tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca-fr/topics/electric-bikes-4250/articlesElectric bikes – La Conversation2024-03-13T02:02:14Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2248442024-03-13T02:02:14Z2024-03-13T02:02:14ZE for equity? E-scooter and e-bike schemes can help people on low incomes and with disabilities<p>Interest in shared e-bikes and e-scooters, or “micromobility” devices, has skyrocketed in Australia. Every capital city and over 25 local councils <a href="https://micromobilityreport.com.au/infrastructure/bike-scooter-share/scooter-and-bike-share-schemes-are-growing-fast-across-australia/">have trialled</a> shared e-scooter systems through private operators including Lime, Beam and Neuron. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14649357.2021.1919746">Public perceptions of these programs</a> are extremely mixed. Some people still think of these small electric personal vehicles as a passing fad. Or, worse, they see them as a source of transport system disruption, public space anarchy and <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-scooters-are-linked-with-injuries-and-hospital-visits-but-we-cant-say-they-are-riskier-than-bikes-yet-222148">traffic injury</a>.</p>
<p>The truth is more nuanced. Shared scooters and bicycles are gradually being integrated into the transport system of our cities. <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-years-on-brisbanes-e-scooters-and-e-bikes-are-winning-over-tourists-and-residents-as-they-open-up-the-city-212464">Brisbane</a> has <a href="https://public.ridereport.com/regions/australia">led the way</a>, followed by Melbourne. </p>
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<p>Yet some are still wondering whether shared micromobility systems are simply a fun form of transport for young, mostly male and high-income tourists, or do they benefit a broader set of users?</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S295010592400007X">new research</a> across cities in three different countries paints a very different picture. Our findings suggest subsidised micromobility programs can provide significant benefits to vulnerable user groups. </p>
<p>Most shared operators provide discounted rides to low-income customers. In partnership with Lime, we were able to find out how “<a href="https://www.li.me/why/community/lime-access">Lime Access</a>” customers use shared e-scooters and e-bikes and how this compares to non-subsidised customers.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/five-years-on-brisbanes-e-scooters-and-e-bikes-are-winning-over-tourists-and-residents-as-they-open-up-the-city-212464">Five years on, Brisbane's e-scooters and e-bikes are winning over tourists and residents as they open up the city</a>
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<h2>These schemes can help ease disadvantage</h2>
<p>We surveyed more than 1,000 respondents in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. We found Lime Access customers were five times as likely as non-subsidised riders (35% versus 7%) to use shared scooters and bicycles for daily travel. They were twice as likely to use them for essential trips (such as shopping or commuting) and to connect with public transport (44% versus 23%). </p>
<p>Half of Lime Access customers said one benefit of micromobility was that it allowed them to “get somewhere without a car”. This finding suggests these programs can help support a car-free or car-light lifestyle. This, in turn, makes transport systems more sustainable. </p>
<p>These benefits were highlighted by open-ended survey responses, such as:</p>
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<p>As someone on a low income who does not own a car, it feels very liberating to be able to take a scooter to an area that is not serviced by public transport whenever I like. (Melbourne, Australia)</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thinking-of-swerving-high-fuel-prices-with-an-e-scooter-or-e-bike-5-crucial-questions-answered-179563">Thinking of swerving high fuel prices with an e-scooter or e-bike? 5 crucial questions answered</a>
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<h2>People with disabilities also benefit</h2>
<p>In our study, we did not directly ask about disability. However, a number of Lime Access customers wrote about how the program allows them mobility despite medical conditions or physical disability. </p>
<p>Many of those disabilities are “invisible” – the casual observer is unlikely to notice them. Yet for the riders, the electric motor of the e-scooter or e-bike reduced the fatigue and strain they would experience walking or riding a standard bike.</p>
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<p>I have kidney problems so the scooter saves me from fatigue of long walks. (Christchurch, New Zealand) </p>
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<p>For some respondents, their physical disability prevented them from driving a car. Shared micromobility filled the gap, helping them get to essential destinations.</p>
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<p>I’m ADA, which basically is handicapped, and I cannot walk all over like I used to be able to. Lime provides me independence I wouldn’t have without it! With the low-income program you offer, it literally saves me! I wouldn’t be able to get groceries or run errands or do most anything I do because of Lime. (San Francisco, California)</p>
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<img alt="Two e-bikes parked at the edge of a city street" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/580635/original/file-20240308-18-slblqs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=532&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The assistance of an electric motor enables people with a wider range of abilities to use e-bikes and e-scooters.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sydney-australia-on-march-10-2019-1335274913">ArliftAtoz2205/Shutterstock</a></span>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-old-road-rules-no-longer-apply-how-e-scooters-challenge-outdated-assumptions-129074">The old road rules no longer apply: how e-scooters challenge outdated assumptions</a>
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<h2>What can governments do to maximise the benefits?</h2>
<p>Our study found shared e-scooters and bikes aren’t just for tourists to go joyriding. With the right frameworks and incentives in place, they can benefit vulnerable groups in society. In this way, they help create more equitable transport systems. </p>
<p>Yet these subsidised programs are relatively unknown and little-advertised. Only 24% of our respondents had ever heard of them.</p>
<p>The challenge remains: how to reach more travellers who could benefit from reduced-fare programs, without undermining the financial viability of operators? Unlike public transport services and <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/multi-purpose-taxi-program">even taxi services</a>, there is no government support to encourage shared micromobility operators to expand their programs. </p>
<p>In the United States, city governments have been proactive in <a href="https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/trec_reports/238/">embedding equity requirements</a> into service contracts with micromobility providers. For example, <a href="https://www.dcregs.dc.gov/ContentSearch.aspx?searchText=3314.31&DocType=DCMR">Washington DC</a> reduces the fees it charges micromobility operators, with the reduction based on the proportion of travel by low-income customers.</p>
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<a href="https://theconversation.com/e-bike-incentives-are-a-costly-way-to-cut-carbon-emissions-but-they-also-promote-health-equity-and-cleaner-air-224312">E-bike incentives are a costly way to cut carbon emissions, but they also promote health, equity and cleaner air</a>
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<p>In Australia, local and state governments should be moving beyond how to regulate these programs to also focus on how to better integrate them into our transport system. With the right incentives in place, we can maximise the benefits of micromobility for people who are most in need of affordable and accessible transport solutions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224844/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexa Delbosc conducted this project in collaboration with Lime. Calvin Thigpen, an author on the research paper, is an employee of Lime. Lime provided access to distribute the survey to Lime customers and did not provide any financial support for the study. Dr Thigpen only became involved in the project during late-stage paper writing and qualitative data analysis.</span></em></p>Low-income customers who qualify for subsidised rates are five times more likely to use shared e-scooters and e-bikes for daily travel. People with disabilities also value them.Alexa Delbosc, Associate Professor in Transport, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2243122024-02-27T12:32:52Z2024-02-27T12:32:52ZE-bike incentives are a costly way to cut carbon emissions, but they also promote health, equity and cleaner air<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577761/original/file-20240225-22-nb9e6p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C15%2C5019%2C2916&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A man pulls his kids behind an electric bicycle near the pier in Huntington Beach, Calif.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/man-pulls-his-kids-behind-an-electric-bicycle-near-the-pier-news-photo/1311180585">Paul Bersebach/Orange County Register via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>E-bikes have captured <a href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/ebike/ebike-gear/5-e-bike-trends-we-expect-to-see-in-2024/">widespread attention</a> across the U.S., and for good reason. They are <a href="https://cleantechnica.com/2023/12/11/e-bikes-are-radically-more-efficient-than-electric-cars/">the most energy-efficient way</a> to move from place to place, providing exercise in the process, and offer enough assistance while pedaling uphill or into headwinds to make them usable for many types of riders. </p>
<p>Greenhouse gas emissions from e-bikes are much lower than those from either gasoline-powered or <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/good-go-assessing-environmental-performance-new-mobility">electric cars</a>. Some cities and states are encouraging the use of e-bikes by providing purchase incentives, often drawing on public funds dedicated to curbing climate change.</p>
<p>Currently, over 100 cities and states <a href="https://trec.pdx.edu/news/e-bike-incentive-programs-north-america-new-online-tracker">have or plan to launch e-bike incentive programs</a>, most funded by energy or environment initiatives. However, there has been little research on the effectiveness of these types of programs, how to design them or how to define goals. </p>
<p>We study transportation from many angles, including <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=I3wi1-EAAAAJ&hl=en">innovation</a>, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/John-Macarthur-4">sustainability</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=JltA3IAAAAAJ&hl=en">economics</a>. Our new study, published in the journal <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2024.104114">Transportation Research Part D</a>, investigates the effectiveness of several types of e-bike purchase incentives and the investment required to induce additional e-bike purchases. </p>
