A resource for electric bicycle enthusiasts.
What do a 71-year-old woman in the Netherlands, a governmental agent in San Francisco, and a marketing manager in Shanghai have in common? They are all riders of electric bicycles, featured in a recent article in the New York Times about the global market for e-bikes.
To read more about this $11 billion industry, check out An Electric Boost for Bicyclists on the New York Times.
Studies have shown that electric bikes are lower in energy use, carbon dioxide emissions, and lead emissions that cars, motorcycles, and even busses (when emissions are calculated per person.
For the full details on how electric bikes benefit the environment, check out Half Prius, Half Bike – Electric Bikes, on Mission Local.
Last month we reported on coming regulations for electric bike owners in Beijing. Since then, however, opposition and cycling supporters have caused enough pressure to stall these regulations from taking effect.
Read the details in Legal threat to China’s electric bikes postponed on BikeRadar.com
Electric bicycles have long been popular in China, and their popularity is now growing in the U.S.
“The average auto trip in the U.S. is five miles or less,” David Cabanban, bicycle business manager at Sanyo North America, explains. “At the end of the day, how do you lower pollution and get people healthy? We’ve got to get people back to riding bikes.”
Read the full article in the New York Times, Electric Bicycles Are Gaining a Toehold in U.S.
The Irish Times has published a thoughtful article covering the e-bike craze in China, exploring why electric bikes are so popular and what the future holds for the industry.
Read the full article, Innovation in electric bicycles.
Electric bikes are a huge hit in China, where road space and money are both at a premium. In fact, electric bikes sales have outstripped car sales in the country.
Read the full article, Electric Bike Sales Soaring in China, at Bikeradar.com
At the Interbike trade show this fall, EcoBikes took center stage. The Examiner has run a special feature on EcoBike electric bicycles, and the article features a great explanation of pedal assist and a discussion on what it feels like to ride an EcoBike around town!
Read the full story: Don’t Fear the EcoBike at the Examiner.
Electric bikes are prolific in China, and due to their ease of use and affordability, the motorbike industry has taken a hit in terms of market share. In an attempt to recover, motorbike industry proponents have drafted and proposed legislation that would lower the maximum speed for an electric bike and require such things as driver and bike licensing.
To learn how electric bicycle advocates are fighting this legislation, read: Electric bike plan drives cyclists to fury on China Daily.
The New York Times has posted an article detailing how it is that electric bike sales are soaring in New York , especially when use of the vehicles is in some places prohibited by law. The article describes urban e-bike users from Chinese food delivery men to screenwriters.
Read the full article here: Despite Ban, Electric Bikes Gain Favor on City Streets.
An 67-year-old Englishman who was told my doctors he’d never walk again has just set the world record for miles travelled on an electric bycicle. He completed his 1,912 mile trip at Lands End, UK. Of the trip, Eddie Sedgemore said, “It was a long journey and I faced some horrendous wind and rain along the way, but looking back now it was all worth it.”
