E-bikes are: 

• Cheaper to purchase - cost from as little as $1,500 for a basic commuter bike up to $7,000 for a high end cargo bike.

• Cheaper to maintain

• Cheaper to operate - less than a penny a mile for charging electricity.[1]

• Require no expensive charging infrastructure - charging only requires plugging a portable pack into a regular 120V 15-20 amp outlet. [2]

• More climate efficient - 20 times more miles per pound of climate emissions than electric cars from charging electricity emissions. [3]

• More battery efficient - 30-100 times more miles per pound of battery than an electric car [4]

• Faster at deliveries than vans - A recent study found that electric cargo bicycles in London were able to make make deliveries 60% faster than delivery vans. [5]

• Better for interactions with the public - Employees are more accessible and have more contact with the public when riding a bicycle than when enclosed in a car. 

• Better for situational awareness - A rider can see and hear much more than a driver can in all directions - particularly important for police on the beat. 

• Can beat traffic congestion - Bikes can bypass congestion and accidents that trap cars and trucks, fitting through narrow openings between cars or down alleys or turning around to take alternate routes. Bikes at a destination, also don't cause congestion the way double parked utility and delivery vans do. A NYC study calculated a $240M/year savings in congestion delays and pollution from shifting deliveries to ebike microhubs. [6]

• Can go more places - Bikes can access places that cars and trucks are not allowed (e.g. across parkland) or where the car or truck would be very intrusive (e.g. pedestrian paths) 

• Don’t damage streets 

• Only require a fraction of the parking space - 2 cargo bikes or up to 10 regular bikes can fit in a normal car parking space

• Provide a great example to citizens or customers 

• All the advantages of bikes without the sweat and exhaustion - Staff do not show up to meeting sweating and police can crank up motor support do a high speed chase of a fleeing suspect and still have all their energy for the intervention when they catch up. 

For more info on ebikes, how they work and how to purchase, protect and maintain them, see Ebike 101  

For programs that support the purchase of ebikes, see Incentive Programs

For insights into how effective ebikes are, see Studies 

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