<p>We found that incentives do spur extra e-bike purchases, but at a relatively high cost compared with narrowly defined climate benefits. We find that a public agency using a point-of-purchase discount would have to distribute about US$4,000 in incentives to generate one additional e-bike purchase. This is because over 80% of people who buy an e-bike would likely have bought one even without the discount. For perspective, it takes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2017.01.002">about $30,000 worth of incentives</a> to induce an electric car purchase. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">California initiated a $10 million statewide program in 2023 that offers voucher incentives to low-income residents for purchasing electric bikes.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Nonetheless, e-bikes provide many other benefits. They make mobility easier and more affordable for many people, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trip.2023.100940">older adults and people with disabilities</a>. They bolster the case for <a href="https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/cost-benefit-of-bicycle-infrastructure-with-e-bikes-and-cycle-sup">investing in bike paths and infrastructure</a>, which produce <a href="https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/why-us-cities-are-investing-safer-more-connected-cycling-infrastructure">economic, safety and mobility benefits for cities</a>. And they <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2017.06.002">boost health by promoting exercise</a>. In our view, cities and states should assess e-bike incentive investments based on this broad range of benefits, rather than focusing solely on a narrow environmental objective.</p>
<h2>Not just a climate tool</h2>
<p>Clean technology incentives tend to be focused on a specific outcome – usually, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This works well for most energy-related upgrades, such as replacing old air conditioners, improving home insulation and generating electricity from wind and solar power. Consumers want the services that these devices deliver – cool air, comfortable conditions indoors and electricity that’s available and affordable. The new devices simply deliver those familiar goods more sustainably. </p>
<p>E-bike incentives are different. They invite people to adopt a new technology that can fundamentally change recipients’ travel patterns. In fact, while replacing car trips with e-bike trips <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2020.102482">can provide substantial climate benefits</a>, those benefits may be smaller than other benefits that are less widely measured. Focusing narrowly on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing car trips means providing incentives to people who drive the most, or who drive the biggest gas guzzlers.</p>
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<p>But what about carless households, transit riders or bicyclists? For them, e-bikes can make it much easier to travel in most North American cities. That increased mobility could provide greater access to jobs, shopping or other important services, such as health care.</p>
<h2>Is investing in e-bike incentives worth it?</h2>
<p>Transportation is the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions">largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions</a>. Electrifying as much of it as possible is an important strategy for slowing climate change. However, e-bike incentives – and, indeed, electric car incentives – are pretty expensive ways to reduce emissions. </p>
<p>The importance of e-bike incentives is that e-bikes are good at replacing car trips and make daily trips easier for people who rely on other options. These advantages provide two main classes of benefits from increasing ownership of e-bikes.</p>
<p>The first set of benefits comes from substituting car-based trips with e-bike trips. Transportation researchers think about a swap like this in terms of vehicle miles traveled.</p>
<p>If I used to drive to work but now ride an e-bike, many benefits will be proportional to the number of miles that I now cover by bike rather than by car. They include reduced traffic congestion, lower fuel and parking costs, increased physical activity and improved health, cleaner air and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. In North America, <a href="https://nitc.trec.pdx.edu/research/project/1041">about 60% of e-bike trips replace car trips</a>. </p>
<p>A second class of benefits comes from improvements in mobility. These effects are more complex to measure. For many people in U.S. cities who don’t own cars, the basic options for getting around are walking, public transit, ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, or riding a conventional bicycle. In almost all cases, e-bikes would get them to their destinations faster. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">A father explains how his family used electric cargo bikes to replace a car in Toronto and the Netherlands.</span></figcaption>
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<p>Carless households <a href="https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/63059">tend to have lower income</a> and lack mobility options. E-bike incentives can make travel more affordable and give people better access to jobs, health care, child care, shopping and other destinations. Such benefits likely far exceed any nominal greenhouse gas accounting from these transportation users. </p>
<p>E-bike purchase incentives are an investment in the broad benefits that e-bikes can provide. We believe they should be measured against the collective goals of the agency providing the incentives, whether its mission is transportation, equitable mobility, public health, economic development or environmental protection. </p>
<h2>Putting more people on two wheels</h2>
<p>Once there’s agreement that e-bikes are worth supporting for many reasons, the challenge is how to induce more e-bike use and realize those benefits.</p>
<p>Point-of-purchase discounts or vouchers are the most popular strategy, because they mimic other clean energy incentives, such as those for high-efficiency appliances or electric cars. Our study found that they are also the most efficient way to influence consumer behavior compared with other purchase incentives, such as rebates. </p>
<p>Other strategies could be more effective but need further research. For example, <a href="https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/bike-libraries-are-increasing-access-to-bikes-across-america">e-bike lending libraries</a> let people test-ride e-bikes without ownership. And employers can <a href="https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2051-Fitch-Ebike-Employer.pdf">provide e-bikes to employees</a> to help encourage more sustainable and affordable ways to get to work. </p>
<p>Partnering with community organizations or local mobility-oriented programs could be an effective way to get e-bikes into the hands of people who need them and couldn’t afford them otherwise. And giving e-bike owners more reason to use them, such as <a href="https://momentummag.com/is-it-time-governments-start-paying-people-to-bike-to-work/">payments for biking to work</a>, could increase e-bike use and subsequent benefits. </p>
<p>E-bike purchase incentives may be an expensive climate solution, but they also offer other important benefits. Carefully designed incentive programs could help many urban and suburban residents access a faster, healthier and cleaner way to get where they need to go.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224312/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher R. Cherry receives research funding from State and Federal Departments of Transportation and the National Science Foundation. He has consulted for micromobility operators and bicycling advocacy organizations.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>John MacArthur has received research support and funding from state and federal agencies, the National Science Foundation, micromobility operators and bicycling advocacy organizations.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luke Jones does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Many incentive programs promote e-bike use, but they aren’t necessarily targeting the right people for the right reasons.Christopher R. Cherry, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of TennesseeJohn MacArthur, Sustainable Transportation Program Manager, Transportation Research and Education Center, Portland State UniversityLuke Jones, Professor of Economics, Valdosta State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1820552022-05-02T20:43:47Z2022-05-02T20:43:47ZBeyond electric cars: how electrifying trucks, buses, tractors and scooters will help tackle climate change<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460722/original/file-20220502-24-l5zyne.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6000%2C3368&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you think of an electric vehicle, chances are you’ll picture a car. But there’s a quiet revolution going on in transport. It turns out electrification can work wonders for almost all of our transport options, from electric bikes to motorbikes to buses to freight trains and even to tractors and heavy trucks. There will soon be no need to burn petrol and diesel in an internal combustion engine. </p>
<p>This matters, because electric transport will be vital in our efforts to stem climate change. If all cars on the road became powered by renewable electricity, we’d cut almost one-fifth of our emissions. We’d also be much better placed to weather spikes in oil prices linked to war, and enjoy cleaner air and quieter cities. </p>
<p>It’s promising news that electric vehicles are shaping up as an election issue at last, with Labor promising a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/01/labors-election-pitch-five-key-policies-unveiled-at-partys-campaign-launch">national EV charging network</a> at its campaign launch, and the Greens <a href="https://reneweconomy.com.au/greens-launch-6-1-billion-electric-vehicle-policy-in-new-election-pitch/">promising rebates</a> of up to $15,000 for EV purchases, while the Liberal Party last year reversed its previous scepticism and launched a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/09/coalition-releases-electric-vehicle-strategy-but-rules-out-subsidies">smaller charging network</a> policy. </p>
<p>But this is only the beginning of what’s required. Right now, all the focus is on electric cars. We will need new policy settings to encourage the electrification of all our transport options. And that means getting electric mobility on the radar of our political parties. </p>
<h2>Why electric and why now?</h2>
<p>Electric vehicles have been around for more than 120 years. They accounted for a third of all cars on US roads in 1900, sought because they were clean and quiet. But their first dawn ended because of the high cost and weight of batteries, leaving internal combustion engines to rule the road. </p>
<p>So what changed? Two things: solar has become the cheapest form of power in human history, and lighter lithium-ion batteries have become vastly cheaper. These remarkable inventions have allowed electric vehicle manufacturers to become competitive. Cheap solar power funnels into the battery of the electric vehicle to provide running costs much lower than those of fossil fuel engines. The much simpler engines also mean vastly lower maintenance costs. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Early electric car" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=376&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460731/original/file-20220502-24-93lsmh.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=472&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A Borland Electric Model car from the early 20th century.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Borland_Electric_Model_50_(NBY_8011).jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
