① A growing number of U.S. bike riders are attracted to electric bikes for convenience, health benefits and their fun factor. Although ebikes first appeared in the 90s, cheaper options and longer-lasting batteries are breathing new life into the concept.
② Established bike companies and startups are embracing ebikes to meet demand. About 34 million ebikes were sold worldwide last year, according to data from eCycleElectric Consultants. Most were sold in Europe and China,where the bikes already have exploded in popularity.Recently, the U.s. market has grown to 263,000 bikes, a 25% gain from the prior year.
③ The industry is benefiting from improved batteries as suppliers over the years developed technology for laptops, smartphones and electric cars. In 2004, the price of batteries used on ebikes fell, spurring European sales.
④ But lower cost options are emerging, too. This month, three U.S. bikeshare companies, Motivate, LimeBike and Spin, announced electric bicycles will be added to their fleets. New York-based Jump Bikes is already operating an electric bikeshare in Washington，D.C.， and is launching in San Francisco Thursday. Rides cost $ 2 for 30 minutes.
⑤ The system works like existing dockless bikeshare systems,where riders unlock bikes through a smartphone app.“This is the beginning of a long-term shift away from regular pedal(踏板) to electric bikes,”said Jump Bikes CEO Ryan Rzepecki. “When people first jump on an ebike, their face lights up. It’s exciting and joyful in a way that you don’t get from a regular bike.”
⑥ Two years ago, CEO Chris Cocalis of Pivot Cycles,which sells high-end mountain bikes,found that U.S. bike shops weren’t interested in stocking ebikes. Some retailers warned Cocalis that they’d drop the brand if it came out with an electric bike.
⑦ Now that sales are taking off,the vast majority of bike dealers are asking Cocalis when he’ll make an ebike available. “There’s tremendous opportunity to get a generation of people for whom suffering isn’t their thing,” Cocalis said. “Ebike riders get the enjoyable part of cycling without themassive suffering of climbing huge hills.”
