It's Just Like Riding A Bike...Mostly, Kinda

Stuttgart, Germany, has a lot of hills, which makes for greater air pollution and, ironically, tougher cycling as an alternative to driving. So, Stuttgart leaders looked for ways to make cycling easier.

"The city has teamed up with the British company Ultra Motors that produces the Pedelec, an electric bicycle, which is fitted with an electro motor. While riders still have to pedal, the electric power makes climbing up hills considerably less of an effort.

Under a trial scheme, developed by Stuttgart and the British company, customers will pay a monthly subscription fee and receive the bike free of charge.

As part of the trial, the city will set up stations across Stuttgart where the bike’s lithium batteries can be re-charged within 15 minutes at no cost to subscribers."