The world's 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars
The world's 280 million electric bikes and mopeds are cutting demand for oil far more than electric cars
Electric vehicles get all the press – but it’s the smaller unsung two wheelers cutting oil demand the most.
Better for the environment, better use of urban spaces, cheaper to maintain the infrastructure, lowered healthcare costs, far fewer people being killed going to work, less dependency on oil, more affordable for families...
Wouldn't it just be cheaper overall for the governments of the world to gift every household an e-bike? Surely, it would be more sustainable than having more and more and more large vehicles with one occupant doing less than <10km of driving all day long, no?
The biggest hurdle is the lack of bike infrastructure (manly bike paths and parking)
There's tons of bike infrastructure everywhere. We've just collectively decided that it should exclusively belong to cars.
And if the reason we don't have more bike infrastructure is because money is being put into other things, this would solve that problem, too :)
Hell, even a regular moped...I had a gas powered genuine buddy 50 in college. That thing had a ~1.5 gallon tank, which I only had to fill up once a week. I got 80-100 mpg depending on how much I had to do. It was insane.
Only issue with gas mopeds is emissions. If they don't have a catalytic converter than the emissions are far worse than cars. Same is true with other small gas engines - lawnmowers, pressure washers, generators, etc.
On moped emissions:
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They emit less GHG but more smog than cars. So in a city, the smog is probably not great, but in a rural areas the lower GHG is probably better.
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That's only operating emissions, mopeds have lower production and disposal emissions that cars.
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Four stokes are becoming more common and are much less emitting than two strokes.
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Oh good point. Thanks.
50-100mpg?
My 125cc sportbike gets 125-150mpg. I'm saving the planet! 😊
We have been using out Moped since spring. I love filling the tanks since its at most once a month for $5 for the 1 gallon tank. We use it for 90% of our driving needs in the warm months.
I would be interested in getting an electric model but maybe for the next one.
I hate electric bikes as they pass me on a hill as I sweat my butt off going up it, but I love this headline. More people on electric and more people on bikes please.
This is an interesting observation: emotorcycles, escooters, etc. can lead the way to low carbon transport.
My issue is that for months every year it is colder than I like for two wheeled transportation. I have a motorcycle but don't want to use it below 50 F and will not use it on snow/ice. I've seen some better ways to handle this (enclosures, etc.) but they're not common. I hope good cold weather solutions for 2 wheel transport DO become more common along with being more electrified.
I'll still commute to -30°C, but I'm not likely to use a bike for any other trips under -10°C.
That was interesting. Thanks.
I still commute when it's cold, but past a certain point I stop using my ebike and switch to my hybrid because battery. A waterproof/breathable shell with appropriate levels of insulation really helps a lot in terms of comfort.
As someone who lives in the upper midwest we have been using our moped from May-November it would be nice to have something to use when it gets cold. Riding it now isn't super pleasant unless its a sunny day