Cars have been around for several decades, and most people love them—except for the part where they can be costly and damaging to the environment. Add to the fact the inconvenience of having to go through searching for open parking spaces.
With e-bikes, these inconveniences are little to none, making them an excellent alternative to driving your usual internal combustion engine car. E-bikes are also eco-friendly since they use batteries to store energy rather than gas which emits harmful gases afterward.
In this article, we’ll share how electric bikes can be sustainable and convenient compared to driving an ICE or electric car.
Easier to Park
Let’s face it, too many vehicles are cramming every major road today, and parking spaces are dwindling and can’t keep up with rising car sales. If you’re a car owner, you might have experienced once where you can’t seem to find an empty parking space.
With e-bikes, parking is an easy thing to do—especially if you have a folding e-bike. As for bigger e-bikes, they can be parked almost anywhere with access to metal bars. Just grab your lock and park away.
Most parking spaces with spaces for bikes and e-bikes alike don’t require a hefty amount of fees (some don’t even have fees at all), making parking a whole lot easier both for the user and the user’s wallet.
Cost and Price
Cost and price are two of the main reasons why e-bikes are more convenient than using a car. First, a car is expensive to buy, and the price ranges from several thousand dollars to even a hundred thousand dollars, depending on the make, brand, and model.
An e-bike is a cheaper alternative as you can buy a good model without splurging more than $2,000. Sure, e-bikes cost as much as $10,000but most will never even think about buying one.
There also goes the issue of gas prices. Cars need gas to run; e-bikes don’t but require electricity to charge batteries. Nevertheless, gas prices are still pricey, and electricity is less expensive than gas since we have multiple energy sources in the US.
Eco-Friendlier
An e-bike is eco-friendlier than a car, whether an ICE car or an electric-powered one. Since an ICE car uses gas to combust and give power to the engine, they emit carbon dioxide and other harmful gases into the air—contributing to air pollution.
As for electric-powered cars, or e-cars, in short, their environmental impact has got to do with the way materials needed for assembly are gathered. For example, unsustainable mining operations are made to collect the minerals required for the car’s massive battery.
With e-bikes, batteries are exponentially smaller and don’t emit carbon dioxide and any other harmful gas into the atmosphere. In addition, most e-bike manufacturers today also conform to environmental standards. So if you’re mindful of your carbon emissions, an e-bike is a good choice.
No Mandatory Docs Needed
If you don’t like paperwork and other related stuff, an e-bike is likely a good option for you. Unlike cars, may it be traditional cars or electric, e-bikes rarely need registration documents.
Well, some states require registration for more powerful e-bikes capable of reaching speeds of 40 mph or more. But since most e-bikes are underpowered to get you up that speed, you’ll likely not need to register yours once you buy one.
Insurance documents are also not needed, as these are optional when you own an e-bike. But of course, getting one to cover you financially would be better if your e-bike gets stolen or damaged. Plus, the owner may be covered too!
Riding Counts as a Workout
If you’re health conscious, but your schedule is challenging to manage, and finding the time to work out seems like an impossible task, your e-bike ride to and from work counts as a workout… Don’t believe us?
Conventional bikes make use of raw human power, but e-bikes use electric motors to assist your pedaling ability and endurance. But that doesn’t mean you’ll never break a sweat and feel your heart rate in its normal range.
In fact, e-bikes still require a considerable amount of force to pedal. And we doubt you’ll ever feel your heart rate go up. The main difference between riding a traditional and an e-bike is that the level of your power output for a trad bike will enable you to go further with an e-bike—all without removing the thrill of pedaling.
Summary
To sum it all up, an e-bike is a good alternative to driving a car, especially when you travel mostly alone. But, of course, nothing beats the safety and convenience of being protected from the elements when you’re inside a car, and e-bikes get trumped in this category.
But with the emerging benefits and necessary infrastructure for bikes and e-bikes alike, e-bikes are slowly riding past cars conveniently and cost-wise. Car ownership is an expensive deal, while e-bike ownership is a cheaper deal in the long run.
You’ll also have fewer problems with parking, docs, and eco-friendliness with e-bikes compared to casual car ownership. So what are you waiting for? Now’s the time to buy your first e-bike!