The number of people using electric bicycles have been continuously growing over the course of a relatively short period of time. E-bikes are beneficial to both a rider’s physical and emotional health, in addition to having a longer range, being more effective at climbing, and being less harmful to the environment. But the cost of purchasing an e-bike can make new cyclists doubtful. This opens the question, do e-bikes hold their value?
Yes, definitely! Electric bicycles provide many of the same advantages as regular bicycles. When compared to owning other vehicles such as a motorcycle or a car, the acquisition and maintenance costs of an electric bicycle are much lower. This is one of the primary advantages of utilizing an electric bicycle rather than other forms of transportation. The value of an e-bike is increased because of its superior ability to traverse hard terrain and slopes, as well as its ability to navigate smoothly through congested urban areas, which can be difficult for other types of vehicles. Not to mention the fact that e-bikes aren’t only for sporty, active cyclists. Everyone, thanks to the e-bike’s features like the throttle and pedal assist, may have a travel experience that is both safe and enjoyable on an e-bike.
So while the information above briefly explains why e-bike holds their value, many of you may still have a lot of questions in mind, and that is okay! We will briefly discuss below why buying and owning an e-bike is worth it.
E-Bike vs. Other Modes of Transportation: How Much Does it Cost to Own an E-Bike?
E-Bike vs. Car
Electricity vs. Gas: What’s the Difference?
The cost of fuel for an e-bike is significantly lower than that of a standard gasoline-powered automobile, with rough and dirty figures. When compared to the average gas-powered vehicle in the United States, which gets about 24 miles per gallon, most electric bicycles have a mileage range of anywhere between 2,000 and 4,000 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe).
A high-quality electric bicycle should be able to consume at least 20 watt-hours of electricity over the course of one mile. Taking into account the fact that there is a 20% efficiency loss from the home charging outlet to the e-bike battery, this translates to a ‘fuel cost’ of around one-fourth of a cent per mile.
In comparison, a typical gas-powered car in the United States consumes 24 miles per gallon of conventional fuel, which equals roughly 10 cents per mile in fuel costs alone, based on the current average price of $2.47 per gallon in the United States.
E-Bike Maintenance Costs vs. Car Maintenance Costs
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the annual maintenance cost of a gas-powered vehicle is $3,554 on average. While the yearly recurring expenses for an e-bike are roughly $1,331. This includes the expense of purchasing a new battery, an entire suspension, and any other necessary components.
Depreciation is another thing to consider; e-bikes maintain their value rather well over a long period of time, whereas cars undoubtedly lose more value over time. Based on anecdotal evidence alone, a brand new car will depreciate faster and lose much more of its value over the course of several years in comparison to the depreciation of a brand new e-bike. An e-bike of good quality that has been properly maintained can last up to 7-10 years.
E-Bike vs. Motorcycle
Even though the expense of maintaining a motorcycle is significantly less than that of a car, it’s still an expensive mode of transportation if compared to an e-bike.
Therefore, while the cost of purchasing an electric bicycle is nearly equivalent to the cost of purchasing a motorcycle, the cost of maintenance and the price of fuel for an electric bicycle is not in the same league as those for a motorcycle.
E-Bike vs. Public Transportation
Owning and operating an electric bicycle is a lot more cost-effective than taking public transportation on a daily basis. In the United States, the cost of using public transportation or a bus is estimated to range anywhere from 70 cents to 90 cents per mile, but the cost of using a bicycle or an electric bicycle is typically calculated to be far below 20 cents per mile. Also, e-bikes are significantly more effective than public transportation in terms of cutting down on the amount of time spent traveling.
Other Advantages of Using an E-Bike
1. Bicycling with Assist
E-bikes come equipped with something that is referred to as a “pedal-assist” and is powered by a battery. Specifically speaking, this is a piece of equipment that is built into the frame of the bike and is intended to make pedaling easier. Because of this, you can ride an electric bicycle wherever you go, and you won’t need to worry about getting sweaty while you’re out on your ride.
You won’t have to be concerned about navigating difficult terrain thanks to the fact that the e-bikes of today can also handle inclines and hills. With the assistance of an electric bicycle, cyclists of any age and in any state of health may go for far longer and trouble-free rides than usual.
2. Faster Travel
With an electric bicycle, you won’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic on your way to work or school, even if you live in the middle of the city. Because of the unexpected surge in the number of cyclists over the past few years, multipurpose cycle lanes and pathways that are free of traffic are now readily available in the majority of cities. These paths and lanes make e-bikes a faster mode of transportation than either public transportation or private cars.
Aside from that, on standard bicycles, the majority of riders travel between 10 and 12 mph, while an average of 20 mph is possible on an electric bicycle. E-Bikes enable riders to travel greater distances in a shorter amount of time compared to traditional bicycles.
3. Increase Your Physical Fitness
Of course, we must not overlook the psychological and physical benefits of riding an e-bike. While there might be a misconception that e-bikes do not help in getting fit, more and more studies prove that e-bikes are just as good as regular bikes at improving fitness. Even though using an e-bike provides some assistance with pedaling, it’s still considered to be a form of exercise and is therefore beneficial to one’s health, both mentally and physically.
4. Environmentally-Friendly
Both climate change and global warming are very important problems, and each of us is responsible for doing all we can to help solve them. We may be on the verge of making our final stand to rescue the earth, and each of us may make a contribution toward this goal. There is a significant difference in the amount of pollution that is produced by electric bikes compared to motorcycles and cars. You can make a difference by opting to ride an electric bicycle rather than a vehicle that runs on gasoline or diesel. They consume energy at a rate that is typically between 100 and 150 watts, in contrast to the approximately 15,000 watts that is required by a car. As a result, this can help to improve air quality.
5. Safe Travel
The safety of riding an electric bike is similar to that of any other form of transportation. When it comes to anything active, there is always a risk. Even yet, if you follow the rules of the road, use proper equipment, and maintain personal safety, riding an e-bike poses very little risk.
6. Parking is Free
It’s considerably easier to park an e-bike than it is to park a car. It’s very convenient to be able to pull up to where you’re going and secure your bike to the nearest bike rack or tree. The nicest part is that parking is completely free!
