Treehugger has made the case for e-bikes being an alternative to reducing the transportation carbon footprint of a country faster than if we were to switch our cars to electric. As noted in the article, the majority of trips made by cars in the U.S. are under 6 miles, a distance that can be covered quite comfortable by a bike or e-bike.
“[…] Brand [Associate Professor at Oxford's Transport, Energy & Environment, Transport Studies Unit] sees e-bikes as being transformational because they go farther, they make it easier for older people and those with disabilities to keep active and keep out of cars. He notes that "in the Netherlands and Belgium, electric bikes have become popular for long-distance commutes of up to 30 km. They could be the answer to our commuting problems.""
Commuting is not the only area in which electric bikes can shift the way we get around. Katherine Martinko from Treehugger invites us to use electric bikes for shorter trips as well that may involve carrying heavier loads.
“While public policy tends to focus on commuting, trips for other purposes such as shopping or social visits are also often done by car. These trips are often shorter, increasing the potential for a shift toward walking, cycling or e-biking. E-cargo bikes can carry heavy shopping and/or children and can be the key ingredient needed to make the shift to ditching the family car."
Electric bikes are a great way of making biking accessible to more people and for a wider array of trips allowing it to replace some or most of a household’s car trips.