About

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are close substitutes for cars and two-wheelers because they cover longer distances with less effort. Thus, e-bikes will play a key role in shifting passenger and freight trips away from high-polluting private vehicles and generating fewer emissions if used at scale. While vehicle electrification has focused primarily on large, high-polluting vehicles like buses, trucks, and cars, electrification of bicycles has been largely overlooked as a critical and promising climate and mobility strategy.

As a result, many countries and cities have not yet clearly defined what e-bikes are, what quality standards they must meet, and where they can be used safely and efficiently. This report, developed with support from the Climateworks Foundation, aims to define ‘e-bikes’ and evaluate how and where they are being used, the benefits and challenges to widespread adoption, and the ways in which governments can respond to their growing popularity.

Learn More

• Read More on the ITDP Blog →
• Watch the “Charging Toward Compact Cycling Cities” webinar → 
• Read ITDP’s e-bikes opinion piece in the San Francisco Chronicle →
• Download the “Protected Bikeways” infographic →
• Download the “Making the Economic Case for Cycling” report →
• Download the “Protected Bicycle Lanes Protect the Climate” report →   
• Register for ITDP’s “Mastering the Cycling City” Course →
• Learn more about the Cycling Cities Campaign →

Interested in learning more about this research or have a press inquiry? Email us at mobility@itdp.org.