To some people, a bicycle is a toy. To others, its a sole means of transportation. I believe with the advancement in e-bike technology and accessories to make riding more comfortable year-round, there will be a shift towards people treating e-bikes as their sole means of transportation. Perhaps just keeping an older/ cheaper car in the driveway for emergencies, bad weather and long distance trips. Especially if you can see the cost savings on paper.
Owning and operating a vehicle can be expensive. Even if you have a car that is paid off, odds are that you pay upwards of $400 per month or more between fuel, insurance and repairs. In my experience, I generally average between $0.15 and $0.35 PER MILE in costs on my vehicle. If one were to go on a "car-diet" for 3 months and not use their vehicle at all or minimally, it would pay for an e-bike entirely and get you some good exercise to boot. Depending on the size of your e-bike battery and utility costs, to fill up an empty e-bike battery costs somewhere between $0.02 and $0.08. Most people could commute all month long and spend less than $1!!! That's not even factoring in how much fun it is to ride an e-bike (one that is well-made).
Starting 3 years ago I started pretty much leaving my car in the garage from April till November (I live near Niagara Fslls) and using my ebike converted recumbent for all local runs to the grocery store, Pizza joints etc. For the larger grocery runs I use a dog trailer towed behind. I have a back rack for 1-2 bag runs. I am 75 years old and retired. This practice has been a huge benefit to my overall health. I put less than 6000 miles a year on my car (mostly my wife). With the ever rising cost of gas has saved me a good deal of money. The cost of charging and the minor maintenance I do on the…
That's a great thought about the cost savings of riding an e-bike.