Whether you’re at home, on holiday or anywhere else, this quick guide will tell you everything you need to know to keep your E-Bike safe & legal.
A quick guide to what makes a bike an E-Bike, how they differ from regular bikes & motorbikes, and how they can help make your life better.
Thinking of turning your regular bike into a supercharged E-Bike? Here’s our pick of the best conversion kits available.
Capable of pedalling across lakes at speeds of 20kph, we take a look at what some are calling “the next frontier on water”.
Panasonic announced that its e-bike system is the first in North America to receive the new e-bike safety certification – UL 2849 from Underwriters Laboratory
More and more boat owners are resorting to foldable e-bikes for making the most of their trips ashore.
While the residents of New York were still celebrating the holidays, Governor Cuomo vetoed a bill that would have legalized e-bikes in their state.
Only months since suspending operations due to bikes reportedly catching fire, Lyft have just announced their return this December.
In over 1,000 cities across the globe, the sight of e-bikes whizzing down the roads is a familiar one. A Statista report using data from 2016 shows that over 33 million electric bikes have been sold in China alone.
China currently represents the majority of the e-bike market, with its closest contemporary as Europe with a recorded 1.6 million sales. In Japan, the United States, and several other countries, commuters are exploring the benefits of e-bikes.
With new advances in the integration of technology into bicycle functionality, experts are predicting rapid growth in this industry. In their latest report, Deloitte TMT shares several predictions for e-bikes over the next three years (2020-2023).
Here are the possible developments in the e-bike industry to look out for.
More than 130 million e-bikes are expected to be sold between 2020 and 2023.
Electric bike makers are releasing new, innovative products consistently. There has also been a recent crop up of e-bike retailers providing both online and offline access to customers. With better market access to the product, Deloitte TMT researchers expect higher sales of e-bikes within the next three years.
We’re already seeing an increase in the sales of e-bikes around the world. Earlier this year, one of the biggest European e-bike retailers reported a 40% sales growth. They sold 290,000 units in the first six months of 2019.
In the United States, the NPD Retail Tracking Service reports that unit sales of electric bikes rose to 73%. That represents about 400,000 units sold. With the recorded growth in sales, Deloitte TMT’s prediction may fall quite close to the mark.
While biking is popular, only a small percentage of the population uses bicycles as an active form of transportation. In the US and Canada, reports show that only 1% of the workforce commute using bikes. The Deloitte report predicts that e-bikes will push that margin to 2%. A one-point increase may not seem like much, but represents billions of additional bike rides per year.
Recently, more people are questioning the price of our daily commute on the environment. Driving is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. A report by the EIA shows that burning one gallon of gasoline can release up to 20 pounds of CO2 emissions. This means that the average gas-fueled vehicle produces between 6-9 pounds of CO2 every year.
Thanks to technological innovation, bike rides are becoming safer, faster, and more affordable. Deloitte believes that these changes will help commuters make a switch to e-bikes, especially for shorter journeys.
With an estimate of additional tens of billions of bike rides, this report predicts that e-bikes will make a significant contribution to the global cause for lower emissions.
Tens of billions of additional bike rides by 2022
E-bikes are becoming increasingly popular for first-mile, last-mile, and overall travel. As more people are introduced to advanced biking systems, Deloitte predicts rapid growth in the number of e-bikes on the road. To be more specific, they expect to record additional tens of billions of bike rides by 2022.
Not only are e-bikes in high demand, but they are also becoming cheaper to manufacture. Both affordable and high-end models are receiving a surge in interest from the market. End users and e-bike services companies are buying more and more of these products.
The Deloitte report estimates that about 130 million e-bikes will be sold between 2020 and 2023, generating about $20 million in revenue. However, e-bikes using different technologies are expected to bring in different percentages of these estimated sales.
Two-fifth of all e-bikes sold globally between 2020 and 2023 are expected to feature LIB
Before 2016, about 80% of the electric bikes sold were fitted with heavy lead batteries. However, recent improvements in lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are shifting the market. LIBs are lightweight, discharge at a more manageable rate, and contain lower levels of toxic chemicals than other batteries such as the heavy lead option.
With these improvements, the Deloitte report predicts that two-fifth of the e-bikes sold between 2020 and 2023 will feature LIBs. It also predicts that the proportion of LIB-powered e-bikes starting at about 25% in 2020 will rise to more than 60% in 2023.
By 2023, the number of e-bikes in circulation should be about 300 million, a 50% increase from 2019’s 200 million
According to the Deloitte report, the total number of e-bikes owned by both individuals and organizations should reach about 300 million by 2023. The report also notes that “the number of e-bikes on the roads will easily outpace other e-vehicles by the end of next year”. Simply put, they expect e-bikes to outsell electric cars.
This prediction is supported by research data which shows that 28% of e-bike buyers bought the e-bike as a substitute for a car. More and more commuters may choose e-bikes over cars, both electric and otherwise.
Electrified bike-sharing programs, docked as well as dockless, are likely to proliferate in 2020 and beyond
Bike-sharing services are providing commuters with access to e-bikes at their point of demand. So far, there are over 1,000 cities around the world with docked and dockless bike sharing programs. This represents tens of millions of shareable bikes. The Deloitte report expects these platforms to acquire more electric bikes, rental locations, and a healthy dose of competition.
Conclusion
All the Deloitte TMT predictions for the e-bike industry from 2020-2023 point to one expectation: rapid growth. Bicycles will still make up only a small fraction of transportation, but the changes will be evident. As the industry grows, it is expected that departments of transportation and urban planning divisions will start to take note, and make improvements for bicycle infrastructure.
Interested in the full report? Download it here: Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Predictions 2020 – Deloitte.
