Carrefour and Virvolt, a leading start-up that converts bikes into E-bikes, has just unveiled a new concept at the Carré-Sénart hypermarket (south of Paris): people can bring their “standard” bike to a workshop and then while they wait, have it repaired and converted into an E-bike. This completely original service starts at €820 and is very much in line with the principles of the circular economy: bikes are given a second life, and everyone gets to enjoy a clean, sustainable form of mobility.

Fast conversion at extremely affordable prices

The 20 m² Virvolt workshop has been up and running in the sports section of the Carré-Sénart Carrefour store since 8 March, providing customers with a 48-hour bike conversion service, as well as a while-you-wait repair service. On afternoons from Monday to Saturday, a Virvolt expert is on hand to answer customers' questions, install batteries and undertake any necessary repairs on bikes (replacing worn brake pads, repairing punctures, etc.).

Although most people who are considering purchasing a bike would normally opt for an electric bike, the main obstacle is still the price. Virvolt has several electrification services that will result in bikes with power equivalent to that of a mid-range e-bike, tailored to everybody's needs and at highly affordable prices starting at €820 (motor wheel kit).

The batteries, which can be installed on bikes in less than 48 hours at the store, are light and top-of-the-range. Customers can convert their bikes into powerful e-bikes in record time.

A new customer experience

When they go to do their shopping, Carrefour customers can take advantage of a service and tailored support at the very same hypermarket that they are accustomed to visiting. This new corner in the Carré-Sénart hypermarket is just the first step: the aim is to roll this initiative out to other stores in the Group.

The aim of this workshop that we have come up with alongside Virvolt is to bolster the commitments that Carrefour has made to the circular economy, while at the same time providing new in-store experiences with a very affordable bike electrification and repair service; a unique initiative in the retail sector

Emmanuel Rochedix, Director of non-food merchandise for Carrefour France.

Committed to soft forms of mobility

Virvolt applies the principles of the circular economy to soft mobility: since manufacturing new E-bikes generates pollution and around a million conventional bikes are abandoned every year, Virvolt's idea is to convert existing bikes by installing batteries and motors on them that can then be repaired over and over again.

The start-up is also tackling programmed obsolescence by increasing the useful life of its products by more than 50%. Furthermore, each part can be repaired independently of the others. And if reconditioning it is no longer possible, then it is tracked when it is recycled.


How can we create a soft form of mobility that is both high-performance and sustainable? By creating batteries and motors that everyone can afford and that can be repaired over and over again

 Jérôme Gaymard, Virvolt’s founder.