They’re
a major hit in China, with over 120 million sold over the last decade. With
rising fuel prices and congestion fees popping up all around the country,
e-bikes – an incredible new form of electronic bicycle – are quickly becoming
the ‘next big thing’ in Europe thanks to their tiny form factor and incredibly
low cost of use.
Electric
bicycles have been around for a long amount of time, with models on sale in the
United Kingdom for the better part of twenty years. Formerly used by hobbyists
as an inexpensive transportation option, electric bicycles are now going
mainstream in the UK, with an estimated 700,000 electric bikes sold in Europe
throughout 2010.
Given
the rising cost of getting around towns and cities in the UK by public
transport and private vehicle, it’s easy to see the advantages of electric
bikes. But many riders report being drawn to electric bicycles for reasons
other than their low costs, ‘green’ record, and their comfort for riders.
Many
electric bicycle owners are former cyclists who have grown tired of riding to
and from work on cool mornings. Preferring to save their energy to use as their
job, these former hobbyist cyclists have taken to electric bikes thanks to
their surprising amount of power and reasonably efficient use of electrical
energy.
A single
battery charge is often enough to drive an electric bike and its rider for over
twenty miles – in some cases, even further when the pedals are used lightly. As
most office workers would prefer to avoid performing a Tour De France feat of
endurance every morning, the self-riding electric bikes have gained a large
amount of users.
Another
key benefit amongst electric bicycle users is the low electricity usage and
fantastic green record of e-bikes. While motorcycles use a large amount of
petrol – in some cases, far more per passenger than a larger car – many former
scooter and motorcycle riders have turned to electric bikes as a clean and
green alternative.
The
average electric bicycle puts out no emissions and uses only a nominal amount
of electricity as it pushes its rider along their commute, research shows. As
such, it’s a great green idea to ride an electric bicycle to and from work
instead of using your car, your motorcycle, or any number of other polluting
forms of transportation.
Finally,
the low cost of operating an electric bicycle is an obvious draw for workers
and commuters searching for a cheap form of transportation. With the cost of
public transport on the rise and petrol now at extortionate levels, the low
cost of charging an electric bicycle is a small price to pay for a simple,
stress-free daily commute.
From
their environmental advantages to their cost-cutting benefits, electric bikes
are growing in popularity for good reason. Now the de-facto form of city
transport in many parts of China and a growing travel choice in Continental
Europe, electric bikes are rapidly becoming the UK’s number one personal
transport choice.
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