, a report is available here: www.voi.com/blog/sustainability-report-december-2023/

For further information, please contact: 

Juliette Maxam, Senior PR manager, Voi UK, Ireland and Belgium

juliette.maxam@voiapp.io

About Voi 

Founded in 2018, Voi is a Swedish micromobility company offering e-scooter and e-bike sharing in partnership with towns, cities and local communities. We believe e-scooters can play a central role in changing how people move in our towns and cities in the future. We want to ensure that the micromobility transformation happens the right way - through real innovative technology, open and transparent dialogue with towns, cities and governments and by adapting our products to local needs. Voi’s holistic Environmental Action Plan tackles emissions and promotes renewable energy use and circularity along its supply chain. 

Voi operates in over 100 towns and cities across 12 countries. It is headquartered in Stockholm and employs 1,000 people. To date, Voi boasts more than seven million riders and has served more than 150+ million rides.