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<p>We’re also seeing major innovations brought across from electric public transport. Over the past two decades, there have been significant advances in smart technology in trains and trams, such as regenerative braking and sensors enabling active suspension. These breakthroughs have been taken up enthusiastically by electric vehicle manufacturers. All electric cars now have regenerative braking, which hugely increases energy efficiency, as well as smart sensors to aid steering, and active suspension, making the cars safer and the ride smoother. </p>
<p>We’re also seeing welcome cross-pollination in the form of trackless trams, which are upgraded buses that boast rail-like mobility. This is made possible based on technologies <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-trackless-trams-are-ready-to-replace-light-rail-103690">invented</a> for high-speed rail. </p>
<p>In short, there’s no reason why solar and battery technology has to be limited to cars. All the world’s land-based internal combustion engine vehicles can now be replaced by electric equivalents. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Electric locomotive" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=314&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460745/original/file-20220502-18-h5wi18.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=395&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Major miner BHP is testing battery-electric locomotives such as this Wabtec model.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Wabtec</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Electric mobility is arriving</h2>
<p>You’ll already have seen signs of the potential of electric mobility. E-scooters are popping up in major cities, giving people a way to make short trips quickly and cheaply. E-bikes are surging ahead, popular among commuters and families choosing one <a href="https://www.newcastleherald.com.au/story/7695624/why-e-bikes-are-booming-on-newcastle-streets/">over a second car</a>. Even this is just the start. </p>
<p>Around the world, electric micromobility (scooters, skateboards and bikes) is growing at over 17% per year and <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/micro-mobility-market-A11372">expected to quadruple</a> current sales of US$50 billion by 2030.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/revolutionary-changes-in-transportation-from-electric-vehicles-to-ride-sharing-could-slow-global-warming-if-theyre-done-right-ipcc-says-179535">Revolutionary changes in transportation, from electric vehicles to ride sharing, could slow global warming – if they’re done right, IPCC says</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Even without much government assistance, Australians are shifting rapidly to all types of electric vehicle. But for Australia to embrace electric transport as fully as we can, we need the right policy settings. Cars, scooters, motorbikes, trackless trams, buses, trucks, freight trains and farm vehicles can all be part of the transition to the cheapest and highest-quality mobility the world has yet seen. </p>
<p>The policies on offer to date suggest no party has figured out the radical upheaval electrification will bring. Labor’s emission reductions policy of a 43% cut by 2030 gives electric cars only a tiny role, cutting emissions by less than 1%, or four million tonnes out of a total of 448 million tonnes. There’s no mention of other electric modes of transport. Even the Greens have little serious policy analysis of the broader EV options. The Liberals have no mention at all. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/460738/original/file-20220502-104692-drojpg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Even tractors are going electric, with a key marketing point the ability for farmers to recharge through their own solar arrays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Fendt</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>We need comprehensive, broad electric vehicle policy</h2>
<p>Given we’re still at the starting line, what’s the best first step? Perhaps the simplest would be to enable Infrastructure Australia to work with the states on creating strategic directions for each electric transport mode. The ACT already has a plan like this for its bus network as part of its shift to a zero-carbon future. </p>
<p>Here’s what good EV policies would consider: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Electric micromobility: how to recharge and manage the explosion of electric scooters, skateboards and bikes with appropriate infrastructure, and how to enable the best <a href="https://theconversation.com/e-scooters-bikes-and-urban-mobility-lessons-from-the-streets-of-paris-125619">public sharing systems</a></p></li>
<li><p>Electric public transit: how to electrify all buses, passenger trains and mid-tier transit (light rail, rapid transit buses and trackless trams), and how to link net zero urban developments and charging facilities</p></li>
<li><p>Electric trucks, freight trains and farm vehicles: how to create recharge highways and hubs in train stations, industrial precincts and standalone farm systems, and how to introduce these to the regions to enable net zero mining, agriculture and other processed products.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/as-the-world-surges-ahead-on-electric-vehicle-policy-the-morrison-governments-new-strategy-leaves-australia-idling-in-the-garage-169824">As the world surges ahead on electric vehicle policy, the Morrison government's new strategy leaves Australia idling in the garage</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Each of these modes will also need the same targets, subsidies and regulations as electric cars do, to make possible a swift, clean transition away from petrol and diesel. If we focus only on electric cars, we could end up with cities still full of cars, even if they don’t pollute. By focusing on all transport modes, we will make our cities <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.5822/978-1-61091-613-4">more equitable, safe and sustainable</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/182055/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Peter Newman has been the IPCC Co-ordinating Lead Author for Transport over the past 3 years supported only in transport costs by the Federal Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.</span></em></p>Electric cars are important - but we can now electrify all land-based transport, from buses to bikes to trucks. We need good policy settings.Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1586092021-04-15T20:54:38Z2021-04-15T20:54:38Z80% of fatal e-scooter crashes involve cars – new study reveals where and why most collisions occur<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395315/original/file-20210415-14-6ct3ps.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C7%2C4792%2C2852&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Electric scooters have become a popular way to get around since their introduction to U.S. cities about three years ago. But fatalities are mounting. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/commuter-rides-an-e-scooter-across-a-los-angeles-street-on-news-photo/1163246014?adppopup=true">Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>About 30 people in the United States have been killed riding electric scooters since 2018. Most – 80% – were <a href="https://www.roadsafety.unc.edu/research/projects/2019r26/">hit by drivers of cars</a>. </p>
<p>Publicly available e-scooters arrived to U.S. cities in 2017 as an <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/good-go-assessing-environmental-performance-new-mobility">energy-efficient and fun new way to get around town</a>. By 2019, e-scooter rides had soared from zero to <a href="https://nacto.org/shared-micromobility-2019/">88 million trips annually</a>. </p>
<p>But putting e-scooter riders on the same roads as cars without good infrastructure or clear rules has been dangerous. Making streets safer will require urban policymakers, not to mention drivers, to understand where and why cars collide with these new vehicles. </p>
<p>The few <a href="https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.7381">empirical studies</a> on e-scooter safety come from <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2019-000337">emergency departments</a> in cities where e-scooters launched early, like Los Angeles and Austin. They meticulously describe which injuries occurred and which bones were broken in crashes – primarily wrists and minor head injuries – and document the location on the body of other injuries, like scrapes and sprains.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Up-close image of an e-scooter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/394541/original/file-20210412-23-fldwco.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">E-scooters have small electric motors and handlebar throttles.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christopher Cherry</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But they do not provide insight about how and why these injuries happened. My “micromobility” <a href="http://LEVresearch.com">research team</a>, which studies <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=I3wi1-EAAAAJ&hl=en">lightweight and low-speed vehicles like e-bikes and e-scooters</a>, has now conducted an in-depth study on e-scooter traffic safety, in Nashville, Tennessee. </p>
<p>Our findings, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2021.03.005">published in April 2021 in the Journal of Safety Research</a>, found that e-scooter crashes with cars follow different patterns than bicycle crashes – but both result from unsafe infrastructure for nonmotorized vehicles.</p>
<h2>Where e-scooters and cars collide</h2>
<p>Safety has been a persistent barrier for cities in encouraging residents to adopt greener, alternative modes of transportation. Nationally, two-thirds of the more than <a href="https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics/bicycle-deaths/#:%7E:text=Of%20the%201%2C024%20bicyclist%20deaths,times%20the%20fatalities%20for%20females.">1,000 bicycle fatalities</a> in 2018 occurred when riders were struck by a vehicle driver. </p>
<p>To better understand how e-scooter collisions with cars compare, we scoured Nashville police reports of crashes between 2018 and 2020. E-scooters launched in Nashville in 2018. </p>
<p>In total, we identified 52 documented e-scooter crashes and 79 bicycle crashes, with one scooter rider fatality and no bicyclist fatalities.</p>
<p>About 80% of both bike and e-scooter crashes happened at intersections, and about 70% occurred in daylight. That was somewhat surprising. An influential 2019 <a href="https://austintexas.gov/news/scooter-injury-study-report-released">study on e-scooter safety in Austin, Texas</a> identified nighttime riding as riskiest. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Older man on a scooter in a bike lane" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395319/original/file-20210415-18-5zedw2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Scooter riders are supposed to use bike lanes.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/florida-miami-beach-mature-adult-riding-electric-scooter-news-photo/916126048?adppopup=true">Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Instead, our study points to riding on the sidewalk as the main risk on e-scooters.</p>
