What makes for a State of the Art eBike?

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January 18, 2011 · View Comments

If you ask Karlheinz Nicolai what a state-of-the-art bicycle would look and feel like, he will likely answer –- among other things — its design would first and foremost, protect the all-important drivetrain system.

In conventional bicycles, drivetrain components such as the derailleur and gearing cogs are attached to the frame as separate parts and are exposed to the elements. Elements e.g. dirt, grit, sand, water causes deterioration to the moving parts, resulting in their high maintenance needs.

Karlheinz would know as he and his team underscored their prototype G-Boxx system and the Smart eBike (co-sponsored by Daimler and Grace) designs around that concept.

Smart eBike

What can you expect from a Smart eBike?

Weighing in at 22 kilograms, it is comparably lighter than many of its counterparts, and, from the engine to the wheels down to their intuitive, built-in LED lights, the Smart eBike is elegance personified.

Its 250 watt brushless electric drive motor is integrated into the rear wheel and allows for 4 levels of power boost and which only kicks in when you pedal. And when you do, your muscle power is transmitted to the rear wheel via the crank bearing to the final drive. A belt pulley and toothed belt – which assumes the tasks of the conventional chain wheel and chain — are silent. And, like the other components of the drive system, they do not require any maintenance.

Protected too, is its compact lithium-ion 36 volts 9.6 Ah battery pack located above the pedal crankcase and concealed by the frame paneling.

The bike would not be state of the art German design without a communication centre a.k.a. smartphone features and this, it delivered. The ebike’s smartphone tracks your speed, your heart rate, and even opens and locks your vehicle for added protection against theft. There is more here for an upfront and closer look at its other innovative features as captured via the Detroit Auto Show.

Both photo credit: JoelnSouthernCA via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic

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Payback time for this e-Bike Vanguard’s persistence

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January 17, 2011 · View Comments

When British e-bike vanguard and manufacturer, Powabyke, opened up for business in 1999, skepticism abound about the look and feel of their product lines and even about their sanity — in venturing into this little known sector.

Undeterred, they worked doubly hard to make their products’ potential known. During the next four years, their focus was — tweaking, improving and refining their designs; establishing a “second to none” dealer support package and dealer network as well as to create incentives to attract new customers.

Then, in 2003, things started to turn around for them, so much so they could even spread their wings far and wide.

How far?

As far as Germany in 2008. This was a logical European kick-off point into the expanding local and Dutch markets, which quadrupled over 2006 – 2009.

Then it was off to tightly legislated Sweden and Ireland in 2010 and lately into Denmark – where the electric cycle market stood at 20,000 units last year.

Where their expertise was concerned, theirs was a melding pot of talents – UK design, Japanese battery cells, Californian electric motor design and German assembly. Among their offerings is ‘plug and play’ electrics ‘demanded’ by their dealers to save significant amount of workshop time by easing the analysis and thus, the servicing to put a bike back on the road.

Another innovation from the company is their ‘Park and Charge’ initiative which provide secure parking and charging bays for e-bikes and scooters, which can fully recharge in less than 4 hours and costs pennies. In fact, a slew of recharge points, for electric vehicles, bikes and scooters, can be found throughout London and the UK via this website.

Yet, there is still much work to be done in the UK market as despite its many dedicated e-bike manufacturers and suppliers, there is still a dearth of local dealers who are confident that the products’ blemished past — poor quality, high returns and complex maintenance — are behind them.

Nonetheless, the culture is growing in numbers in other European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. In the former, there is strong government involvement to help raise awareness; opportunities to educate and appeal to a wider audience e.g. with events and trial runs; and to legislate for high safety and industrial standards.

So for Powabyke, the rough ride has become a lot sweeter as it grows its products and services, from continent to continent and from strength to strength. At the last count, their total sales stood at an impressive 35,000 units and growing.

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“Naked Streets”, anyone?

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January 12, 2011 · View Comments

No sweat, we have not lost it by asking the question in the dead of winter and no one has to be in their birthday suits to use these streets.

