Barcelona gets electric scooter hire scheme

Shoppers, commuters and tourists in Barcelona can now hire electric scooters as a quick and quiet way to explore the city.

The Motit electric scooters can travel at 40mph for up to 40 miles and cost less than £3 per hour to hire. To use the service you have to be over 21 years old, hold a car or motorcycle licence and own a smartphone. The phone is used to reserve the bike for hire, and, when docked on the handlebars, functions as its ignition key.

The bikes are aimed are aimed as much at local commuters as tourists on a European city break.

Any European city worth its salt has a flagship public hire scheme. London has its Boris Bikes and Paris has two; the trail-blazing Vélib and more recent Autolib electric car hire scheme.

Autolib offers any driver the chance to hire a four-seater electric car from the equivalent of £4.60 per half hour. Car club schemes such as Autolib are an ideal application for electric cars. Users avoid the high purchase price of an electric car, but still benefit from its low running costs and environmental advantages.

Travel insurance from the ETA to cover a four-day European city break costs only £12.51. Cover includes £5m medical expenses, £3,000 cancellation and £3,000 personal baggage.