<p>Despite local rules prohibiting scooter-riding on sidewalks, more than 60% of crashes between cars and scooters happened when a sidewalk scooter rider and driver collided at either a driveway or crosswalk. The scooter was almost always coming from the car’s right, where drivers likely aren’t expecting moving vehicles to come off the sidewalk and into traffic.</p>
<p>Nashville cyclists mostly ride on the road, so they crash at driveways and crosswalks about as half as often. They are much more likely to be hit from behind, or when either the driver or bike rider turns across the other’s path on the roadway. This finding aligns with other studies on <a href="https://doi.org/10.3141/2601-09">bicycle-car crash patterns</a>.</p>
<h2>Policy implications</h2>
<p>E-scooter and bicyclist crashes with cars aren’t as different as they may seem. They both reflect a lack of infrastructure designed for people who choose alternate modes of transportation. </p>
<p>In many cities, bicycle lanes end or zigzag suddenly across the road. Intersections leave riders stranded in a dangerous swarm of moving vehicles. </p>
<p>Connected bike lines combined with protected intersections that give riders – particularly novices – intuitive ways to cross and turn would <a href="https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/05/29/protect-yourself-separated-bike-lanes-means-safer-streets-study-says/">make streets safer</a>. Simply limiting right-turn-on-red also reduces collisions between drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-4375(82)90001-9">studies show</a>. </p>
<p>E-scooter parking is a problem, too. </p>
<p>Currently, scooter-share companies like Lime require scooters to be parked on sidewalks, placing riders onto the sidewalk at the beginning and end of each trip. Providing on-street parking can induce adult riders of powered e-scooters onto the street, where they belong. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Four scooters lined up on the edge of a sidewalk, near the street and a car" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/395312/original/file-20210415-19-s68mjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Lime electric scooters parked in Portland, Ore.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/LimeBike_electric_scooters_at_SE_Grand_%26_Mill_in_Portland%2C_Ore._%282018%29.jpg">Steve Morgan/Wikimedia commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But only better infrastructure will keep them there. </p>
<p>So far, in Nashville as in other cities, the main tactics made to keep scooter riders off sidewalks are educational campaigns, in-app messages and sidewalk decals. Clearly, that’s not working – and it is leading to crashes. </p>
<h2>Hit-and-runs</h2>
<p>Alcohol is not a major factor in e-scooter crashes in Nashville. Only two of Nashville’s 52 scooter riders involved in crashes were reported as intoxicated. Drunk cyclists were similarly rare. </p>
<p>This finding contradicts early data from <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/tsaco-2019-000337">San Diego</a> and <a href="https://austintexas.gov/news/scooter-injury-study-report-released">Austin</a> pointing to alcohol as a factor in e-scooter crashes. </p>
<p>Drunk drivers did not seem to be a major cause of car-scooter and car-bike collisions in Nashville, either. That said, we know the intoxication level of only the drivers who stuck around to speak with police. </p>
<p>Of 104 Nashville drivers involved in e-scooter or bike crashes, 27 of them fled the scene.</p>
<p>[<em>Understand new developments in science, health and technology, each week.</em> <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/science-editors-picks-71/?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=science-understand">Subscribe to The Conversation’s science newsletter</a>.]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/158609/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christopher R. Cherry receives research funding from State and Federal Departments of Transportation and the National Science Foundation. He has consulted for micromobility operators and bicycling advocacy organizations. </span></em></p>Electric scooter rides soared from zero to 88 million a year between 2017 and 2019. But launching e-scooters in cities without safe infrastructure or clear rules of the road can be deadly.Christopher R. Cherry, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1518442021-02-01T18:58:05Z2021-02-01T18:58:05ZWhy e-bikes can succeed where earlier bike-share schemes failed<p>Shared mobility devices such as bicycles and electric scooters have experienced <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2020/10/09/bikes-and-buses-will-be-futures-dominant-modes-of-urban-mobility-predict-346-transport-experts/?sh=f6eda011b03f">significant growth</a> across the globe and Australia is no exception. In cities with such offerings, users are able to get around in more convenient and flexible ways.</p>
<p>The recent emergence of dockless shared e-scooters (i.e. <a href="http://v1.li.me/locations/australia">Lime</a> and <a href="https://techau.com.au/neuron-mobility-is-launching-electric-scooters-in-adelaide-brisbane-darwin-canberra-and-townsville/">Neuron</a>) heralded a new-age of <a href="https://theconversation.com/to-bolster-our-fragile-road-and-rail-system-we-need-to-add-a-micro-mobility-network-124895">micromobility</a>. In Brisbane, it <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-to-scrap-citycycle-scheme-as-rider-numbers-collapse-20201124-p56hfl.html">signalled the end</a> for the ten-year-old <a href="http://www.citycycle.com.au/">CityCycle</a> bike-share scheme.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/limes-not-lemons-lessons-from-australias-first-e-scooter-sharing-trial-108924">Limes not lemons: lessons from Australia’s first e-scooter sharing trial</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Not long after announcing CityCycle’s demise in late 2020, Brisbane City Council <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/things-to-see-and-do/outdoor-activities/riding-in-brisbane/citycycle-bike-hire">proposed</a> its replacement with shared dockless e-bikes and the topic <a href="https://www.racq.com.au/Live/Articles/241120-CityCycle-scrapped-in-favour-of-e-bikes-RACQ-approves">started</a> <a href="https://vickihoward.com/ebikescoming/">trending</a>. The question is: why will the e-bike scheme succeed where its predecessors in Brisbane and other Australian cities failed? (See below for a summary of the evolution of shared mobility schemes in Australia.)</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Table showing previous, current and planned shared micromobility sharing services (as of Jan 2021)" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=616&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/381314/original/file-20210129-23-1903dll.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=775&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Evolution of micromobility sharing services in major Australian cities.*</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Compiled by Dr Abraham Leung and Madison Bland, Griffith University</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mobility is being offered more and more as a service. The uptake of share travel across Australian cities has undergone a transition from docked bikes to dockless e-mobility, aided largely by advances in technology and the proliferation of mobile devices. Sharing is being considered as an attractive alternative to owning a bike or car thanks to new ways to bundle mobility services into packages, in much the same way as we use entertainment streaming services instead of buying movies or records. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-subscribe-to-movies-and-music-why-not-transport-119538">We subscribe to movies and music, why not transport?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What can we expect from e-bikes?</h2>
<p>E-bikes are pedal-assisted bicycles offering users electric motor assistance up to speeds of 25km/h. A shared bike scheme with self-locking and smartphone connectivity offers an extremely flexible riding experience. </p>
<p>It isn’t yet clear how e-bikes will be deployed in Brisbane. What we do know is the scheme will be privately operated under a short-term tender. As with CityCycle, <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-to-scrap-citycycle-scheme-as-rider-numbers-collapse-20201124-p56hfl.html">2,000 bikes</a> will be provided across Brisbane, similar to how e-scooters are managed.</p>
<p>The e-bikes can improve on both e-scooters and CityCycle’s docked bikes in several ways. </p>
<p><strong>Trip flexibility:</strong> GPS tracking and smart lock technology remove the need to locate set docking stations. Users can start and end trips at places of their own choosing. This means they avoid the frustrations caused by docking stations reaching maximum capacity, especially in popular destinations such as the CBD.</p>
<p><strong>Wider appeal:</strong> <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-e-scooters-solve-the-last-mile-problem-theyll-need-to-avoid-the-fate-of-dockless-bikes-102633">unlike e-scooters and their younger target market</a>, e-bikes can attract a wider demographic more familiar with riding bikes. They also offer greater load-carrying capacity and are permitted for use on roads whereas e-scooters are <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/council-wants-e-scooters-in-bike-lanes-to-protect-pedestrians-20200904-p55siq.html">restricted to footpaths or bikeways</a> in Brisbane. In New South Wales and Victoria, e-scooters are banned altogether - though <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/could-e-scooters-be-the-answer-to-impending-covid-19-gridlock-20201005-p56257.html">changes</a> could be on the way for Victoria.</p>
<p><strong>Assisted riding:</strong> electrically assisted bikes can make cycling easier and accessible for more people. For those who struggle to ride at the best of times, e-bikes can help overcome fitness issues, especially in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856415301531">Brisbane’s hot climate and hilly terrain</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/billions-are-pouring-into-mobility-technology-will-the-transport-revolution-live-up-to-the-hype-131154">Billions are pouring into mobility technology – will the transport revolution live up to the hype?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>So, what punctured CityCycle?</h2>
<p>CityCycle was launched in 2010 under a 20-year single-operator contract. The scheme failed to achieve ambitious patronage targets and the goal of paying for itself. Despite usage growing until 2018, a <a href="https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/citycycle-to-go-but-outdoor-advertising-designed-to-fund-bike-scheme-to-stay-20201124-p56hiv.html">shifting market</a> has since resulted in significant declines. </p>
<p>The reasons for the lack of use are clear: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>CityCycle was delivered through a monopolised model lacking market competition, with the shared bike scheme a secondary focus for operator JCDecaux Group’s advertising juggernaut, and this once-novel model became dated when dockless bikes emerged.</p></li>
