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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Luca Ittimani

Rental ebike programs booming in Australian cities as e-scooter ‘moral panic’ sees take-up stall

A person riding a Lime ebike
The ebike rental boom has been led by Sydney, where the number of vehicles on streets nearly doubled in 2025 as US operator Lime deployed thousands more. Photograph: James Marsh/Shutterstock

Rental ebikes are booming in popularity as e-scooter hire operations decline across Australia amid what some have labelled a “moral panic” about safety.

The ebike boom has been led by Sydney, where the number of vehicles on streets nearly doubled in 2025 as the US operator Lime deployed thousands more.

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