Over the years, slews of different bicycle technologies have sprung up, promising to “change the way we ride”. Not much stuck, except among niche users. Today, one of these technologies, the e-bike, seems to be a fast-growing favourite of many cyclists.
More and more people are abandoning regular bikes for e-bikes to satisfy their recreation and commuting needs. So what makes e-bikes special? Why are e-bikes better than regular bikes?
1. E-bikes provide assisted pedaling
One barrier to cycling is the fear of exhaustion. People want to ride bikes, but they also don’t want to be stuck halfway to their destination because they’re too tired to keep going. With e-bikes, every rider has a battery-powered assistant attached.
This assistant comes in the form of an electrical drive system. When you push on the pedals or throttle button, a motor is engaged, giving you the boost you need.
With this extra boost, you can ride long distances, up hills, and over rough ground with no physical exertion.
With the assistance of motors, e-bikes make for a more reliable mode of transportation. You can cycle to work, school or other commute stops without being drenched in sweat every time.
You can disengage the motors to get some fitness benefits and re-engage them as needed. Your cycling experience now comes with a full range of options.
2. They can go faster with less effort
One of the advantages of cycling, especially in urban areas with high congestion rates, is speed.
Cyclists can maneuver through bigger vehicles to get to their destination quicker. With e-bikes, you can outpace other cyclists too. You can boost your speed using the motor to a set limit.
With both assisted pedaling and speed boosts, you can cover long distances within a shorter time frame.
3. E-bikes make up for the first mile/last mile problem
Cyclists with regular bikes usually reserve their rides for first-mile and last-mile needs. For example, let’s assume that someone works 40-minutes away from home.
They are more likely to cycle from their home to a bus/train station, use the public system, then walk the rest of the way to work.
Alternatively, the person may rent a bike from a bikesharing service, use public transportation, then rent another bike to complete the last stage of their commute.
E-bikes can completely remove this problem. Users can cycle to-and-from work faster and at their convenience. Bikes can be considered as a major vehicle for transportation rather than a supplement.
4. E-bikes are the better substitute for vehicles
E-bikes are better considered as an upgrade from cars, not traditional bikes. One survey showed that 28% of e-bike buyers bought the e-bike as a substitute for a car, not as an upgrade to a bike.
In the US, the most reported reason for buying an e-bike is to replace car trips. E-bikes are not just the future of cycling. They are the future of transportation. There’s an e-bike for every need.
The innovation in the e-bike industry has gone beyond single-person commuting use. Manufacturers are creating everything from cargo e-bikes to fat bikes, full-suspension mountain bikes, and performance road bikes.
Brands like UPS and Dominos Pizza are already experimenting with electric cargo bikes for better delivery service.
5. E-bikes offer both personal and commercial users with better functionality than traditional bikes.
For example, the delivery of a dozen pizzas on a traditional bike could overwhelm the driver. With an electric bike, they could manage their weight and speed better.
The Dominos Pizza trial recorded better satisfaction and higher reviews from the customers who received an e-bike riding delivery person.
6. Even the seasoned cyclists will ride more.
If you enjoy a few hours of cycling with a traditional bike, getting an e-bike will boost your number of hours spent on a bike. A recent survey gathered supporting data from 1,800 e-bike owners in North America. Before owning an e-bike, only 55% of the respondents said that they rode daily or weekly. After owning an e-bike, the number of respondents who rode daily or weekly jumped to 91%.
E-bikes make cycling easier and faster, prompting experienced cyclists to push their limits. The benefits of an e-bike can be integrated with already existing confidence and expertise to use bikes for their daily commute.
Even if you don’t own a traditional bike, e-bikes will still appeal to you. The same survey showed that 94% of non-cyclists began to cycle daily or weekly after owning an e-bike.
7. E-bikes create inclusive transportation opportunities.
Cycling is not the most inclusive mode of transportation. People with health concerns and who are of advanced age may struggle to use a traditional bicycle. Even seasoned cyclists will be cut off if they develop an injury.
With e-bikes, this entry barrier can be lowered. Electric bikes reduce the amount of physical effort that is needed to ride a bike over a significant distance.
They can also provide better rehabilitation exercises for people who are recovering from injuries. Old people can also use e-bikes as a moderate but effective form of exercise.
8. E-bikes offer better sustainability in transportation.
While regular bicycles are emission-free, users often have to pair them with driving or public transportation. This means that they will contribute significantly to CO2 emissions over some time.
Electric bikes are also emission-free, but require careful disposal due to the heavy metals in their batteries. Their advantage lies in the fact that an e-bike owner can cycle around their city or town easily without the need to drive or use public transportation. This makes e-bikes a more sustainable option for people looking to reduce their contribution to emissions.
9. With e-bikes, you can exercise at your own pace
Cycling is one of the most daunting forms of exercise. Especially for people who don’t have a good history of fitness. Some of the biggest concerns are lack of skills, quick exhaustion, and isolation on the road when they may need help. Choosing an e-bike could help a new cyclist to overcome these concerns. They can exercise at their own speed, pedaling when needed, and allowing the motor to take over for break periods. An e-bike is the best option to ease into a cycling habit.
Conclusion
Both e-bikes and regular bikes are important to the cycling culture. Most people gained their interest in cycling because of regular bikes. The feeling of freedom as your thighs burn with the speed of your pedaling while the wind hits your face cannot be replaced.
However, e-bikes offer new (and needed) benefits by reducing the barrier of entry for so many people. The experience of cycling has been successfully replicated and improved thanks to their advancement in technology and design.
Your go to place for everything Ebike in Canada
– Since 2014 –
Your go to place for everything Ebike in Canada
– Since 2014 –
