Picture a regular bicycle, then add several electrical components to it like a motor, a battery, and a controller – all seamlessly integrated into the design. Now let’s see how it impacts riding.
These bikes get up to 750w of power (similar to a hair dryer) and can go anywhere from 50 to 75 miles on a single charge.
E-bikes travel on average 2-3 mph faster than regular bikes. They also go farther: A typical bike share ride is 1.9 miles but typical e-bike share ride is 3 miles.
A motor helps propel the rider, either by pedal assistance – meaning the motor engages as rider pedals – or via a handlebar throttle.
Younger adults who want to replace car trips and make their commute easier, quicker, or cheaper.
Older adults and those with a physical limitation are motivated by effort reduction.
Parents who want to take their kids to school and run short errands.
The majority of riders are 40 to 70 years old, but 25 to 35 year-olds are adopting e-biking at a quick clip. Riders are generally educated and from median income families, but demographics are broadening. People e-bike for many reasons, but mainly for recreation, health, transportation or to run errands.
e-bike users
rode their e-bike weekly or daily, up from 55% when they rode a pedal bike
of their trips would have been done by car without their e-bike
bought their e-bikes to reduce their car reliance
In 2014, Portland State University gave 150 Kaiser Permanente employees e-bikes to use for 10 weeks. Researchers found:
The number of people commuting to work by bike at least once a week more than doubled.
The number of people biking at least once a month for shopping or other errands doubled.
The number of people biking to visit friends or family at least once a week more than quadrupled.
Germany is using e-bikes to deliver mail as are UPS and DHL in other European cities.
Jump, a e-bikeshare (formerly Social Bicycles), launched in SF in January with 250 bikes. Jump partnered with Uber to make these e-bikes accessible via the Uber app.
Research suggests that people prefer e-bike share over traditional bike share and will seek out an e-bike if available
In Portland, OR, you can get produce, baked goods, and coffee delivered via electric-tricycle.
Facebook and LinkedIn use cargo e-bikes + a trailer to move bikes around large corporate campuses.
Police officers in Gloucestershire are testing them for neighborhood patrols.
