What Are the Benefits of Using an Electric Bike Instead of a Car

Our over-reliance on cars is a major contributor to global warming and declining air quality in cities around the world. As more vehicles hit the road, traffic congestion makes these issues even worse. Fortunately, eBikes have the potential to break the cycle (no pun intended) and help people meet their transportation needs. And all in a more environmentally, socially friendly way.

The switch from cars to electric bike offers numerous benefits to riders. It serves to improve physical health, reduce carbon footprints and lower transportation costs. 

eBikes: An Essential Transportation Option

Riding a bicycle produces much less pollution than a car, and it’s more physically engaging than sitting in the driver’s seat of a sedan. However, some commutes are long enough for cycling to be impractical, and anyone who’s biked through Los Angeles will know that it’s not for the faint of heart — literally and figuratively. 

What about an electric bike?

At first, you might think that slapping a motor onto a bicycle defeats the whole purpose of a bicycle. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Electric power generation produces pollution, and you can’t be getting much exercise if that motor is doing the work for you. Although these ideas sound sensible, they are factually inaccurate. 

Electric Bicycles Reduce Your Environmental Impact

Electric bikes actually end up being quite environmentally friendly. They run on a combination of horsepower and manpower via their pedal-assist setting, which uses both power sources efficiently. Most of the pollution associated with an eCycle comes from the manufacturing phase, rather than your day-to-day usage. 

The European Cyclist Federation estimates that when you combine manufacturing, energy usage, replacement batteries, and the Chinese takeout you had for lunch, an electric bicycle only produces 21g of carbon per kilometer, over the typical bike’s lifespan. Many automobiles produce 10 times that amount of emissions during operation, even if you don’t count the tons of pollution created to roll a shiny new car out of the factory. Fewer drivers on the roads will also translate to further environmental benefits thanks to decreased congestion and more efficient traffic flow.

Pollution isn’t just about smog and fumes, either. Electric bikes are quiet and don’t produce significant noise pollution. When you make the change from a car to an eCycle, you’re taking an important step towards a greener lifestyle. 

Pedal-Assisted Electric Bike Is a Boost to Health

“Cheating” may be a word you can use to describe eating a slice of chocolate cake when you’re supposed to be dieting. But it doesn’t apply to electric cycling. While an eBike is easier to ride than a traditional bicycle by design, the cyclist still enjoys a healthy bout of aerobic exercise that’s more intense than walking. Studies show that electric bike riders compensate for the lower intensity of exercise compared to analog bikes by making longer journeys. 

While a traditional bike may theoretically be even better for your health, eBikes are a graceful solution to people who can’t rely on unassisted cycling. Maybe you live in an area defined by uneven, hilly ground, maybe you have health issues, or maybe showing up sweaty to your job would be socially unacceptable.  

Compared to commuting by car, the health benefits entailed in riding electric bikes look even more appealing. Driving is not an activity that’s famous for demanding a lot of energy unless you count exercising your patience when another driver cuts you off. Swapping out your car for an electric bike may result in lasting improvements to your cardiovascular health. 

Commute, Run Errands and Exercise Simultaneously

It can be difficult to manage life-work balance, so finding a way to kill two birds with one stone can be life-changing. Trying to fit aerobic exercise into your daily routine can be harder than fitting into the outfit you wore to prom. Using an electric bike instead of your car could be the solution you’re looking for.

You can combine quick, efficient transit with moderate-intensity exercise when you go grocery shopping, go about your day and head to and from work. You’ll spend a bit more time in transit, but you’ll knock out your need for regular exercise and have more time overall to relax and unwind. 

Save Money with Your eBike

Whether you intend to use an eBike to replace an automobile or to complement it, it can offer significant savings in the long term. While gas prices are always changing, you’ll never get the same mileage in your car as an electric bicycle: a full charge will cost you pennies in electricity. Car maintenance is also more expensive than maintaining an electric bicycle, which translates to hidden savings.

While eCycling has a reputation for being expensive, this reputation isn’t entirely accurate. Many affordable bikes don’t compromise on quality. The SWAGTRON® EB-5 Plus folding bicycle retails between $500 and $550 online and serves as a great commuter bike. Furthermore, the savings on transportation alone will cut into a significant portion of eBike expenses over the years. 

And, if you use your eBike for all your transportation needs, you’ll quickly find yourself saving hundreds of dollars each month between gas, car insurance, taxes and more. The costs and difficulty of maintenance pale in comparison to automobiles, which helps make eCycles an attractive option for city dwellers who don’t need a car. 

eBikes Have Something to Offer Everyone

Using an eBike instead of a car may result in tremendous financial savings and improved cardiovascular health and a drastically reduced carbon footprint. But you don’t have to quit your car “cold turkey.” Even choosing an electric bike over your car some of the time is enough to get you rolling in the right direction.

• Cut down on carbon emissions and energy usage
• Zero smog output, minimal noise pollution 
• Reduce congestion in traffic
• Lower automobile-related expenses
• Exercise while you run errands

The U.S. is vast and a lot of cities are spread out. So forgoing a car completely might be out of the question for you. But an electric bike can still be a huge benefit to and enhancement of your daily life. From getting you to the bus station quicker, completing simple errands and quick trips, to just cycling around with friends. You can hop on your eBike and know that you’re saving yourself some coin, getting some exercise, and doing your share for the environment.