SANTA MONICA, CA – LimeBike is rolling out the first dock-free electric bike program in Santa Monica, the company announced Friday. LimeBike, who brought their electric bikes to Seattle and San Diego in February, costs $1 to unlock and 15 cents per minute of riding, according to the LimeBike press release.

Thomas Lord, the Los Angeles General Manager for LimeBike said Santa Monica is a great fit for the bikes because it's one of the most highly-trafficked areas in LA. "With our electric bikes, we hope to provide an affordable transportation option, alleviate congestion, improve urban mobility, and transform the future of transportation for all of LA," Lord said in a statement.

LA is cited as having the world's worst traffic congestion, with Santa Monica topping the list of U.S. cities with the worst traffic – largely due to the fact that the majority of its residents drive for their daily commute, according to the LimeBike press release. As Santa Monica continues to grow, LimeBike believes their scooters can help reduce traffic congestion by offering a mobility solution for shorter-distance trips. All of the bikes and scooters are GPS and 3G-enabled, making it simple for riders to find, unlock and pick up a nearby vehicle using their smartphone, the press release said. When the ride is finished, riders simply end the ride with the LimeBike mobile app and park the bike by the street curb, or at a bike rack, according to the press release.