Electric bikes have come a distance since they first turned up in the 1890s, just 30 years after the pedal powered bicycle was born in Paris. Now, with new technologies in electric bikes offering lighter batteries, superior storage density and conversion kits, electric motors are the most popular mode of propelling electric bikes. Depending on the type of electric bike, the functionality of the motor can range from taking a back seat to pedaling and used only when extra energy is required, like pedaling uphill, or it may be the primary source of energy, as it is with mopeds, where pedaling is only to be used during emergencies. Some newer models boast the ability to enable regenerative braking and charging while pedaling or rolling downhill, and fuel cells are on the horizon for alternative methods of powering electric bikes.

A few things to look for when choosing the electric bike that’s right for you is motor and driving efficiency, battery capacity, aerodynamics and the weight of the bike. Once you’ve chosen your electric bike, you’ll be saving money not only in the long run, as with hybrid and other fuel-efficient cars, but also in the short term. Your electric bike is perfect for local commuting, sight-seeing and travel trips, and not only costs less to purchase than a car, but the maintenance and upkeep fees are fractional in comparison. By riding an electric bike, you’re not only saving cash but also the environment: electric bikes are classified as zero-emissions vehicles, and with the newer internal combustion engines, the negative impact of battery disposal is eliminated.

Motor scooters are another viable alternative to cars, SUVs and urban trucks. Electric scooters have traditionally been powered by battery, but new innovations in fuel cell energy offer money and environmentally conscious riders another option besides batteries. With gas prices that only seem to rise without limit and daunting warnings about the effects of global warming due to harmful emissions, a motor scooter can give you the same daily freedoms and conveniences a car does, while also creating new conveniences. Recharging your electric scooter at home is far more time-efficient than stopping at gas stations to refuel, as is eliminating oil changes and regular maintenance. To compare the fuel costs of an electric scooter to a gasoline powered scooter, the electric one costs 25% of what the gas one does.

The environmental impact of riding an electric scooter or even a non-electric scooter is nominal compared to that of even the most self-proclaimed environmentally friendly car. Even supplementing your car use with riding an electric bike or scooter within city limits to commute to work or school, run errands or to simply to get around makes a difference, as the US transportation sector alone contributes to one-third of the country’s carbon dioxide production. When all it takes to reduce air pollution by 20%, is to opt for a cleaner method getting off to work one day a week, it makes you wonder why everyone who is able to drive a car is not choosing to ride an electric bike or a scooter instead. Have a look through our vast collection of alternative modes of transportation, and get started on saving your money and your air quality today.

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