Electric Bikes and the Environment

Understanding the Environmental Impact of E-Bikes

At Vamos Bikes we get a lot of questions from customers about whether electric bikes are environmentally friendly. The short answer is yes, but we wanted to take the time to unpack exactly how electric bikes benefit the environment.

Electric Bike & their Carbon Footprint (as assessed by their corresponding electricity cost/usage) 

Charging your electric bike costs roughly 12 cents – around half of what it costs to charge your average smart phone. If you want to go fully green, you might also consider using solar power to charge up. Here’s a guide to setting up solar power at home. 

Comparison among Bicycle, E-Bike, and a Car

This table compares the cost of owning and operating an e-bike compared to conventional transport.

What to do with E-Bike and E-Trike Batteries, how to Dispose if Needed 

Battery disposal has been a key issue in defining the sustainability of e-bikes in Australia. Reports indicate that even with recycling, conventional lead-acid batteries emit roughly 420 milligrams of harmful lead. The bulk of disposed batteries come via industrial and household waste. 

Here at Vamos Bikes we use Samsung Lithium-Ion batteries to get around this problem. Our batteries have a longer charge and lifecycle, meaning more efficient power consumption and less need to recycle. They do not emit lead and can be recycled sustainably. 

Follow this link to find out how and where to recycle your battery safely, or get in touch to find out more.

Lower Your Carbon Footprint, Advantages of E-Bikes Explained 

A European study indicated that overall electric bikes have a similar carbon footprint to conventional bicycles. Your average cyclist creates 21 grams of CO2 per kilometre travelled, compared to 22 grams for electric bike riders – both far less than the 101 grams on average for the standard bus commuter and 271 per car commuter on average. 

“One reason the numbers between e-bikes and traditional bikes is so close that an e-bike user expends less energy while riding than a traditional bike rider, and so they will theoretically be consuming fewer carbs, which reduces their carbon footprint.”

Studies predict e-bikes sales to soar internationally over the next decade, with steady increases continuing throughout the pandemic. With the Australian government on the brink of committing to a 43% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, electric bikes figure to be part of Australia’s plan to meet this target.