Its just a term the Dutch, who don’t mince words, coined and which the Tory party in the UK hinted at, to refer to streets that are almost stripped bear of all traffic engineering gizmos such as bike paths, barriers, traffic signals and signs.

Shared Space street in Haren, The Netherlands

The European Shared Space research project

The concept was the basis of the European Shared Space project from 2004 to 2008, comprising seven project partners from the five North Sea countries of The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Although its original plan was to address traffic safety and efficiency issues in urban areas and rural highways, it expanded to include themes like economic regeneration, public engagement, livability, sustainability, social inclusion and community capacity.

There was a major shift of principles from the decades-old segregation traffic engineering to visionary solutions that were all-inclusive of the public realm.

Pilot participant: Municipality of Haren, The Netherlands

Among the participants was the Dutch municipality of Haren, a main southern access route to the city of Groningen, and, which cater to daily traffic volumes of 9,000 motor vehicles and 4,000 bicyclists on a 500 meter stretch.

Prior to that in the mid 1980’s, its high street, Rijksstraatweg, had already undergone an experimental traffic safety project to improve quality of life, traffic safety and traffic flow. Even though bike paths, splitter islands, ornamental fixtures etc were used as part of the solution, it turned out sub-optimal for its user groups.

That was all up for a revamp when their municipality joined the Shared Space pilot project. The emphasis turned from engineering solutions to residential-focused ones. In effect, their high street became a leveled public space — with almost no traffic signals, signs or barriers – open to all traffic participants. Radical as it sounds, it was based on the research of across-the-board professionals with input from participating authorities.

Two of their key findings were:

  • speeds beyond 30 kph (19 mph) seriously “affect our ability to communicate via gestures and eye contact” and are a critical component to the development of “woonerfs” (home zones);
  • the decreased dependence on traffic signals and controls improves capacity and movement of all user modes.

The final evaluation showed their annual number of accident victims fall from 1.6 right down to naught.

Shared Space street in Haren, The Netherlands_2

Why not as novel as it at first seems

This blog about the “History of Transportation in North America” includes a fascinating video that covers the 1905 – 2009 period. Take a close look at San Francisco’s 1905 street scenes and you will notice aspects of “Naked Streets” or “Shared Space” between all traffic modes, moving at mostly leisurely paces. It turns out way back then, we were doing it right, that is right until our expanded appetite for speed got the upper hand.

Nevertheless, the concept of Naked Streets may not be a best fit for all but it certainly shows the sky is the limit when we re-think our urban spaces in a focused, all-inclusive and thorough fashion.

Both photo credits: fietsberaad via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic

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Updated: The FACS behind Stuttgart’s plan to increase e-bike riders

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January 6, 2011 · View Comments

In a previous blog, we followed in the footsteps of German regional city, Stuttgart, in its quest to become a pedelec or e-bike city. This time around, we dig into the innovations they and other organizations use to rid the challenges perceived by their audiences.

And what are among their top three e-bike concerns?

More on that in a bit but staying with Stuttgart, a city with ambitions for a 20% bike modal share and a regional target of 100,000 e-vehicles on its roads by 2020, it has it’s work cut out.

Working closely with (pedelec and e-bike test authority) ExtraEnergy, it is doggedly determined to succeed, as shown by its molding and re-molding of their — pedelec rentals, battery exchange stations and pedelec leasing — strategies in light of research data, expert advice and to a certain extent, political sway.

One such research was conducted by the German medical insurance company AOK and ExtraEnergy via the national three-month long “With the Bike to Work” initiative. Started in 2001, this annual event is the joint effort of AOK and cycle association ADFC (Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club) which expanded to 168,000 riders in 2009, the same year pedelecs were allowed to participate.

Over 70% majority of those surveyed felt pedelecs are suited for work and leisure commutes but many viewed them as “too expensive” in terms of the two-wheeler and its battery, plus there were concerns if and how convenient it would be to re-charge the batteries.

Strategies to overcome the concerns

Call-A-Bike by DB Rent GmbHFor starters, the city’s approach was to strike up a “development partnership” with DB Rent GmbH, which runs the country’s “Call-A-Bike” rental scheme (established in 2007), to include pedelecs.

