Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    THE city’s traffic police ordered a Beijing-based company to call back its 400 app-based electric bikes two days after they were put onto the Shenzhen market.

    At a news conference Friday, traffic police said that the operation of app-based e-bikes needed to be addressed carefully because Shenzhen restricts or bans e-bikes in most areas, except Dapeng New Area.

    Shenzhen is the first city in China where the company has put its No. 7 e-bikes on the street. However, drivers of e-bikes in restricted areas will be fined 2,000 yuan (US$290) and have the bicycles impounded, according to police.

    On Friday, a dozen e-bikes were lined up on the pedestrian road at the intersection of Gao-xinzhong No. 1 Road and Keyuan Road North, to meet the demand of users traveling a distance of 10 kilometers.

    Like app-based bikes, the e-bikes can be parked at any place within the service area. The location on Keyuan Road North served an area encompassed by Beihuan Boulevard, Yueliangwan Boulevard, Binhai Boulevard and Shahe West Road.

    In Shenzhen, only e-bikes involved in courier, delivery and emergency services and registered with the police are allowed to be on the street.

    “Shenzhen encourages green commuting and the introduction of app-based e-bikes will be considered comprehensively,” said Chen Yun, a police officer with e-bike restriction office, suggesting that e-bike operators contact Dapeng to pilot the program.