Last March, the Chinese national government began enforcing decade-old standards requiring that e-bikes weigh no more than 40 kilograms (88 pounds) with top speeds of no more than 20 kilometers per hour (12.4 mph). Any e-bikes that exceeded those limits would be deemed substandard and be subject to confiscation.
U.S. consumers catch on, but slowly
In the United States, where e-bikes have captured a tiny niche within the larger bicycle industry, the challenge is convincing bicycle purists about e-bikes and converting users from strictly recreational riders into commuters for work or personal business.
Larry Pizzi, president of Chatsworth, Calif.-based Currie Technologies, the largest e-bike distributor in the United States, said the e-bike industry saw a sizable boost in 2008, when gasoline prices in the United States soared to nearly $4 per gallon. That trend repeated itself in 2011 as gas prices soared again, and could happen again this summer if pump prices go up.
"I think there is a growing interest, particularly among urban dwellers, that is directly linked to the cost of gasoline," Pizzi said. At the same time, he said, urbanites are seeking more convenient ways to navigate city streets and sidewalks without the hassle and cost of parking a motorcycle or full-size vehicle.
Benjamin said urban planners and developers are increasingly discussing how to efficiently move people to their workplaces, shopping districts, parks and other places that are within commuting distance but are not walkable due to terrain, weather or other obstacles.
"This is what transportation planners now call the 'first-kilometer vehicle,'" Benjamin said. "We used to drive those kinds of distances, and we touted the idea of 'inexpensive automobile transportation.' But those three words don't fit together anymore."
Not surprisingly, experts say the early adopters of e-bikes in the United States are people living in high-density areas such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, as well as in bicycle-friendly cities with hilly terrain such as San Francisco and Seattle.
E-bikes are also being deployed by police departments -- Los Angeles has police officers on 26 e-bikes -- and on traffic-choked college campuses such as the University of Tennessee, where Cherry and his associates have piloted a program to get students and faculty out of their cars and onto motorized bikes.
Pizzi said the U.S. market for e-bikes also includes many older Generation Xers and Baby Boomers who seek a recreational bicycle for short trips and mild exercise. "Their initial intent is to buy the e-bike to have fun recreationally, but what inevitably happens is they seed how easy and practical it is to use it for other things," Pizzi said. "They begin to use it for neighborhood transportation."
Cost remains a factor for e-bike adopters in the United States. An entry-level e-bike sold by Currie Technologies -- with most of its components coming from China -- runs around $1,000, roughly three times more than a conventional bicycle of equal quality, Pizzi said. Higher-end e-bikes, such as those used by the Los Angeles Police Department, can fetch as much as $5,000 per unit.
Even so, "almost every nation in the world has been exploring the idea of electric bikes," said Benjamin. And as Chinese production continues to scale up, with exports to as many as 200 countries last year, there's little reason to think the technology won't take hold elsewhere, including the United States.
Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500
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Add CommentThis would work really well, if we could do away with that whole "winter" thing. And reducing emissions certainly won't help accomplish that!
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Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisUntil China can make an Ebike that lasts even it being an EV won't help.
I ended up building my own e moped trike using a moped front end, a battery box frame and a hot rodded golf cart transaxle. Extremely reliable, very low cost, under 1cent/mile to run electric and battery and gets around 600mpge either energy or cost wise.
As for all yr I'm putting a cabin on mine to keep out the sun, rain and cold.
I'm also building a 20mph wheelchair with 40 mile range that also will have a removable cabin for bad weather.