Next, there was the pedelec leasing route, whereby customers sign a 4-year contract — similar to cell phone contracts – where they pay €25-30 (about $33 – $39) per month, plus a €30 (about $40) per year to have access to charged batteries. There will be more on this topic in another blog to come.

Where re-charging is concerned, the most common would be to charge your pedelec or e-bike at home but that’s not a whole lot of good if you plan to venture out on distances beyond the range of your battery. It’s no fun running out of juice and unsure of where to re-charge your battery. Now that’s where battery exchange vending machines and quick charging stations come to the rescue.

America’s offerings in this e-bike realm

Stateside, two Californian companies that offer the technologies to re-charge electrical vehicles are Coulomb Technologies and Better Place.

The former offers charger stations (to public and private institutions, fleets and retailers) and an internet portal through which it manages its services. There is a 80:20 split between the operator and Coulomb. Thus far, they have networks across the nation, Europe and Australia. Here is a snippet of what they offer.

Better Place, on the other hand, unveiled its battery-swapping stations in 2009 that can have electric car drivers on the road again with a new battery within 40 seconds. They work in partnership with a slew of companies and have a global reach as far Denmark, Israel and Japan. If an electric car can do it in 40 seconds, imagine what it would and should be for e-bikes.

And finally, the F.A.C.S.

German industrial designer Anke Scheiblhuber — in designing for public charging infrastructure for e-scooters in Taiwan – suggests to make the re-charging service concept as simple as

free-standing, or wall-mounted vending machines with substitute batteries be installed at the roughly 4,700 7-Eleven shops in Taiwan, at petrol stations, train stations or in licensed shops.

Throughout these developmental stages, invaluable lessons have been and continue to be learned. For instance, Japan’s initial attempt was flawed as it was limited to the non-standard technology of one manufacturer. Stuttgart’s use of standalone or independent infrastructure turned out too expensive at €25,000 (about $33,000) per station, and according to Hannes Neupert of ExtraEnergy, charging stations should cost no more than €3,000 (about $4,000).

With battery charging services or any service schemes for that matter, be they bike-share, cell phone or even social media, in order for them to take off en masse, its infrastructure is key and it has to be Fast, Affordable, Convenient and Simple to operate, or in short FACS.

We will be keeping tabs on how Stuttgart’s initiatives and the other technologies mentioned here pan out. Meanwhile, do feel free to share your thoughts, ideas or suggestions on any of the concepts highlighted.

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Update:  According to a Taiwan Today Jan 5, 2011 news report, Taiwan will install a nationwide battery exchange system at 3,000 convenient sites (gas stations, convenience store, parking lots etc) over the next 3 years. For more, please follow this link.

Photo credit _tophee_ via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic

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London’s Biking – A Hit and A Miss

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January 4, 2011 · View Comments

In his determination to transform London into a bicycle city, Mayor Boris Johnson declared 2010 as the “Year of Cycling” with its “Boris Bikes” share scheme, Cycle Superhighways and a target 5% mode share by 2026.

Boris Bikes are a Hit

London bikeshare - Boris bikes

Undoubtedly, the bike scheme is making a hit with riders and businesses alike. In their first three months (July – September, 2010) of operation, 100,000 people joined up and an average of 20,000 journeys were made per day. It has even enticed new cyclists e.g. women and ethnic minorities into engaging in this new public transport mode. Apart from it’s green theme, companies across the board says its benefits trumps in terms of time and costs.

The scheme’s first stage focused on central London where 5,000 bicycle hires were available at 350 docking stations, covering a 45 square kilometers area. The second stage has been announced and will cover east London, and an additional 2,000 cycles and 4,200 docking points. In its entirety, the scheme aims at 8,000 hire bikes, 14,400 docking points and a 65 square kilometers area.

The 2001 Census showed over 650,000 people in England and Wales biked to work, of whom 26.8% were women. Although the scheme is at its teething stages, it will be telling to see if the numbers shift in the 2011 Census (due March 27).