<li><p>a cumbersome payment system made renting bikes difficult, with only smartcards accepted at first, and while uptake increased once credit card payments were introduced, e-scooters’ mobile-based payment options are more convenient for walk-up users.</p></li>
<li><p>the arrival of e-scooter schemes in 2018 attracted many CityCycle users, as the chart below shows (click to enlarge), and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic wrote off the scheme when the city became deserted during the lockdown.</p></li>
</ol>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/380150/original/file-20210122-15-w07kna.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Patronage of Brisbane’s CityCycle scheme from 2010 to 2020.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Data: Brisbane City Council, JCDecaux. Adapted by Dr A. Leung</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-coronavirus-made-2020-the-year-of-the-electric-bike-143158">How coronavirus made 2020 the year of the electric bike</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The path to success</h2>
<p>As Brisbane moves towards a dockless e-bike scheme, its ability to outperform its predecessor will ultimately rest with decision-makers delivering a safe and convenient rider experience. This involves several key considerations.</p>
<p><strong>Pricing and payment:</strong> the scheme will have to be competitive with current modes (particularly e-scooters), where registration and payment are integrated with existing systems. The rise of <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">mobility as a service</a> (MaaS) platforms can incorporate the service within shared mobility apps and bundle offers (packaging public transport and shared mobility services).</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">For Mobility as a Service (MaaS) to solve our transport woes, some things need to change</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Availability:</strong> the dockless model, while more flexible, will require operators to actively manage bike distribution and avoid cluttering. The blocking of access ways and even dumping of bikes have been sources of public opposition to other bike-share schemes. Though repositioning bikes (using service vehicles) will take up significant time and money, it is crucial in maintaining a balanced and orderly network that maximises bike availability.</p>
<p><strong>Initial launch:</strong> the scheme’s roll-out will be important, as positive perceptions are best achieved by people riding, rather than bikes sitting idle. Importantly, a winter launch should be avoided – <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/on-your-bike-public-hire-scheme-hits-cbd-20100531-wp4k.html">as Melbourne found</a> – when bike trips are at yearly lows.</p>
<p><strong>Cycle infrastructure:</strong> As with cycling in general, providing safe and connected bicycle networks is paramount for increasing participation rates. For Australian cities, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">historic lack of funding for cycle infrastructure</a> has limited ridership growth. Much work remains to be done, though Brisbane City Council has committed to <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-and-transport/roads-infrastructure-and-bikeways/bikeway-and-pathway-projects/citylink-cycleway-trial">trial improvements</a> to its CBD on-road bike lanes.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-are-short-changed-when-it-comes-to-transport-funding-in-australia-92574">Cycling and walking are short-changed when it comes to transport funding in Australia</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Ultimately, dockless shared e-bikes can deliver a more flexible mobility option as operators maximise user convenience and governments develop urban cycling infrastructure.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>* The regulatory environment for micromobility is rapidly evolving. There are many <a href="https://www.ntc.gov.au/sites/default/files/assets/files/NTC-Decision-RIS-PMDs.pdf">nuances across Australian jurisdictions</a>, and users should check with their own state or territory for up-to-date road rules and regulations.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/151844/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madison Bland is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where he is completing his PhD research in partnership with the City of Gold Coast. He is also an active member of PIA and PedBikeTrans industry groups</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Abraham Leung is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where his research is funded by the Queensland Department of Transport. He is also an active member of AITPM and PedBikeTrans industry groups.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Benjamin Kaufman is affiliated with the Griffith Cities Research Institute where he is completing his PhD research in partnership with the Queensland Department of Transport. He is also an active member of AITPM and PedBikeTrans industry groups.</span></em></p>And the winner is … e-bikes? A new entrant is set to overtake Brisbane’s CityCycle scheme in the race for the shared mobility market.Madison Bland, PhD Candidate, Cities Research Institute, Griffith UniversityAbraham Leung, Transport Academic Partnership (TAP) Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cities Research Institute, Griffith UniversityBenjamin Kaufman, PhD Candidate, Cities Research Institute, Griffith UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1431582020-12-29T09:32:12Z2020-12-29T09:32:12ZHow coronavirus made 2020 the year of the electric bike<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374518/original/file-20201211-23-xpux84.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=753%2C352%2C4514%2C2903&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/active-senior-woman-electrobike-standing-outdoors-1247732101">Halfpoint/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Walking and cycling gained a higher profile than ever in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. Governments around the world encouraged individuals to go on foot or take their bikes where possible instead of using crowded public transport, and invested in widescale cycling infrastructure to help them do so. </p>
<p>In the UK, the link between obesity and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html#obesity">poorer coronavirus outcomes</a> and the country’s new obesity strategy led to doctors <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53541866">prescribing cycling</a> to improve patients’ health.</p>
<p>While manufacturers and retailers reported a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53541866">rise in bicycle sales</a> and cycling in general during the pandemic, there remain many people who may not feel fit enough to cycle very far (or at all), have a long commute, or live in hilly places. </p>
<p>For these people, bicycles that provide electrical assistance for the rider when pedalling, known as electric bikes or e-bikes, have proved an attractive option because they make cycling easier. As a result, sales of e-bikes also boomed in 2020, with manufacturers <a href="https://electrek.co/2020/10/07/electric-bicycle-sales-booming-now-theres-new-problem/">struggling to keep up</a> with the demand. </p>
<h2>The advantages of e-bikes</h2>
<p>Requiring less effort to ride, e-bikes allow the user to carry more luggage than conventional cycles, and are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140520301146">often used for utilitarian purposes</a> such as shopping or commuting, as well as for recreation. E-bike owners have been found to cycle more frequently and for longer distances than <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259019821930017X">conventional cyclists</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man with a bike looks out on a city below him." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374521/original/file-20201211-19-15d22hl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">E-bikes can be particularly useful in hilly places.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/unrecognizable-european-male-cyclist-relaxing-on-613752584">WAYHOME Studio/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In Europe, e-bikes represent one of the fastest growing segments of the transport market, with sales in Germany in 2018 <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2020/03/06/1996443/0/en/Global-e-Bike-Market-Outlook-2020-2025-Giant-Bicycles-Expected-to-Be-the-Largest-Player.html">accounting for 23.5%</a> of all bikes sold, while <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/carltonreid/2019/03/02/when-will-e-bike-sales-overtake-sales-of-bicycles-for-the-netherlands-thats-now/?sh=213e34632e4a">more than half</a> of the adult bikes sold in the Netherlands in 2018 were electric. </p>
<p>That was before the pandemic sent numbers through the roof. Now, industry groups say sales of e-bikes in Europe could <a href="https://cyclingindustry.news/electric-bike-sales-europe/">double in the next five years</a>. </p>
<h2>A replacement for cars</h2>
<p>Car travel is an essential part of everyday life for many people, but has a major impact on the environment through air pollution, particularly from congested traffic. As half of all car journeys in the UK are <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/514912/road-use-statistics.pdf">between one and five miles</a> in length, substituting many of them with e-cycling is an achievable aim.</p>
<p>To explore the influence of e-cycling on travel, we conducted a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140520301146">scoping review</a> of previous research. In 42 studies examining the impact of e-bike use on other travel modes, the proportion of car journeys substituted after people bought e-bikes ranged from 20% to as high as 86%. Adoption of e-cycling can therefore contribute at some level to reducing congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. </p>
<h2>Who benefits from e-bikes?</h2>
<p>We have also researched the health benefits of e-bikes in a 2018 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30463581/">systematic review of studies</a>. In 17 studies involving a range of groups, we found that e-cycling provided physical activity of at least moderate intensity, which was lower than the intensity elicited during conventional cycling, but higher than that during walking. E-cycling can therefore contribute to meeting physical activity recommendations and increasing physical fitness. </p>
<p>Most people who are not regularly active could benefit from e-cycling. However, for those with health conditions such as obesity or type 2 diabetes, who may particularly benefit from physical activity but often find it difficult, e-cycling may be an important way to become more regularly active.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A silhouette of a person riding a e-bike against a sunset background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/374523/original/file-20201211-24-1e7niii.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">E-cycling could increase active commuting among people who might struggle to cycle otherwise.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/unrecognizable-european-male-cyclist-relaxing-on-613752584">Shchus/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our research shows that rates of active commuting in these groups is low – just <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/10/e017132">5.5% for those with type 2 diabetes</a>. In response to this statistic, we conducted the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29738609/">first feasibility study</a> to explore whether e-cycling was acceptable to, and could potentially improve the health of, people with this condition. </p>