Jerry: your dream bike sounds a lot like my first vehicle that required a driver's license. It cost more to fuel than "under 1cent/mile" but not very much compared to an automobile. The year was 1958, I was 22 years old and an Ensign in the Navy. The vehicle was a used Messerschmitt tricycle-wheeled motor-scooter, with 2 tandem car-style seats and a lift-back dome that could be removed in good weather. It got over 65 miles per gallon, used an oil/gas mixture that stank--but no worse than a 1950s motorcycle. It was capable of 65 MPH (does anyone need to go faster than that?) and was so lightweight that some unknown kids picked it up one night where it was parked on-street and crammed it in front of the main door of the Coronado National Bank. I got a ticket, but when the judge heard my story and saw a photo of that little darling he tore up the ticket while laughing till tears got in his ears.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you want to see Messerschmitts in action, rent the film BRAZIL. As for my cutie, it putted around Coronado, CA for a couple of years, during which time the Messerschmitt dealerships in the US closed down, unable to compete with ugly 2-toned finned & portholed monstrosities that got 4 to 6 miles per gallon. I couldn't afford to send to West Germany for parts on an Ensign's almost nonexistent salary, so I finally sold my little darling to a VW dealer for use as a parts car abd bought a pedal bike. The VW folks painted advertising all over the body, and the last time I was back in Coronado, in the mid 60s, it was still put-putting around. I'll be 76 in 3 weeks, and still have happy dreams of that fun vehicle! An electric one would be, of course, non-smelly, cleaner, and even cheaper to drive. My suggestion to you is to obtain an ancient Messerschmitt body and go from there!
Not while these guys are in power!! Note most are oil backed. They will pay for the laws that need to be formed to protect their assets.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.cnbc.com/id/45553238/?par=vty
A littler off topic but, Free eyesight anyone??
http://victoriafriendsofcuba.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/mission-miracle-performed-almost-200000-eye-surgeries-in-2011/
http://victoriafriendsofcuba.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/mission-miracle-performed-almost-200000-eye-surgeries-in-2011/
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI love the 'Shmitt' since I saw my first one when you had yours.
I'm building an all composite stronger than steel EV sportwagon with just 1 rear wheel too. It'll get the equivalent of 250mpg and both with gasoline DC generators charging the battery for unlimited range over 100mpg.
Pedal bikes could save even more, and give us exercise besides. Even better when we can make them out of wood, or maybe grow them. I haven't owned a car for 15 years, now 76.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe missing Link between an E-Bike and a Car is called Velomobile. With a cabin, three or four weels and mostly without E-Motor, even in wood, if you like:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://plywoodvelomobile.blogspot.com/2011/01/paddy-makes-his-maiden-ride.html
In the eightys, the Scientific American dit allready a Cover - story about a raceversion called "Vector". Today there are in every day use by entusiasts, like in the "Race across America" lately.
Future coudt be now...
Sorry, forgot some links:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisrecommended Site about the "Roll over America" (ROAM)with over 40 Velomobil-"cars" driving arcoss the states:
http://rolloveramerica.eu
Some Manufacturer Sites:
http://www.milan-velomobil.de/index.htm
http://www.velomobiel.nl/
and one about history of pedalcars:
http://www.mochet.org/Velocars/velocars.html
or a Velocar race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ah-c_379f6M&feature=related
With the "pedalcar" and the "PVV", there had been even two trys in the oil-crisis of the 70´in America
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe problem with pedaling is you stink later in the day too often. A .3hp e motor allows a steady 20 mph and eff of, so high it doesn't matter as only pennies/100 miles.
This morning I bought 2 big wheelchairs I'll turn into personal transport modules with 50 mile range at 20 mph with option weather cabin. These can be driven on a bus, in buildings, trains etc too.
And most of my fun stuff and prototypes are almost all built from wood/epoxy because it's cheap, easy, light, looks great finished clear.
My present transport is a hot rodded golf cart transaxle which in really light, aero vehicles can get 50mph with higher voltage and bigger car tires, wood chassis/battery box and MC fron end. Extremely reliable and 600 mpge.
Here I'm recommending my own website (-: ).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI still think that if you want to learn a lot more about electric bicycle. It this a nice page about electric bicycle trend and statistics from around the world: http://www.electric-bicycle-guide.com/electric-bicycle-news.html