But Advocates say the City’s Cycling Infrastructure are a Miss

London bike lanesBike advocates, however, highlight that the City’s miniscule 0.45% of transport funds, and, current bike infrastructure — poorly designed and unfocused — transport plans will completely miss the mark in striving for a cycle revolution. They also hope to rally support before politicians vote on the policy this February.

Also, statistics in the latest report by Transport of London places the city’s 2009 bike mode share at 2% which when compared with the targeted mode share of 5% by 2026 seems a far cry from being a revolution. In total contrast, London Cycling Campaign – an urban cycling non-profit – has its sights set on “One in five by 2025” and to match “the levels in Amsterdam.”.

What do you think, will London be able to hit either bull’s eye?

Photo credit morebyless and Tom Anderson via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic

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Updates to: Hope for the New Decade – Beginning with our Streets

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December 29, 2010 · View Comments

Regardless of whether it is Wall Street, the sub-prime loans or state budgets, this last decade has shown the runaway tolls the nation has to bear when there we stray away from basics and over-indulge.

Hopefully, communities across the world will cope better with the global urban population growth that is slated to reach 5 billion by 2030, and which will make up 60% of the world’s total. Climate change, our fragile environment and our air quality are not such distant issues as they were a decade ago.

To meet transport needs, we know we cannot afford to continue to rely on cars and trucks at the expense of their many downsides, among which is the effect of their comparative high greenhouse emissions. Fortunately, there are blueprints already in place in Europe and in our own backyards to accommodate those needs while simultaneously, preserving and improving the quality of life for our urban masses.

The Danish “Principles for Transport in Urban Life”

Among the 10 Principles for Transport in Urban Life put forth by Danish visionary and urban design consultants, Jan Gehl and Walter Hook, are that transport has to be — powered by people i.e. walking, and bicycles; cost effective such as public transport; clean vehicles at “cruise control” speeds and be sustainable at the same time.

We see how these principles transform the streets of their capital, Copenhagen via this Streetfilms.org, into an enviable environment of calm, safety and civility despite the mish-mash of transport modes.

The American Approach: Complete Streets

Running parallel to many of the Danish principles are our Complete Streets policy which stress the livability of our streets, and, the need to design urban spaces that consider all potential users, regardless of age and ability. Fourteen states and almost 200 communities are on-board and have enacted the policy, to varying degrees.

Even the cradle of the American auto industry, Michigan, has enacted the policy recently. In the past, their heavier traffic may have justified the hefty need for roadways (with nine lanes in some cases), but its auto industry’s two decade decline has exposed over-capacities. Ones that need to be curbed and re-purposed to cater to more affordable, non-motorized and eco-friendly road uses.

The time is ripe to move away from old-school biases for new roads and highways to ones that reshape, rejuvenate and enrich our local economies. Rather than the splurges of the past decade which we can ill-afford, let 2011 be the beginning of new hope and transitions for our entire community by being a bit more Amsterdamized or Copenhagenized and a whole lot more “Complete”.

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Updates:

Presently, Michigan — with twenty communities that have signed up Complete Streets policies —- takes the lead over the other states.

Separately, this study shows how homes with above-average Walkability Scores can “are worth between $4,000 – $34,000 more than similar but less walkable homes”.

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Stuttgart wheeling its way to Pedelec City status

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December 17, 2010 · View Comments

Pedelec or pedal-assist bicycleThe hilly city of Stuttgart – with “altitude differences of up to 300 meters between the city center and its surrounding suburbs” — does not attract many bicycling commuters. Rather, it is renowned as the “cradle of the automobile” with the likes of Daimler AG, Porsche and Bosch being headquartered there. That aside, its Mayor Wolfgang Schuster announced during the Cities for Mobility Conference in June 2008, that his city wants to also be the international pilot city for electrically assisted bicycles or simply, a pedelec city.

The city is not entirely new to these two-wheelers as ExtraEnergy, the nonprofit organization for light vehicles, has been championing to increase pedelec awareness as well as riders in German cities nationwide. Their promotions are varied, such as the “Test IT” obstacle tracks of sorts for would-be testers; best practice publications and activities; and, its tie up with the EU initiative “PRESTO” (Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode).