<p>We recruited 20 people with type 2 diabetes to use an e-bike for 20 weeks. We found that participants enjoyed using the e-bikes, cycling on average 21km per week. Participants’ heart rate during e-bicycle journeys was 74.7% of maximum, compared with 64.3% of maximum when walking, a level sufficient to generate improvements in fitness. This is comparable to the changes seen when healthy inactive individuals take up conventional cycling. </p>
<h2>The future of e-bikes</h2>
<p>There is now increasing interest in the potential of e-bikes for other people who are recommended more physical activity but find this hard to achieve, such as those recovering from cancer. We can see a future where doctors could prescribe e-cycling to patients, with provision to buy bikes at reduced cost or spreading the payments. </p>
<p>Although it has been a difficult year, there may be a small silver lining to the pandemic. With fewer of us commuting, and less motorised travel overall, the pandemic has driven a change in physical activity behaviour and raised awareness of traffic congestion and air pollution. </p>
<p>With many of us exploring or re-discovering ways to be active outdoors and cut down on motorised transport, the future is bright for e-cycling. With the development of smaller and more efficient batteries, e-bikes will become lighter and have a longer range of travel, and will become a common sight on our streets. </p>
<p>Providers of e-bikes often refer to the e-bike smile – the look of joy on peoples face when they try one for the first time. Try to remember how it felt when a parent held the back of your bike saddle and whizzed you along – the feeling is very similar. </p>
<p>If you haven’t yet tried an e-bike, we would encourage you to do so. They are great fun, will make becoming healthy a lot easier, and you may have a reason look back on something positive from 2020.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143158/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ashley Cooper receives funding from The National Institute of Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Angie Page receives funding from The National Institute of Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jessica Bourne receives funding from The National Institute of Health Research, Biomedical Research Centre Funding Scheme. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.</span></em></p>Electric bikes provided a safe commuting option for people who weren’t able to ride traditional bicycles.Ashley Cooper, Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health, University of BristolAngie Page, Professor in Physical Activity and Public Health, University of BristolJessica E Bourne, PhD candiate, School for Policy Studies, University of BristolLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1093672019-11-08T12:15:10Z2019-11-08T12:15:10ZE-bikes are coming to federally owned trails: 4 questions answered<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300171/original/file-20191104-88419-12w9343.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A cyclist in San Bernadino National Forest, where e-bikes were previously banned.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/National-Parks-Electric-Bikes/23d97e5746254348ab41885329b0d12c/26/0">AP/Brian Melley</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>Editor’s note: In August, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt <a href="https://www.doi.gov/sites/doi.gov/files/elips/documents/so_3376_-_increasing_recreational_opportunities_through_the_use_of_electric_bikes_-508_0.pdf">announced an order</a> stating that electric bicycles will be allowed on all trails on federally owned land where normal bikes can ride. The move has led to some <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-energy-202/2019/10/16/the-energy-202-trump-administration-wants-to-open-up-more-public-trails-to-e-bikes-no-one-knows-exactly-what-that-means/5da6244c88e0fa3155a71155/">confusion and controversy</a>, as states and municipalities sort out how to comply with the order.</em></p>
<p><em>Parts of the <a href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2019/08/30/policy-change-paving-way-e-bikes-national-parks#.XcBVDkVKhaE">bike industry</a> and the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/ebikepolicy.htm">National Park Service</a> have argued that the move will make public lands accessible to more people. Others are concerned the arrival of e-bikes on federal trails will <a href="https://www.wilderness.org/articles/media-resources/letter-outdoor-groups-opposes-allowing-e-bikes-non-motorized-trails-public-lands">lead to broader use of motorized vehicles</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>John Freemuth, a researcher on public lands policy at Boise State University, weighs in on the rollout of the policy and how it might affect public lands like national parks.</em> </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0aHWC9JneTw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<h2>1. Why do e-bikes on trails in federal lands raise concern?</h2>
<p>There’s nothing to stop people with those bikes from heading off the trails into areas that are sensitive. I’m not saying even two percent of those folks would do that. But it doesn’t take very many people to harm resources and get in all sorts of trouble. </p>
<p>Also, it’s clear that the secretary has given park superintendents some discretion about where to allow these bikes and where not to allow them. So there’s still a lot of ambiguity in the policy, which I think is concerning. </p>
<h2>2. Why would e-bikes cause more problems than normal bikes?</h2>
<p>Because they’re so fast, you could have a collision a lot more easily than somebody on a regular bike. </p>
<p>It’s <a href="https://americanhiking.org/press-release/national-trail-and-conservation-groups-blast-new-doi-e-bike-order/">alarming people</a> because it goes against why some of these places were set aside and protected. There’s obviously a place for e-bikes in a park unit. But there are places, perhaps, where they shouldn’t be allowed because other people go to national parks for experiences that don’t include whipping around on bikes at 20 miles an hour. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=449&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/300351/original/file-20191105-88394-1o0qnlt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=565&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Are electric bikes too fast for the trails on federally owned land?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.apimages.com/metadata/Index/National-Parks-Electric-Bikes/fdf65cebe245478ebebe481e2fd8b92a/15/0">AP Photo/David Sharp</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>3. What about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/policy/upload/PM_19-01.pdf">the argument that allowing e-bikes makes these parks accessible to more people</a>?</h2>
<p>You could certainly have instances where people with an e-bike could allow someone to get a bit into the non-wilderness back country. Now, this may require the agencies to have to build different kinds of trails. And that’s always a cost, and a visitor safety issue.</p>
<p>This is public land, and there’s nothing wrong with some use. The question is, though, where is it appropriate and where is it inappropriate? That’s just the dialogue I think we all have to have with each other. </p>
<h2>4. What do you think is the best approach to regulate these bikes on public lands?</h2>
<p>I think we should go slowly. Let’s let our agencies experiment. They could try allowing e-bikes in one area for a while to see what happens. There should be places where they’re prohibited. But we should learn by doing and develop more effective policy by observation. </p>
<p>Again, the agencies do have discretion to decide what to do here. But it’s not clear from some of the policies how closely they are supposed to follow state and local rules and follow their own policies and procedures on federal lands. And their policies should come first, I would argue. So I’d urge them to go slow and begin to learn where these bikes are acceptable, and don’t cause problems, and places where they shouldn’t be allowed.</p>
<p>[ <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters?utm_source=TCUS&utm_medium=inline-link&utm_campaign=newsletter-text&utm_content=expertise">Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get a digest of academic takes on today’s news, every day.</a></em> ]</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/109367/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Freemuth receives funding from BLM and USGS. I am a professor but work closely with the Andrus Center for Public Policy at Boise State University. </span></em></p>The Trump administration has moved to allow electric bikes on all federally owned trails where normal bikes are allowed. A public lands scholar weighs in on the issues this could cause.John Freemuth, Cecil D. Andrus Endowed Chair for Environment and Public Lands and University Distinguished Professor, Boise State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1060392018-11-27T11:40:42Z2018-11-27T11:40:42ZInstagram posts suggest e-scooter companies like Bird aren’t promoting safe riding to newbies<p>Since <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-30/the-bloody-consequences-of-the-electric-scooter-revolution">emerging</a> in the U.S. last year, electric scooters have become an <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/8/27/17676670/electric-scooter-rental-bird-lime-skip-spin-cities">increasingly popular</a> way for people to travel short distances, thanks to their speed and convenience. But they’ve also <a href="https://theconversation.com/electric-scooters-on-collision-course-with-pedestrians-and-lawmakers-99654">generated controversy and concerns</a> about their safety. </p>
<p>Recently, nine people who say they’ve been injured by e-scooters filed a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2018/10/20/class-action-lawsuit-accuses-e-scooter-companies-gross-negligence/">class-action lawsuit</a> against startups Bird and Lime, accusing them of “gross negligence,” “aiding and abetting assault” and failing to include adequate safety instructions for riders. </p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zAFlXaQAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">I study</a> ways to inform public health and policy by using data from social media. Research shows that the ways in which companies promote and demonstrate use of their products or services through social media <a href="http://doi.org/10.1509/jm.14.0249">influences consumer behavior</a>. </p>
<p>Instagram in particular has become an <a href="https://clickfirstmarketing.com/instagram-a-powerful-marketing-tool/">important way</a> for startups like Bird to communicate with their customers. And since the company <a href="https://www.bird.co/safety/">calls safety</a> its “obsession,” my <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=l8xJ4SEAAAAJ&hl=en">colleague</a> and I wanted to determine how well it telegraphed this to its followers.</p>
<h2>Riding risks</h2>
<p>E-scooters are a relatively new phenomenon in the ride-share economy. </p>
<p>Customers typically must download applications onto their smartphones, which then direct them to the nearest e-scooter available for rent. Riders can travel at speeds of up to 15 miles an hour and then abandon the scooter once they’ve reached their destination, wherever convenient. </p>
