Electric tuk-tuk comes to Brussels

A new means of transport has arrived in Brussels: the electric tuk-tuk, a small, three-wheeled vehicle that is especially popular in Asia. The Brussels company Mobiloo introduced the new tuk-tuk to the European capital on Wednesday.

With the motorised rickshaws, Mobiloo is offering an alternative connection between the lower and the upper parts of the city, with stops at Bourse, South Station, Avenue Louise and Porte de Namur. A second route connects the upper town with Rue du Bailli and Flagey in Ixelles.

The tuk-tuk is a common means of transport in many Asian cities, but has been quietly gaining popularity in European cities in recent years, including Amsterdam, Paris and Lisbon. Brussels will start out with 10 electric tuk-tuks. If the initiative is successful, Mobiloo will add five more by next spring.

The vehicles, officially a moped class B, can reach speeds of up to 45 kilometres per hour. "We can bring people from lower to upper Brussels in 10 minutes, and vice versa," said founder Steve Munga.

A trip costs €4 per person, or €5 for two people, and includes wi-fi, a charging point for your phone, music and magazines.

Mobility minister Pascal Smet is not against the arrival of the tuk-tuks. "These are small, electric-powered vehicles that are environmentally friendly," Smet spokesman Gorik Van Holen told brusselnieuws.be.