Can Electric 2-Wheelers Play a Substantial Role in Reducing CO2 Emissions?

A survey of electric bicycle (e-bike) users in the Sacramento-Davis area of California found a number of benefits. E-bikes are fast, allowing e-bikers to reduce commute time and allow them to ride more frequently than if they ride traditional bikes, especially during hot and windy days. The ease of acceleration makes obeying stop signs or riding uphill less onerous and provides e-bikers with more confidence when only vehicle lanes are available to bikers. E-bikes provide an option for green transportation to those who cannot or will not ride traditional bikes. Finally, they enable people with certain disabilities to continue to bike with the help of electric motors when needed. The barriers to the expansion of e-bike ridership include cost ($1,500 on average), heavy weight, lack of safe infrastructure, lack of emergency charging stations, and bike lanes which are not open to e-bikes. Such obstacles can be overcome with small government and business interventions.