<p>But that convenience has a cost. Powered two-wheelers are extremely <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2013.3253">vulnerable to road risks</a>. <a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/katienotopoulos/e-scooter-injuries-are-becoming-common-in-emergency-rooms">Hundreds</a> of riders and pedestrians <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-30/the-bloody-consequences-of-the-electric-scooter-revolution">have been injured</a> by e-scooters, and three have died. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/BowiwH7F689/?taken-by=bird","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>Bird’s Instagram feed</h2>
<p>My colleague and I conducted a study that looks at the ways Bird portrays the use of its e-scooters to customers. It was recently published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335518302717?via%3Dihub">Preventive Medicine Reports</a>.</p>
<p>We chose Bird because it’s among the largest e-scooter-sharing companies, operating in 30 U.S. cities with plans to expand across the globe. It’s <a href="https://www.inc.com/business-insider/scooter-company-bird-doubles-valuation-2-billion-unicorn-startup.html">valued at US$2 billion</a>, has more than 69,000 followers on its <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bird/?hl=en">Instagram account</a> and has <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/07/202927/bird-lime-scooter-expansion">been praised</a> for its use of social media in distinguishing itself from competitors. </p>
<p>We analyzed all 324 posts to Bird’s account from Sept. 22, 2017, through November 9, 2018. If there were any people in the photo, we examined whether there was an e-scooter visible and whether the individuals were wearing any protective gear, such as a helmet, wrist guards or elbow and knee pads. We then looked at the comment section to see if protective gear or safety was mentioned. </p>
<p>We found that 69 percent of the 324 posts contained a person visible with a Bird e-scooter. Of those, only 6.2 percent showed someone wearing any protective gear. About 6.8 percent of the images displayed safety gear in the background. Just 1.5 percent of the posts mentioned safety in the comment box.</p>
<p>Over two-thirds of the posts to Bird’s Instagram account were reposts from customers, suggesting that documenting their actual experience with e-scooters is part of the company’s marketing plan. </p>
<p>Bird offers <a href="https://www.bird.co/safety">free helmets</a> to all active riders (as long as they cover shipping) and explicitly encourages them to wear one. </p>
<p>Yet by reposting its customers’ photos without wearing protective gear, Bird sends a signal to its followers that it approves of customers riding without a helmet.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/BpkC1ooF0t1/?taken-by=bird","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<h2>Scooter safety</h2>
<p>So what to make of this?</p>
<p>Our findings are limited to one social media account from a single e-scooter company and do not consider Bird’s other ways of communicating with its customers. Traditional survey-based research is still needed to document the use of protective gear while operating these two-wheelers.</p>
<p>But at a minimum, our findings suggest that one of the leading e-scooter-sharing companies is not emphasizing the safe use of its products as a part of its promotional activities on Instagram. </p>
<p>And lawmakers appear to be following suit. A new <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2989">California law</a>, <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/bird-goes-after-helmet-laws-for-electric-scooters/">sponsored by the e-scooter industry</a>, <a href="https://la.curbed.com/2018/9/21/17884220/bird-lime-scooters-rules-helmets-california">will allow adults</a> to ride without a helmet and all users to travel on sidewalks, overturning previous rules. </p>
<p>Given the growing number of injuries and even deaths that have been reported involving e-scooters, I believe it may be up to health officials to emphasize the importance of using protective gear and following safe riding practices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106039/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jon-Patrick Allem receives funding from the Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program and the National Institutes of Health. MIT Press provides funding as a member of The Conversation US.</span></em></p>Motorized scooters that can travel up to 15 miles per hour have soared in popularity over the past year, as have concerns about their safety.Jon-Patrick Allem, Research Scientist, University of Southern CaliforniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/636382016-08-09T04:24:11Z2016-08-09T04:24:11ZSmart cities: does this mean more transport disruptions?<p>A plethora of new and personalised ways of getting around cities are emerging – electric bikes, motorised scooters, electric vehicles, car sharing and re-interpretations of the taxi by Uber.</p>
<p>How might we realise the potential of these transport disruptions? How does the combination of culture, regulation and technology shape sustainable transport futures? The extent to which technologies align with social, political and policy norms is a critical factor in their uptake and success.</p>
<p>Technology is politically, socially and culturally mediated. Its success relies on how it relates to existing lifestyles and aspirations. Technologies need to be accommodated in the ways we want to move around cities. The most amazing technological intervention will quickly atrophy if it is disconnected from daily needs and desires.</p>
<p>Regulatory settings can impede or foster new technologies. We can make space for different ways of moving around – such as cycleways, footpaths and roads. We can <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/uber-melbourne-and-victoria-state-government-to-reform-transport-laws-to-close-loophole/news-story/d862ee0a972c49f244da2f9605e4cffd">prohibit</a> or <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2016/06/08/uber-legal-in-which-australian-states-crikey/">encourage</a> disruptive forces, as so starkly <a href="https://theconversation.com/uber-should-take-its-lead-from-thomas-cooks-battle-with-victorian-britain-59182">evident with Uber</a>. We can set tax and other pricing mechanisms, as incentives or disincentives for modes of transport.</p>
<p>Some argue that new technologies are so disruptive because they have no predecessor to show us the way. But examples are emerging that show us where society, regulation and technology have or have not aligned, underpinning their success or failure.</p>
<h2>Car sharing – an obedient disruption</h2>
<p>Car sharing in Australia’s inner cities has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-000-cars-and-no-garage-why-car-sharing-works-31179">phenomenally successful</a>. There are an estimated 50,000 car sharers across the country. </p>
<p>The disruptions of car sharing are mild: it draws on technologies and skills shared with other aspects of social life. The concept of sharing is disruptive but easily accommodated; regulation adapted quickly to the subtle shifts required. It is an obedient disruption, and this obedience is one of the pillars of its success.</p>
<p>Car sharing is technologically disruptive as it relies on smart technologies to function. It is booked online, unlocked by a smart card, automatically paid by credit card and invisibly monitored via GPS.</p>
<p>It is socially disruptive. Car sharing relies on people deferring or giving up car ownership. Importantly, it asks us to give up the emotional and cultural attachments we have to cars. Evidence is mounting that <a href="https://theconversation.com/delay-in-getting-driving-licences-opens-door-to-more-sustainable-travel-57430">millennials are swapping out the car</a> for the phone as a status symbol.</p>
<p>Car sharing does not significantly challenge regulatory frameworks or political interests. It does rely on parking space, though, and local governments have quickly developed <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2015.1077806">car-sharing policies</a> to balance the needs of sustainable transport with access to on-street and off-street parking. While providing dedicated parking space to car-share organisations has been <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/car-sharing-operators-cry-foul-as-melbourne-council-moves-to-up-parking-costs-20150723-gij72w.html">politically controversial</a>, the regulatory supports were easily identified and mobilised.</p>
<p>Car sharing is a case where the lifestyles, values, technologies and regulation are aligned – a sustainability success story.</p>
<h2>Personal mobility devices – a disruption in limbo</h2>
<p>Personal mobility devices, known as PMDs, are more disruptive and a less successful sustainable transport option thus far in Australia. These are personal, battery-powered or motorised modes of transport designed for an individual to use on footpaths or shared paths. They include <a href="http://www.segway.com/">Segway</a>, <a href="http://www.yikebike.com/">YikeBike</a> or two-wheel motorised <a href="https://www.razor.com/au/products/electric-scooters/">“Razor” scooters</a>. </p>
<p>These devices allow the rider to travel short distances quickly without physical effort. Their small size makes them easily transferable between transport. This means they can <a href="https://theconversation.com/electric-unicycles-minifarthings-and-the-future-of-urban-transport-13331">bridge the “first and last mile”</a> – between home and transit and work.</p>
<p>Despite their popularity, which is visible on city streets, PMDs are unable to be <a href="http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/registration/unregistered.html">legally</a> ridden on roads, footpaths, shared paths or cycleways in most Australian states. They do not meet vehicle standards and cannot be registered or legally used on roads. </p>
<p>Most of these devices are too dissimilar from bicycles, even electric bikes, to be classed as bicycles. Motorisation and wheels also rule out their classification as a pedestrian.</p>
<p>With the exception of some devices for tourism, PMDs remain in limbo in most Australian states. There was a move in Queensland in 2013 when a <a href="http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Safety/Queensland-road-rules/Personal-mobility-devices.aspx">policy framework</a> to regulate the use of PMDs was implemented. These regulations specified what a PMD is and how/where it can be used.</p>
<p>PMDs were defined as pedestrians to be used in pedestrian environments. Strict rules applied. Riders must: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>not exceed 12 kilometres per hour; </p></li>
<li><p>be 12 years or over; and </p></li>
<li><p>wear a helmet. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>In short, regulatory settings were modified to allow these new forms of technology, though not without debate.</p>
<p>How might these means of moving about the city be accommodated or become part of ordinary transport? For these devices to be used as transport, they need to get people travelling faster than walking without compromising safety.</p>
<h2>Driverless cars – are we ready?</h2>
<p>The stuff of science fiction 50 years ago, some <a href="http://www.driverless-future.com/?page_id=384">technological optimists today predict</a> driverless cars will be in our cities within five years. Indeed, autonomous cars are already here. New cars have adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, collision avoidance and parking assist. </p>
