How much does an ebike save you?
Upfront cost can be offputting but converts say the investment is worth it. By
Skyrocketing petrol prices are driving commuters towards ebikes in record numbers and making the switch could save thousands of dollars a year.
Consumer NZ’s latest Sentiment Tracker found that, as well as adjusting their driving habits or joining a car pool to rein in climbing costs, a third of respondents were also considering switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle.
But that momentum has been building for a while, with interest in electric cars and bicycles increasing significantly over the past decade.
Michael Tritt, chief executive of ebike maker and retailer Electrify NZ, said Customs import figures and other data showed ebike imports had skyrocketed from about 2000 in 2014 to 50,000 in 2020.
In line with that growth, Electrify NZ doubled its sales in the 2021 financial year, Tritt said.
An ebike commuter himself, he said it cost him 20 cents to charge his bike for 100 kilometres of cycling each week.
‘‘The difference between that and 100km worth of petrol right now is huge, without taking into account the other costs that come with car ownership including registration, WOF, insurance, servicing and parking.’’
Ebike riders were encouraged to service their bikes every six months but, from a cost perspective, making the transition from a car to electric-assisted pedal power made sense, Tritt said.
According to the 2018 census, more than 1.4 million people drove a private car, truck or van to work. While Covid-19 may have put a dent in that number as Kiwis embraced the work-from-home lifestyle, Tritt said many of those drivers could be candidates for an ebike commute.
‘‘Around two-thirds of vehicle trips in New Zealand are six kilometres or less, made by single occupant vehicles, so the
possibilities for replacing these trips with an ebike are there.’’
Auckland psychotherapist Kyle MacDonald made the switch about 18 months ago and now uses an ebike for the commute from his home in Mt Eden to work in Ellerslie, a round trip of about 13km.
‘‘I found riding my ebike a really easy activity to integrate into my week to reduce my carbon footprint. On the costs side, my ebike paid for itself within the first year as I reduced my car expenses by $3500, about the same as the bike and accessories, and it’s much easier than sweating my way to work on a standard pushbike.’’
Online calculators show most drivers could dramatically reduce the cost of their commute by making the switch to an ebike.
Bicycle retailer Evo Cycles allows those still on the fence about an ebike to calculate potential savings based on distance travelled, current cost of fuel and vehicle fuel economy.
Assuming a conservative petrol price of $2.50 a litre, using an ebike instead of a two-litre Toyota Corolla for a 20km round trip five days a week could save the commuter $21 a week, or $1092 a year. Replacing a larger vehicle like a 3.5-litre Holden Commodore with an ebike for the same trip could save $44.50 a week or $2314 a year.
Reduced costs for parking, which can be hundreds of dollars a month in big cities, insurance, registration and maintenance could also generate significant savings.
Aside from the financial gains, MacDonald said using an ebike was a lot of fun and had significant mental health benefits.
‘‘It puts you out in the fresh air, it’s a moderate amount of exercise and forces you to be in the moment, be mindful and acts as an active debrief on the way home from work.’’
With the frustration of sitting in traffic removed, the ebike has cut MacDonald’s commute time in half. He now only uses his car when he needs to drop the kids off around town.
‘‘I also use my ebike for small trips to the shops, and it was a saving grace during lockdown last year to be able to get out of the house and ride around the streets.’’