Saving the environment, one ride at a time. Sounds tremendous, doesn’t it? Well, this isn’t just a rosy attempt to sugar-coat the future and push the sale of e-bikes. It’s reality. If Americans would ride an electric bike just once a week instead of driving a car, it would be the equivalent of taking one million cars off the road.
So, not only do you get the benefit of being in the beautiful outdoors getting some exercise, riding e-bikes help reduce your carbon footprint!
With zero dangerous chemicals being released the way all fossil fuel burning engines do, this form of transportation cuts through the traditional motorized muck of toxic emissions, leaving you breathing easier and feeling healthier. Beyond the pedal-assist offered by most e-bikes, the batteries are the “fuel” source, and they are easily recycled, making them a sustainable green power source.
When you throw in the fact that the rider is getting much-needed exercise and that those healthy positives put less stress on the healthcare system. Compared to other modes of motorized transportation, e-bikes are not bad for the environment. Quite the opposite!
E-bikes Are Good For The Environment
E-Bikes Positive Impact on the Environment and Fitness Health:
- Cut down on traffic congestion
- Reduced emissions
- Sustainable and use no fossil fuels
- Noise pollution reduction
- Improves air quality
- Don’t damage the roadways like other vehicles do
- Improves the health of the rider
It seems like a no-brainer that an e-bike would be the most efficient use of clean energy compared with cars, trucks, or motorcycles. The research supports that assumption.
To travel one mile, an e-bike uses 8-24 watt-hours of energy. Let’s compare that to 24-31 watt-hours on foot and an over-the-top expenditure of 600 watt-hours for that same mile by automobile.
Those watt-hours can be converted to amounts of toxic emissions or cost of fuel. No matter how you look at it, though, lower is better, and cleaner is greener.
Getting Paid to Ride an E-bike
E-bike incentive programs are scalable plans created by localities to encourage the purchase and use of e-bikes as a primary mode of transportation. Since e-bikes get people out of a car or truck, reducing single-occupancy fossil-burning vehicle use is easily achieved.
High Occupancy Vehicle lanes (HOV) seek to encourage carpooling and avoid unnecessary use of countless carbon-emitting vehicles headed in the same direction. E-bike riders meet that goal.
Changing travel behavior is a big deal, but incentive programs help reduce the financial barriers standing in the way of this new mode of travel. Regions that have these incentives target e-bikes, banking on reducing their transportation system’s carbon footprint.
Some incentive programs are car/e-bike swap, annual bike-to-work events, e-bike mileage reimbursement programs, and e-bike loaner programs.
Electric Bicycle Purchase Incentives
If you live in one of these “green-friendly” regions, look into these e-bike purchase incentives. They can make the purchase of a new e-bike a little easier on your wallet.
- Contra Costa County, CA: $150 electric bicycle rebate and a $300 electric bicycle rebate for low-income residents
- Healdsburg, CA: $700 electric bicycle rebate
- Glenwood Springs, CO: $200 electric bicycle rebate
- Ann Arbor, MI: $150 electric bicycle rebate
- Austin, TX: $300 electric bicycle rebate
- Burlington, VT: $200 electric bicycle rebate
- Colchester, VT: $300 electric bicycle rebate
E-Bikes Can Save You Green (Money)
Environmentally friendly and can save me money? You may ask, where do I sign up?
E-bikes are considerably less expensive to buy and repair than cars or even motorcycles. A brand new e-bike will give you that confidence that everything is functional, safe, and under warranty like a car purchase, but at a fraction of the cost.
The average e-bike costs around $2,000, depending on the style and battery/motor size. The beauty of the current e-bike industry is that it’s booming, and there is a bike to fit every need and taste.
One study showed a significant disparity in the annual operating costs of an automobile vs. e-bike. We’re talking close to $400 to maintain an e-bike vs. over $9000 to maintain the average car.
Not to harp on the physical exercise angle, but fewer trips to the doctor will also save you money and might extend your life. We call that a win.
Battery Recycling is Green
The most commonly used batteries to power e-bikes are lithium-ion. When it comes to recycling, lithium is most straightforward because there is a demand for it when manufacturing popular products like laptops and cell phones.
For e-bikes that use NiCad batteries, it’s a bit more complicated, but an NiCadan batteries can be recycled similar to lithium-ion batteries. It might take a little more effort to find a location near you that takes them, but worth the effort to maintain the “green.”
The best place to begin your search for the disposal of lithium-ion or NiCad rechargeable batteries is to contact CALL2RECYCLE or call 877- 723-1297.
Give us a shout if you have any questions regarding recycling your battery or using your e-bike.
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