<p>Robotic vehicles are increasingly common in agriculture and mining. With researchers turning their attention to the realities of life with driverless cars, regulation and social impact are once again emerging as key issues.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.ntc.gov.au/current-projects/preparing-for-more-automated-road-and-rail-vehicles/?modeId=1064&topicId=1166">recent assessment</a> by the National Transport Commission of Australia found that 716 provisions from two conventions, 32 acts and 21 regulations need to be addressed before autonomous vehicles become commonplace. Fundamentally, legal and insurance frameworks need to rethink a driver, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/killer-robots-hit-the-road-and-the-law-has-yet-to-catch-up-49735">who is responsible</a> when there is no driver. </p>
<p>There are also considerable <a href="https://theconversation.com/data-mining-the-new-black-box-of-self-driving-cars-31685">privacy implications</a> of tracking and the ubiquitous sensing and data collection that these vehicles require. While the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-driverless-cars-still-need-driving-tests-62721">technology is almost there</a>, our policy frameworks are not quite there.</p>
<p>Research also shows that people are <a href="http://spectrum.ieee.org/cars-that-think/transportation/self-driving/driverless-cars-inspire-both-fear-and-hope">not quite ready for autonomous cars</a>. Car makers are working in more sophisticated ways to ensure that autonomous cars <a href="https://theconversation.com/self-driving-cars-will-need-people-too-39835">talk to passengers</a>, telling them when they are and are not in control and what is around them.</p>
<p>Businesses, on the other hand, are increasingly ready for autonomous cars, especially through shared transport. In the US, General Motors has <a href="http://time.com/4166130/general-motors-lyft/">invested significantly</a> in <a href="http://qz.com/677394/self-driving-taxis-from-general-motors-and-lyft-will-hit-the-road-within-a-year/">ride-sharing business Lyft</a>. General Motors expects autonomous cars to be operating within ten years. </p>
<p>Uber is conducting its own <a href="http://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/uber-to-trail-driverless-car-20160520-gozooh.html">trials of autonomous vehicles</a>. Increasingly, it appears that economic and social conditions are more likely to support <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5-cities-with-driverless-public-buses-on-the-streets-ri-1736146699">driverless buses</a>, at least short term.</p>
<p>Evidence is mounting that our cities, citizens, businesses and policymakers are getting ready for a future where transport technologies that are neither car nor public transport are commonplace. Mismatches remain between technology, social life and regulation, but their alignments, especially around shared transport, are proving successful.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>This article is based on an address by the author at the launch of the <a href="http://www.festivalofurbanism.com/about/">Festival of Urbanism</a> at the University of Sydney. These issues will be considered in a panel discussion, Urban Super Powers: Human-centred technology and city design of the future, at the university from 6-8pm on Thursday, August 11. For more details about this free public event, see <a href="http://www.festivalofurbanism.com/events-1/2016/6/24/urban-super-powers-human-centred-technology-and-city-design-of-the-future">here</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/63638/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robyn Dowling receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>New technologies do not exist in a vacuum. To succeed, new transport technology needs to match the ways we want to move around cities and be accommodated by laws and regulations.Robyn Dowling, Professor and Associate Dean Research, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/104652012-11-13T19:19:35Z2012-11-13T19:19:35ZElectric bikes at 250 watts … the view has opened up nicely<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/17150/original/k9kn48pw-1351729541.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=54%2C3%2C2221%2C1512&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Changes to the Australian Design Rules have altered the landscape for electric bikes.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Chiemgau - Bayerns Lächeln</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’ve not ridden an electric bicycle yet, chances are you know someone who has. Or maybe someone rode past you on one and you thought it was a conventional bike. Changes in permitted power output means you’ll likely be seeing more, and better, electric bikes coming your way (or riding past you).</p>
<p>If you’ve been lured by an electric bike, my colleagues and I would like to hear from you, as I’ll discuss a little later. But first, for the uninitiated, let’s start with the basics: what is an electric bike? </p>
<p>An electric bike has motorised assistance that allows the cyclist to ride further with less effort. Think of it as having a reliable tailwind to help you on your way up hills. </p>
<p>The distinct difference is how the motorised assistance works: pedal assist or handlebar throttle. Confusion arises because both pedal assist and handlebar throttle are often referred to as electric bikes, or e-bikes for short.</p>
<p>Pedal-assist or <a href="http://www.nycewheels.com/bike-info.html">pedelec</a> bikes require the rider to pedal to gain the advantage of the electric model. Put simply, for a pedal-assist bike, no pedalling equals no power.</p>
<p>In contrast, an e-bike with a handlebar throttle, a simple flick of the switch or twist of the handlebar will propel the bike forward – without pedalling. </p>
<p>Electric bike manufacturers and retailers have been building and importing powered bicycles in Australia for more than two decades but a change is in the wind thanks to new government regulations.</p>
<h2>A change of gear</h2>
<p>In May, the Australian government <a href="http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012L01123/CanPrint">amended the Australian Design Rules</a> to adopt the European rule (EN 15194:2009), and this changed some of the rules around electric bikes. The biggest change was the increase to their permitted power output from 200 to 250 watts. </p>
<p>Motorised assistance will cut out at 25km/h. You can go faster than 25km/h, but you need to be pedalling – the battery will not provide any extra push.</p>
<p>While some countries, and some states of the US, allow electric bikes of up to 1,000 watts, any bicycle powered by an auxiliary motor that exceeds 250 watts in Australia will be classified a motorbike and must be registered and ridden by a licenced rider. </p>
<p>In addition to further clarifying the definitions of electric bikes, the government’s changes to permitted power outputs have brought Australia inline internationally.</p>
<p>While 50 watts more may not seem a big increase, it’s potentially a game-changer for electric bikes.</p>
<p>For riders, it means going up hills will be a little easier, with extra torque, although the top speed will still cut out at 25km/h and the distance you can ride with electric motor assistance will be about the same.</p>
<p>The real improvement is the variety of electric bikes that can now be sold in Australia.</p>
<h2>Out with the old</h2>
<p>Internationally, 250 watts is a common standard power output; subsequently, many electric bikes being designed and manufactured globally have 250-watt motors.</p>
<p>As a result, the electric bikes available in Australia until now have been a mixed bag. At one end, small businesses that specialise in custom-built electric bikes offered a quality product that has improved with each new generation of bike, better battery technology and advancements in design. </p>
<p>But the market has been flooded with cheap electric bikes, sold over the internet or imported in containers and sold from warehouses in cardboard packing boxes. </p>
<p>While initially inexpensive for the consumer – in the region of A$1,000 – these products lack after-sales service and support. When something (inevitably) does go wrong, the consumer is left with a very heavy bike.</p>
<h2>In with the new</h2>
<p>The amended Australian Design Rules mean sophisticated new electric bike designs with the latest technology are legally available, and what was once a boutique industry with a discrete custom market share is about to go mainstream.</p>
<p>Quality electric bikes with excellent after-sales service and support range from A$2,000-A$3,000. More expensive than a standard pushbike, electric bikes are significantly cheaper than many high-end bicycles, which range from A$5,000-A$10,000 and beyond.</p>
<p>Electric bikes are already mainstream in one Australian company – Australia Post. While some companies are replacing one fleet vehicle with e-bikes for short trips made by staff, Australia Post is <a href="http://www.sustainablemelbourne.com/events/australia-post-electric-bikes-ata-ev-interest-group/">the poster child</a> for electric bikes with more than 1,000 electric bikes in their fleet. </p>
<p>Australia Post has worked with bicycle designers and manufacturers to improve the design of the bicycle to maximise the safety and efficiency for posties en route – and this has impacted the geometry of the bikes and their luggage capacity. </p>
<p>Each generation of battery also further improves the distance the e-bikes can travel on a single charge.</p>
<h2>Get in touch</h2>
<p>Our study at the Institute of Transport Studies at Monash University is investigating what influenced people to buy an electric bike and what their experiences have been using them.</p>
<p>Our findings will assist to develop future policies aimed at increasing the safety and sustainability of the transport system, including electric bikes.</p>
<p>Whether the electric bike provides a stepping stone from the car to a pedal bike remains to be seen. But the individual benefits that can be gained by reducing people’s reliance on cars and increasing their physical activity will also help reduce congestion and vehicle exhaust pollution on our roads.</p>
<p>While some bicycle models are clearly electric bikes with a battery pack plain to see, many of the models are not visibly electric and are difficult to differentiate for other road users. </p>
<p>As with all cycling activity, the question of safety also impacts electric bike riders and feeds into the issue of adequate and connected bicycle facilities on and off roads, as well as behavioural issues with other road users. </p>
<p>So you ride an electric bike, or know someone who does? Do let us know and, of course, safe riding!</p>
<p><br></p>
<p><em>You can participate in <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ebikes">this study online</a>.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/10465/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marilyn Johnson receives funding from the Australian Research Council for this study. She is also the Research and Policy Manager at the Amy Gillett Foundation.</span></em></p>If you’ve not ridden an electric bicycle yet, chances are you know someone who has. Or maybe someone rode past you on one and you thought it was a conventional bike. Changes in permitted power output means…Marilyn Johnson, Research Fellow, Institute of Transport Studies, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.