A little funding goes a long way

When Germany announced its economic stimulus package “Konjukturpaket II” in June 2009, the greater Stuttgart region (with 40 communities in partnership) was singled out as one of eight “model regions for e-mobility” to share €115 million ($153 million) federal funds to implement their electric transport projects between June 2009 and 2011. The government’s target is to have one million e-vehicles on the country’s roads by 2020. This region has set its goal of at least 10% share “of the one million” or 100,000 e-vehicles by then.

Germany's Rent A BikeNot long after that, the city was co-winner in the national “Innovative Public Bike Rental Schemes” competition for which it was awarded €2.7 million ($3.6 million) federal funds. These resources went towards its Call A Bike Pedelec initiative — a joint effort with DB Rent GmbH — that extends the existing bike rental system (started in 2007), to include pedelecs. Since getting off the starting block in March 2010, there are now 480 pedelecs available for rent at 120 rental stations.

Just as other e-vehicle pilot projects have also been — defined, put into motion and further refined — we can expect to hear more pedelec and ebike roll-outs for 2011.

Further afield, Stuttgart is also involved with other European nations like Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands on the EU-financed “Go Pedelec” project, in focusing on pedelecs as a way towards sustainability targets for the continent. We will be watching closely as this pedelec city unfolds in the coming year.

Photo credit AndersUnterwegs and Chang’r via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic

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Upbeat insights about ebikes from Europe

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December 10, 2010 · View Comments

Bike commutingWhile here in the United States, many enthusiasts, advocates and groups are striving to expand the bicycling transport share, there are similar going-on’s in Europe in terms of getting more road-space, funding and increasing the number of bike commuters but with a twist, an ebike twist.

Just as we have the impressive and smaller gains that are made in American cities, the ground covered by some European cities and organizations are quite stellar, especially their focus on ebikes. One such organization is the European Twowheel Retailers’ Association (ETRA) and it’s work through the EU initiative PRESTO (Promoting Cycling for Everyone as a Daily Transport Mode).

The PRESTO partnership also includes — the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF),  the European city network Polis and the German Cyclists’ Federation (ADFC-HB). Granted by the European Agency for Competitiveness & Innovation (EACI), their mission is to help European cities develop their cycling policy strategies.

Whether a city’s policy is at the “Starter, Climbing or Champion” stage, their plan of attack is three-prong: cycling infrastructure, cycling promotion and pedelecs or pedal-assist ebikes. The third pillar is where we want to draw your attention to in this piece and in several other blogs to come.

Insights from across-the-board surveys

First stop, let’s glean some pedal-assist perspectives from target audiences via  questionnaire responses highlighted in the PRESTO policy guide. Over the 2003 to 2008, several questionnaires conducted in the Netherlands, the UK, Belgium and Switzerland indicate that the initial European perception of the pedelec was that it’s a senior citizen’s bicycle and mainly suited to less sporty or physically impaired riders.

Even so, towards the tail end of the survey period, there was a marked broadening of opinions in the Dutch and Swiss surveys. While some Dutch respondents, who already owned ebikes, revealed they used theirs to overcome difficulties they had with regular bicycles, headwinds, longer commute distances, and hills; some 40% of the non-owners in the 1,448 group indicated their interests have been piqued.

As it is, the bike modal shares of major European cities like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Groningen, Münster are already very high by American standards, there are, still other cities in the continent who want to further increase their comparatively small bike ridership. Bicycling is not a new activity but bicycle commuting is, for many communities worldwide. Thus, there is plenty of room for growth in the participation, infrastructure and policy aspects.

More people will ride provided they have the right equipment to overcome the obstacles that currently prevent them from doing so. Take, for instance — steep climbs, distances beyond 6 kilometers (will have most people hop into their cars), lengthy travel time and their less than fit physical levels – which are often cited as dampers. These, in fact, are shown to be easily overcome by ebikes which are built to just be a tad more powerful than standard bicycles for those who need that bit of DIY tailwind.

In fact, there will be another post that covers one city’s far-sighted citywide campaign that plans to take pedelecs to a whole new level of usage. So, do stay tuned.

