The companies that make and sell e-bikes say they can overcome those obstacles. E-bike technology, particularly the batteries, is improving. “Batteries are getting smaller, they’re getting lighter, they’re getting more reliable and they are lasting longer,” says Don DiCostanza, the founder and CEO of Pedego, an electric bikemaker and retailer. Big companies like Bosch and Shimano are entering the business, which should help erode resistance from bike shops. In the meantime, lobbying efforts are underway to permit the use of e-bikes everywhere. Perhaps most importantly, as more cities build cycling infrastructure, including dedicated bike lanes, bicycle commuting has become more popular. As the US Census Bureau reported in 2014, the number of bike commuters grew from about 488,000 in 2000 to 786,000 in 2012. Electric bikes make commuting more practical – and fun – by easing worry about hills, headwinds and fatigue.
Why has bicycle commuting become more popular?
There are more bike lanes available for people to bike in More bikes are being built and distributed in cities It is more practical than commuting by car There is a recent trend of people wanting to be more active