E-bikes have a slightly higher carbon footprint than traditional bikes due to battery production and electricity use. It takes around 38-65kg of additional CO2 emissions to produce an e-Bike and they produce 3-5 times more CO2 per kilometer than standard bicycles. Both are significantly lower than cars, making them eco-friendly transportation options.
How E-Bikes Help the Environment: Benefits You Should Know
Written by: Rémy Rossi | November 22, 2024 | Time to read 6 min
Electric bikes are part of the solution in the fight for a greener planet. Learn about how e-Bikes fit into the bigger picture of sustainability and how there’s still much work to be done.
More about the Author: Remy Rossi
Rémy Rossi is a bike writer, mechanic, and educator who got his start in community-based bike shops and co-ops. With a decade in the industry, he still wrenches on bikes when he can and plays bike polo on a fixie.
We’re witnessing an electric bike revolution in the middle of our current climate crisis, so there’s a lot to think about. Individuals and cities worldwide are embracing cycling and e-Biking as a more sustainable alternative to gas-guzzling forms of transportation, but how do electric bikes really help the environment?
Using an e-Bike can significantly reduce your carbon footprint but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Electric bikes produce more carbon emissions during production than standard bicycles and need to be charged regularly. Compared to cars and other vehicles, however, the benefits are huge. Keep reading for an honest and in-depth guide to the environmental impact of electric bikes.
Using an e-Bike can significantly reduce your carbon footprint but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Electric bikes produce more carbon emissions during production than standard bicycles and need to be charged regularly. Compared to cars and other vehicles, however, the benefits are huge. Keep reading for an honest and in-depth guide to the environmental impact of electric bikes.
👋 Say hello to Upway!
Upway is your top destination for buying and selling e-Bikes online. Discover your next e-Bike at up to 60% off retail prices, available in new or like-new condition.
How electric bikes can make a big difference
Electric bikes with integrated motors not only help riders go faster and farther but also have the potential to replace car trips with higher carbon emissions. E-Bikes make it more practical to travel distances that are too far for a standard bicycle, especially if you carry cargo or go up steep hills.
Leaving your car at home when commuting to work or running errands and riding an e-Bike instead can significantly reduce pollution. By some estimates, regularly replacing car trips with e-Bike rides can help individuals save up to 500 pounds of carbon emissions each year.
An uphill battle for carbon offset
Electric bikes are an eco-friendly alternative to cars, but they require resources and energy during the production process. There’s still a long way to go to improve e-Bike production methods and battery efficiency.
For example, the European Climate Foundation (ECF) estimates that the manufacturing footprint of standard bicycles is 96kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). On top of that amount, producing an electric bike involves an additional 38-65kg of CO2e of production emissions.
Used e-Bikes & the environment
“The most environmentally friendly bike is the one you already own. The second-friendliest is one that was owned by someone else.”
This is the philosophy behind Trek Bicycle’s certified used bike program, driving home the fact that recycling bikes is important to help the environment and reduce production emissions. Retailers like Upway give a second life to electric bikes to reduce waste and encourage eco-friendly ridership. All Upway used e-Bikes are rigorously inspected and reconditioned to ensure they’re in tip-top shape, including a one-year warranty.
Many local and state governments are catching on to the e-Bike revolution and have recently introduced incentive programs to encourage residents to purchase electric bikes. For example, Upway is a partner and approved retailer in the Minnesota Rebate program to support the state’s health and environmental goals.
Many local and state governments are catching on to the e-Bike revolution and have recently introduced incentive programs to encourage residents to purchase electric bikes. For example, Upway is a partner and approved retailer in the Minnesota Rebate program to support the state’s health and environmental goals.
Interesting in exploring an adventure bike? Check out these free-spirited rides:
🤝 Looking for a deal? Get an even better discount when you sell your old electric bike now!
Click here for a price estimation
The 5 Eco-Friendly Benefits of Riding an E-Bike
Zero emissions
Unlike gas-powered vehicles, electric bikes don’t release any carbon emissions during use. E-Bikes run on human pedal power and electric energy instead of gas or diesel. We can breathe a bit easier while riding an e-Bike knowing there is no exhaust pipe channeling gases at other cyclists, and that the planet is staying that small bit greener.
Efficient personal transportation
E-Bikes are amazingly efficient when it comes to the amount of energy it takes to transport a rider from Point A to Point B. Electric bikes beat out cars, buses, and trains, and drive units continue to become even more efficient as technology develops.
Of course, e-Bikes do draw energy from the power grid but you can rest assured that that energy is put to good use and isn’t wasted during inefficient gas combustion or idling in traffic. Bikes only have one seat so you’re always carpooling with yourself! Electric bikes are also accessible modes of transport for people with limited mobility or who have a harder time riding a traditional bicycle, including adaptive e-Bikes and trike e-Bikes.
Decreased noise pollution and congestion
Noise pollution and congested traffic are negative consequences of using cars and other powered forms of transportation. Electric bikes are virtually silent and have a much smaller physical footprint than other vehicles, meaning more riders can travel through the city with no traffic. E-Bikes are also much easier to park in crowded areas— no need for enormous, dystopic parking garages plaguing our already-starved-for-space cities!
Less damage to roads
Electric bikes also take it easy on roads and built infrastructure like bike paths. Road maintenance is actually super expensive and tearing up old roads to pour new asphalt releases serious carbon emissions. More people on electric bikes means better road conditions for a longer time. Could this be the end of potholes forever? E-Bike riders can even save money by driving less and riding their electric bike more.
Potential for renewable energy
Electric bikes can be powered by renewable energy sources. Now this will depend on the power grid from which your home draws its power, whether it be coal plants, wind turbines, or solar energy farms, among other sources. But renewable energy is growing and it’s becoming easier to power your home and everything in it from sustainable sources like wind and solar. We may not be there now to ensure that all electric bikes and vehicles are powered by renewable energy, but it’s certainly possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the carbon footprint of e-Bikes vs. traditional bikes?
How can I recycle my e-Bike battery?
It’s important to dispose of your e-Bike battery when it’s time to replace it. You can recycle your e-bike battery by taking it to a certified e-waste recycling center, the retailer where you purchased it, or a manufacturer-sponsored recycling program.
How much power does an electric bike use?
Studies have shown that e-Bikes with a Bosch drive unit use about 11Wh per mile. This energy consumption translates to an average CO2 emissions amount of around 3.5g per mile. In comparison, a car emits about 240g of CO2 per passenger mile and public transportation emits 80-176g of CO2 per passenger mile.
Key Takeaways
- Electric bikes provide a sustainable, affordable, and health-friendly alternative to conventional vehicles.
- They offer an effective way to cut carbon emissions, alleviate traffic congestion, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
- E-Bike batteries still produce carbon emissions during production and draw energy from the grid, but e-Bikes are part of cleaner transportation solutions.