Photo credit richardmasoner via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic.

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ETRA – the European biking industry’s vital retail link

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December 7, 2010 · View Comments

Three bikes on canal bridge, AMS

Although bicycling seems to be a common commute mode in many major European cities, there are a lot of behind-the-scenes efforts by organizations such as the European Cyclists Federation (ECF) and the European Twowheel Retailers’ Association (ETRA) among others, helping to grow that bicycling transport modal share.

Eight years ago in 2002, the European Commission envisioned a modern transport system that was to be sustainable, both economically as well as environmentally. Yet, while they acknowledged concerns of the European Union (EU)’s already tripled car ownership (at 175 million units then) and published a White Paper on European Transport Policy with over 60 measures — none touched on cycling.

Since then, a lot more ground has been covered in bringing bicycling to the forefront of the EU’s transport agendas. The focus here is on ETRA and the work it does for the progressively expanding two-wheel sector as an industry and in urban policy.

ETRA took a while in morphing

As they say, “Necessity is the mother of invention” and as such, ETRA took a while in morphing.

Bicyclists in UtrechtDuring the 70’s and 80’s, the two-wheel industry’s front-runners have been organizations representing bicycle -consumers and -manufacturers i.e. the ECF; the COmité de LIaison des Fabricants Européens de BIcyclettes (COLIBI) and the COLIPED. And likewise for motorcycle consumers, there was FEMA and for their manufacturers and importers, the ACEM.

There was, however, no organization to represent the sectors’ retailers until December 1995, when ETRA was founded. This trade association — for independent bicycle, moped and motorcycle dealers — represents 5,000 companies (employing approximately 11,500 people) from the 7 member countries of Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. They also have 21 associate members — 13 of whom are in the ebike field. These associates are international companies active in the two-wheel industries e.g. Shimano Europe, Bohle (manufacturer of Schwalbe tyres), Giant Europe and Hebie.

The organization’s agenda

The operative words in ETRA’s mission statement are ‘to protect’ and ‘to promote’.

With technological advancements and related legislation increasingly coming from the European as oppose to national levels, national trade associations found it hard to keep abreast of all legislation and policy developments. Furthermore, independent retailers needed a collective voice to promote their interests and to defend issues that concerns them at the European level.

Their bicycle industry landscape has seen major changes with big players like supermarkets, chain stores and mail order companies crowding out some of the smaller independent retailers. In some European member states, their previous majority share have fallen below 25%.

Bicycle dealers themselves do not always know how to exploit the potential of bicycling within the EU’s strategies on sustainable mobility, climate change, restructuring industry and economic cohesion. However, with ETRA, rather than being crowded out of the industry, they now have a new way of scaling up via solidarity, useful market data and regulated standards and practices.

Equally important at the European level

was the need to raise the awareness of  politicians and staff on the value and potential of bicycling in order that it is included in their evaluations and policies.

Like the trade associations and advocates on this side of the Atlantic e.g. LEVA,  the League of American Bicyclist, Bicycle Transport Alliance and Transportation Alternatives, ETRA’s lobby agenda is lengthy and involved. Its over-arching strategy is to be “at the heart of the future European urban transport policy” with bicycling.

To do this, they are rooting for harmonized tax incentives that encourage the increased use of bicycles within the EU; the monitoring of road safety that impact on bicyclists’ safety; establishing standards for bicycles, parts and accessories; public health; the environment; sustainable tourism and the screening and optimal use of EU-funding available to the bicycling community.

Organizations like ETRA have done well to take bicycling from ‘no show’ to ‘main feature’ in certain policies. There is still much to be done to garner more clout away from the automobile for the bicycle, which in fact, offers optimal solutions to the European Commission’s uppermost concerns on sustainable mobility, climate change, air quality, fossil fuel dependency, restructuring industry and economic growth and cohesion of Europe.

Although much has been achieved, this is but the start towards better transport choices wherein the bicycle plays a lead role. Next stop, we’ll find out how ETRA fits ebikes into the scheme of things.

Photo credit joiseyshowaa, zemistor and tinou via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0 Generic.

