Ebikes have been a game changer for old people.
Plenty of people can’t ride bikes because of hills and health. Most people don’t want to show up drenched in sweat and out of breath.
Ebikes and pedal assist are awesome. People can get out and about and get exercise. Or they can just cruise along and chit chat.
Ebikes aren’t supposed to replace EVs that have a climate controlled interior.
As a 57 year old who got my first ebike last year, having not been on a bike much in the last 10 years or more - I friggin love it. Makes a person feel like a kid again, there really is nothing like it. That elated feeling when you’re a kid burning it down the hills, you get that all the time on an ebike. That motor assist as you pedal and you get that fun downhill feeling even on level or rising ground. I love showing my ebike to older people when they come over and ask me about it. I see so many older people out on them now, it’s awesome.
A much better solution than a car in so many countries
I’d say most countries, including the rich ones.
Not a good solution for the use-cases cars are designed for. (Transporting multiple people long distances etc.) However an excelent solution for the use-cases people most often cover using their cars.
It cannot be understated how important electric scooters will be for developing markets in Asia and Africa in the coming years. Replacing the noisy and highly polluting 2 stroke engines in those vehicles will do way more for the environment and quality of life than any $50k electric SUV will ever do.
So much more bang for your buck.
E-Scooters have the great advantage that you can just take the batteries with you and plug them into any standard socket. No need for special charging infrastructure
I didn’t think biking was viable in the US, but for fun I bought an ebike. Turns out it was able to replace the vast majority of my car trips here in Austin.
Same here in LA. My wife calls it the ultimate cheat code, cuz it’s often the fastest method too
You might like John Zimmerman https://youtu.be/NyD6yFMRbHg?si=f8_M_fcQua_lfj4u
I just have a regular mechanical bike that’s sufficient enough for most local things.