Project Summary
E-bikes are a small but growing transportation option in California and one that appears to offer cost savings and contribute to environmental, health and equity goals. This project will examine the market for e-bikes in California and recommend ways to capture their benefits. The market assessment will build on and update previous research and travel surveys. Barriers to cycling and ways that e-bikes could overcome some of the barriers will be documented, and incentives to further overcome barriers or support cycling and e-biking will be identified.
Benefits of e-bikes include their relative affordability, low emissions and energy use, provision of exercise but with lower physical demands and greater speed and range than walking or conventional biking, greater ability to haul goods, etc. These benefits will be documented, along with e-bike costs and performance data, and mapped to California policies that would be well served by greater use of e-bikes. As a first cut, relevant state policies include greenhouse gas and other air pollution reduction programs as well as transportation programs responsive to needs of low-income Californians and programs responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovery. In consultation with stakeholders, recommendations will be made on program options to capture e-bike benefits.
