Five reasons why now is the time for shared e-bike schemes

Sponsored article in partnership with Wunder Mobility

It’s no secret, two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, that micromobility has been transforming our cities one e-vehicle at a time. There is still a long way to go to achieve significant lower emissions and widespread car-free zones, but one of the most sustainable solutions is rising in an unprecedented way – e-bikes.

Built for city riding and hobby cycling alike, e-bikes have shown to be one of the preferred mobility solutions for councils and users of shared mobility services alike. 

For shared mobility users, e-bikes are especially attractive because they are a much more familiar concept than e-scooters, and unlike e-mopeds or electric cars they don’t need a driving license to use one. Add to that, the fact that e-bikes are relatively easy to drive, allow for covering significant distances with way less effort (thanks, lithium-ion batteries) and that riders can complete journeys up to 1.5 times faster than on a mechanical bike, and it’s easy to see why they are so popular. 

E-bikes are also an attractive prospect for city authorities that are focused on decreasing emissions and offering new means of transport to citizens. They are a key part of a sustainable and holistic mobility solution for cities worldwide. E-bikes can be integrated with regular bike share, or as flexible, longer-term rental schemes to encourage modal shift from cars. This means that cities can be persuaded to back and support your shared mobility service if it includes e-bikes. 

As Wunder Mobility launches its brand new sharing e-bike onto the market, let’s have a look at five factors influencing the growth of e-bike ridership right now. If you have, or are thinking about building an e-bike fleet, understanding the riders’ perspective will enable you to strengthen your marketing strategies and help you to build a highly successful e-bike sharing scheme.

1. Post-pandemic reality 

Over the last two years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, public transport has shifted from being a default option in big cities to being perceived as a possible threat to one’s health.

At the beginning of 2021, 67% of Europeans were less likely to use this form of transport because they were worried about their health. For this reason, many cities invested heavily in new infrastructure and electric micromobility schemes, with which people could move freely on their own while respecting the environment. Aided by summer’s arrival and decreased concerns about public transport safety, the e-bike trend has proved itself as a valid alternative to cars and it’s safe to say that they’re here to stay.

2. The weather doesn’t matter (as much!)

Whether you operate in London, Hamburg or LA, inclement weather can influence your e-bike riders to different extents. According to a year-long study conducted on e-bike ridership in Canada, occasional riders were more reluctant to leave their car at home on hard winter days; however, avid cyclists were more likely to ride in all weather conditions, arguing that e-bikes enable them to cope more easily with bad weather. 

Since e-bikes are more stable and faster than mechanical bikes, it is not uncommon to see riders commuting through rainy and windy days, especially in cities where the weather changes rapidly. Equally, in hot weather, e-bikes can be ridden with less exertion.

3. Sharing means more cyclists and more advocacy

Although e-bikes are now fully integrated into the urban mobility landscape, there are still some doubts regarding maintenance, storage, battery life and, most of all, price.

In fact, due to the different materials and technologies present in each e-bike, they are an expensive investment. This means that not only is it expensive for individual cyclists to buy an e-bike upfront, it’s also difficult for e-bike owners to leave their e-bikes anywhere while running errands, due to the risk of their bike getting stolen. 

This is where the sharing perspective really comes into play. Using shared e-bikes gives riders all the benefits and erases the limitations of owning an e-bike, by giving people the opportunity to try it out without a significant upfront investment. The cost-effectiveness and on-demand nature offered by sharing schemes incentivises the use of different sustainable transport options and increases the lifetime of vehicles too, helping to reduce production. 

4. The “near me” factor

Accessibility is another factor to consider when thinking about e-bike ridership. In order to choose e-bikes as a better alternative to cars for short and medium-distance trips, citizens want to be able to access them in an uncomplicated way.

Whether you are considering a dock-based, free-floating or hybrid sharing system, it is important to think about how your area of operation will affect the ridership. According to multiple studies on the purpose of e-bike journeys, people find it easier to complete a succession of trips (i.e. home – work – market – daycare) on an e-bike and they use them for a wide variety of errands. Does your area of operation include schools, office buildings, public facilities and recreational sites? If not, it’s time to change that to capitalise on the present opportunity. One of the many advantages of Wunder Mobility’s software is that you can also add points of interest.

5. Good for the planet; good for your health

E-bikes are increasingly seen as a ‘green option’ and this is a huge motivation for e-bike riders. According to a study conducted on e-bike and e-scooter users in Copenhagen and Stockholm, e-bike riders have a stronger environmental conscience and are more driven to use e-bikes because of their low impact compared to e-scooter riders.

Combined with other modes of sustainable transport, e-bikes contribute to strengthening a user’s commitment to a low-impact and healthier lifestyle. For this reason, it is important to build promotions and marketing campaigns that tap into this identity trait, especially for non e-bike users who have strong environmental motivations and might be encouraged to try them out. 

How to choose the right e-bike

Once you have considered the factors affecting e-bike ridership, it’s time to evaluate the features of your current or soon-to-be fleet. If you are looking to scale up and offer your users an exceptional riding experience, Wunder Mobility and Yadea might just have the solution for you. Merging Yadea’s engineering and manufacturing excellence with Wunder’s thorough understanding of the industry, the co-developed e-bike is designed to be easy to ride, charge, and update. With a range of 120 km with only one battery charge, our e-bike also has brakes with a power off function, a motor, a smart lock and a fixed handlebar to make your users feel safe and comfortable on the road. As of this month, we are shipping our first batch of e-bikes all over Europe! 

Ready to join the ride? 

Check out the new e-book on how introducing e-bikes to your fleet can accelerate your shared mobility service. 

Get in touch if you’d like to chat about how they can help you grow your business even faster, together with our one-stop software.