> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Cooltra Expands Bike Sharing in Europe Despite Barcelona Ban - URL: https://barna.news/cooltra-expands-bike-sharing-in-europe/ - Published: 2026-10-22T07:17:01.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-22T07:17:01.000Z - Description: While Barcelona moves to ban private shared bikes by year-end, Cooltra accelerates its European expansion with minute-by-minute rentals. - Author: Barna.News - Tags: Transport ## Cooltra Grows Amid Barcelona Ban When Timo Buetefisch and his partners launched a scooter rental business twenty years ago from a garage near the Sagrada Família, they never imagined it would evolve into Cooltra, a company now managing over 30,000 electric motorcycles across seven European countries. Today, the firm is expanding into shared e-bikes, a sector it sees reaching 40% of its business, even as Barcelona prepares to end such services. ## Barcelona to End Shared Bike Licenses On 31st December 2026, Barcelona will terminate all private shared bike licenses, including those held by Cooltra. The City Council has rejected a formal request from seven operators, including Bird, Bolt, Lime, and Voi, for a two-year extension, citing persistent issues with public space misuse. Municipal sources state that "the systematic non-compliance demonstrates a structural incapacity of the companies to control the proper use of public space." From January 2025 to summer 2026, city services issued 7,195 fines and removed 2,683 bicycles for obstructing pedestrian areas. In July alone, 922 fines were recorded, the highest monthly total since regulation began in early 2025\. The council requires bikes to be secured to inverted "U" anchors, a rule frequently ignored. > "Instead of regulating, they have decided to prohibit," Buetefisch argues that shared bikes are part of sustainable urban mobility and points out that only 0.19% of Cooltra’s trips end in an incident. He urges the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) to adopt the same regulated model used for motorcycles, where three operators, including Cooltra, provide reliable, scalable services across eight municipalities. ## European Expansion Continues Despite Barcelona’s move, Cooltra is pushing forward in Europe. The company already operates shared bikes in France and the Netherlands and plans to expand into other cities where it offers motorcycle rentals. Buetefisch notes that e-bikes require no license, have lower insurance costs, and offer greater autonomy, making them ideal for urban mobility. Cooltra’s broader business includes leasing electric motorcycles to police forces in Sant Cugat, Badalona, Murcia, and Salamanca, as well as to private sector workers including Just Eat delivery riders and Prosegur security personnel. This leasing segment accounts for 25% of the company’s €63 million annual revenue. The firm also entered monthly bike rentals last year through its acquisition of Kleta, which serves over 1,300 users in Barcelona. While the city’s shared bike scheme ends, Cooltra continues to diversify its offerings and position itself as a long-term player in Europe’s mobility ecosystem. --- *Primary sources:* [*oficinasostenible.santcugat.cat*](http://www.oficinasostenible.santcugat.cat/38538354956/noticies.detall/162818/?ref=barna.news)*. Reported by lavanguardia.com, sagradafamilia.org, barcelonapress.com, La Vanguardia Barcelona.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Barcelona’s 2026 transit grant was set in 2025 decree](https://barna.news/barcelonas-2026-transit-grant-was-set/) - [Barcelona Bus Speeds Lag in Europe](https://barna.news/barcelona-bus-speeds-lag-in-europe/) - [240 Experts to Attend Mobility Congress in Barcelona](https://barna.news/240-experts-to-attend-mobility-congress/) - [Barcelona Completes Digital Ticket Transition](https://barna.news/barcelona-completes-digital-ticket/)