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The huge opportunities open to ebike retailers

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November 30, 2010 · View Comments

You probably already know there are 5 distribution channels of bicycles across the country – independent bike dealers (IBDs), mass merchants, sporting goods stores, outdoor specialty stores and others. With reference to IBDs, their bike unit sales make up just 18% of the overall total but in revenue terms, they amount to 50% of the market’s total value.

Nevertheless, IBDs today have to contend with stiff competition from mass merchants and where they use to make money in terms of services, they have been squeezed as a result of today’s well-made and sturdy bicycles.

Independent bike dealer or Specialty bike shop

In general, a 4,000 sq ft IBD store which sells 650 regular bicycle units per year at an average $500 apiece can expect to make $649,000 in revenue — split between bike sales (47.4%); parts and accessories (35.5%); repairs (10.7%) and other miscellaneous.

Suppose this same store sells ebikes and conversion kits instead, priced around $400 – $7,000. If we multiply the 650 units they might sell at the lower end of say $1,000 per unit, they would have already made the total revenue of those who only sell regular bicycles, and still with the remaining over 50% revenue stream yet to be factored in. Does that get your undivided attention as it did ours?

The eBike is too sweet a deal to pass for consumers, retailers and suppliers alike

Electric bike or ebikeThe federal legislation on ebikes includes, among others, that they are within the specified 750W power range and travel below 20 mph, whereby they are then considered bicycles. As such, it comes under the jurisdiction of the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and has access to both roadways, bicycle lanes and certain trails. It’s users are also not required to apply for licenses, registration or insurance to use the vehicle.

They cost a lot less — to buy, run and maintain than cars — and have minimal impact on the roads and the environment. They have a low learning curve; are easy to operate; and give confidence to the ‘challenged but interested’ bicyclists who are less adept at riding with traffic and handling gradients, headwinds or carrying cargo.

While bicycles are well-known as utility contraptions in Asia, its empowered sibling, the ebike is even more befitting in that role. Its streamlined, more subtle, and varied options means there are lots of choices for the consumers, plus huge business potential for retailers and suppliers alike, which bodes well for our economy as it translates into jobs right down to the local level.

The ebike market performances thus far

You may well say that’s all well and nice but how has the industry really panned out so far. First of all, let’s take a look at the market nearest us, Europe, specifically: the Netherlands, in 2009, sold 153,000 units or about 1 in every 8 bicycles sold was a pedelec (a pedal assist ebike), which was priced at 3 times the standard versions; the ratio splits for Germany and Switzerland were also not far behind.

Dutch biking in Utrecht

We have not been too big on following European trends in the past, and our bike commuting culture and infrastructure are still at the teething stages but yet, the impact of ebike sales in the States for 2009 was 200,000 a 1% market share of the on average 18 million units sold yearly.

Yet, as bicycling becomes more mainstream, it has to offer options beyond those that interest the mainly male, under 40 year olds, sports-inclined target audience. The average American is not into exercise and competing, they want economical, practical and convenient transport, something that gets the job done, be it to get to work, pick up the kids or groceries or for the weekend family outings. The average American are women, the less interested in owning cars Generation Y’s and their baby boomer parents who together make up a hefty segment of the potential biking population.

The current economic, cultural and social environments are ripe for change

Last but in no way least, our current economy, cultural and social environments are at a crossroads and are ready and in need of change. Every dollar counts, so does the quality of our lives and environment. As it turns out, it can be quite affordable if we focus on the transitions that benefit society as whole such as Bike Friendly cities and “Complete Streets” with walkable and bikable infrastructure which are welcomed and mushrooming all over the country.

Guess what?

It so happens ebikes, which fit right in, also makes dollars and sense.  It is good for our pockets, health, community and economy. Think of it as our own stimulus package, one that can boost our micro- and macro- economies in its multi-tasking roles as transporter, exerciser, community-builder cum air-cleaner all rolled into this one modest tool. This is indeed a golden opportunity provided we get it done — right and right now.

Photo credit Ed Yourdon, Richard Masoner and fietsberaad via flickr and courtesy Creative Commons 2.0

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