Electric bikes could solve many of our problems

A Bicycle Association report from 2019 says that, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria, ebikes now account for over 30 per cent of bicycles sold annually. Across Europe, sales of ebikes are higher than any other electric vehicle.

It is a similar story in the USA, too. Research by the Light Electric Vehicle Association shows the ebike market is growing rapidly with the USA importing 463,00 bikes in 2020 and 790,000 in 2021, surpassing electric car imports in the process.

It’s not just the environment that electric bikes can benefit. They can also improve people’s well-being and day-to-day existence.On one hand, this is because electric bikes can help you get fit. But on the other, it’s because electric bikes can be useful for a wider range of people than non-assisted bikes.Electric bikes can be good for people whose passion for cycling has been hindered by ill health.But they are also good for people who have other health conditions that limit their engagement with cycling and would benefit from motor assistance. This includes people who have balance and coordination issues. The electric motors mean less force is required to start moving and consequently your weight doesn’t have to be moved off centre.

There are financial benefits, too. Budget electric bikes and conversion kits lower the price barrier to assisted riding and are cheaper than other modes of transport, which in turn helps to lift people out of transport poverty. This is particularly important considering the current cost of living crisis, which has already seen more people take to cycling.The carbon footprint of an electric bike may be higher than a non-assisted bike, but their potential to get a broader mix of people cycling – and, ideally, out of cars – shouldn’t be overlooked.