The electric bike revolution
Michael Wagstaff • 7 May 2021
Sales of e-bikes set to go up a gear
There is a lot of discussion about how electric cars will change the automotive landscape but not so much about the impact of electric bikes. Imports of e-bikes in the last few years, particularly from China, have increased rapidly and so growth in use seems inevitable.
We've brought together some of the more interesting stats about e-bikes in this handy infographic. If the forecasts are right then e-bikes will become a much more familiar sight on the road.
Research shows that e-bike owners cycle longer distances than riders of normal bikes. This means that there is a greater potential for e-bikes to replace some journeys normally undertaken by car. In fact, one quarter of owners say they use their e-bike for journeys instead of the car so the environmental impacts are already becoming evident.
Despite the bold predictions of growth, only 7% of people in the UK say they want to try an e-bike in the next 12 months. In Italy the corresponding figure is 30%. It is clear that significant investment in UK cycling infrastructure will be needed to achieve the level of growth forecast.
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