Velocity Aachen

Velocity Aachen gives the go-ahead for contemporary mobility from Velocity Mobility

Velocity was founded in Aachen and is the longest running project in its field. Since its inception, the project has expanded beyond the city limits, making it possible to travel from Aachen across the border to Limburg in the Netherlands. Users can easily return their vehicles to one of the stations along the route. This project has become a model for cross-border mobility and attracts participants from all over the region who want to explore the beautiful landscapes of the region.

The beginnings of Velocity Aachen

The Aachen e-bike sharing system Velocity Aachen is considered the cornerstone of Velocity Mobility. The project began in 2013 as part of a bachelor’s thesis at RWTH Aachen University. It was then that the idea of setting up an e-bike rental system in the Aachen city area was born.

The project quickly met with enthusiastic approval, so that already in 2014, with the support of Prof. Dr. Achim Kampker, the company was founded and entered in the commercial register.

Only two years after the company was founded, the first milestone was reached with the award for exemplary commitment to climate protection from the Minister for Building, Housing, Urban Development and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The second milestone followed two years later, when interest in the Aachen Velocity concept grew outside the city limits as the network of stations became steadily denser. Then, in March 2018, the first rental station was opened in Kerkrade.

Frame lock protector against vandalism

For a long time, the start-up was spoiled by success – until vandalism problems occurred in 2020 that threatened the survival of the young company. Demolished bikes were found in bushes, waters or ditches and were thus no longer usable for many disappointed customers. With the introduction of the frame lock, however, Velocity Aachen demonstrated a sure hand in dealing with vandalism and noticeably reduced the incidents of vandalism. The frame lock not only protects against destruction and provides double security at the stations, but also allows e-bikes to be parked during the rental process.

Since the introduction of the frame locks, the number of users is increasing again as usual and does not decrease even in the winter months. The distances covered by pedelecs are also becoming longer. While the rental system was initially aimed primarily at students and commuters, Velocity Aachen is increasingly attracting the interest of occasional cyclists and tourists.

Velocity Aachen continues to grow

In the meantime, business is conducted through Velocity Mobility GmbH and Velocity Region Aachen GmbH. Since 2019, a strong partner in the Velocity enterprise has been Medienhaus Aachen, which is involved through its main shareholder AACHENER VERLAGSGESELLSCHAFT mbH.

As part of a joint venture with Velocity Mobility GmbH, Velocity Region Aachen GmbH was launched as a joint company in 2019. Since mid-2022, Velocity Region Aachen GmbH has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Velocity Mobility GmbH.

Currently, the e-bike rental system comprises more than 100 stations and 500 pedelecs – the construction of further stations and the use of even more bikes is being continuously promoted. A steady expansion to the municipalities of the StädteRegion Aachen is also in focus.