Extract from The Guardian
Since the invention of gears, nothing has encouraged more people to get on a bicycle than the introduction of electric motors and batteries. When people have an ebike, they drive less and cycle more. A study of frequent car drivers in Sweden found the distance people drove fell close to 40% once they were provided with an ebike.
Conventional bikes don’t have anywhere near the same ability to get people out of their cars, due to their reliance on muscle power.
Ebikes aren’t bikes as we’ve known them – they perform more like a car, motorbike or escooter. We need to start thinking of ebikes as a distinct form of transport.
But as authorities grapple with a tide of overpowered ebikes used illegally on roads, making the best use of these vehicles will also have to include clearer, tighter regulations.
What do ebikes have over regular bikes?
Ebikes overcome five challenges limiting use of conventional bikes:
1. Distance
Ebikes allow riders to go further than conventional bikes. Ebikes designed for city use offer a range of about 30km to 80km per charge. They’re particularly attractive in regional Australian towns
characterised by sprawl and little to no public transport. High-end
ebikes can offer 100km in range or more, but come with big price tags.
Riding 100km every week for a year would cost about $20 in electricity to charge.
2. Hills
Hilliness
is a major challenge for many cyclists, especially those who aren’t fit
or who ride bikes to get from place to place rather than for exercise.
By contrast, the electric motors of ebikes make uphill climbs much more
manageable. In hilly Australian cities such as Brisbane and Sydney,
ebikes open up new routes.
3. Weather
People
don’t like to ride conventional bikes as much if it’s very hot or cold.
Ebikes require less physical effort, meaning riders sweat less in hot
weather. In the cold, ebikes can increase wind chill compared with a
conventional bike, but they also help riders reach their destinations
faster and reduce overall exposure to cold. Owners do have to take
weather into account, because cold can reduce battery life, while heat
can reduce how long a battery lasts. Long exposure to heavy rain may
damage ebikes too. Good undercover storage is necessary.
4. Cargo
Riding
a pushbike with two kids or groceries on board is challenging. Extra
weight requires extra effort. Cargo ebikes make it much easier to
transport loads between 100 and 200kg. These models are heavier and
bulkier than regular ebikes, making storage and manoeuvring in tight
spaces more difficult.
5. Physical limitations
Ebikes can be a useful option for groups who can’t easily use conventional bikes. These include older adults,
pregnant people and individuals with medical conditions limiting their
movement. Caution does have to be taken, though. The sudden acceleration
of an ebike can startle riders and increase risk of falls, while
travelling at higher speeds can be challenging for those with slower
reflexes. Proper training is essential.
Risks stem from regulatory failure
Like any form of transport, ebikes come with risks. Reports of ebikes catching fire and hitting pedestrians have triggered public anxiety and even proposals to restrict or ban them.
Many residential and commercial buildings have banned ebike charging or parking indoors to avoid any battery fires, while public transport bans have been floated.
The reality is, battery fires and lethal crashes are overwhelmingly due to non-compliant ebikes with low-quality batteries or with power levels well beyond the limit legally allowed on Australian roads.
Many of these vehicles shouldn’t be thought of as ebikes. They’re more like unregistered illegal electric motorcycles.
What defines a true ebike?
Most countries have adopted the European EN15194 ebike standard, which defines an ebike as a vehicle with:
-
continuous rated power of no more than 250 watts
-
maximum pedal-assisted speed of 25km/h
-
maximum speed of 6km/h when using only a throttle
It must also meet the safe battery standards (known as EN50604).
Unfortunately, in 2021 the Australian government removed ebikes from its definition of a “road vehicle”. Bar Western Australia, all Australian states followed suit.
At a stroke, non-compliant vehicles became exempt from import standards. Overpowered vehicles with questionable batteries could be freely imported – as long as they were only used on private land.
This loophole has been widely used to import thousands of dangerous vehicles. Once in Australia, many end up on the roads. Some souped-up or illegally modified bikes can reach speeds as high as 90km/h – and have caused deaths. These models have also become popular among younger Australians.
If nothing is done, the flood of illegal and unsafe models could undermine the real benefits of ebikes.
In recent months, cycling researchers and advocacy groups have called for authorities to step in and close loopholes permitting the import of illegal devices, ban their sale and encourage uptake of European-standard ebikes.
A new form of transport
Ebikes are quietly revolutionary. Once the ebike sector is properly regulated, authorities should focus on making the most of their potential.
Separated lanes are vital and are especially important for ebike riders, who can travel faster and may be more at risk of injury if they crash compared with traditional bikes.
Temporary subsidies are another option to drive uptake. Researchers overseas have shown the benefits from ebike subsidies outweigh the cost.
If we do this right, millions of Australians could eventually rely on an ebike rather than a car.
Richard J Buning is a research lead at the Micromobility Research Cluster at the University of Queensland and Dorina Pojani is an associate professor in urban planning at the University of Queensland
This article was originally published in the Conversation
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