Possibly. Yes, the cost of living, fuel and food seems to be going through the roof, but what can you really do about it at home? One dramatic but serious thing to consider would be replacing cars altogether, in place of e-bikes.
Cars are just so convenient when you’re doing the morning rush to get to work, get the kids to school. What if it’s raining? Where are the kids supposed to go? Why not just get an electric car?
We think we have a compelling argument for why now more than ever is the time to get an e-bike over a car, and that the benefits are not just financial.
Why an e-bike now?
We all know e-bikes have been around for a while, but now the market is booming. Put simply, the technology has come a long way, with manufacturing titans such as Bosch opening new factories to keep up with the demand. Replacement parts and accessories are more readily available too.
The market is positive and reliable, especially when compared to the electric car market, who still have a long way to go in terms of range, longevity, and especially price.
Demand for more investment is high too, with a report from Sustrans finding people on lower incomes wanting greater investment on walking (58%) and cycling (50%), over driving (36%) as well as The Times revealing that cycling levels this summer were 54 per cent higher than pre-pandemic.
Where will I put everything?
How do you use your transport? It’s important to examine how each of us individually uses our cars. More often than not, it’s just the one person in a car.
If you really have a lot to transport – family, shopping – it might be worth considering an e-cargo bike. If you haven’t heard of them, they’re multi purpose vehicles that can carry a lot of weight, with not a lot of effort. There’s rain covers for passengers, and even dog shelters.
They are relatively inexpensive to insure compared to cars too – at Bikmo we offer a massive 25%* saving over regular bikes. Simply tick “e-bike” when getting a quote.
Check out our handy guide to buying an e-cargo bike.
But wow – they’re expensive
Yes – but cheaper than a car.
This Haibike Trekking 4 2022 Crossbar retails for £2,599. Yes, it’s more than most people’s first car, but far cheaper than a used or new car nowadays, especially when you include tax, insurance, leasing, as well as ever rising costs of fuel putting Britons back in the saddle.
However, our secret weapon to saving money here would be Cyclescheme.
You can save a whopping 26-40% on an e-bike, plus regular bikes, accessories and more. Plus, all Cyclescheme customers get 14 days free new bike insurance from Bikmo and exclusive pricing.
We calculated that you could save £649.75* on this particular Haibike by paying it off over 4 years through Cyclescheme!
You can apply to Cyclescheme if:
- You’re a working adult aged 16 or over
- Your employer needs to sign up (your’s can sign up here if not)
- Your earnings should be more than the National Minimum Wage after the salary sacrifice is taken from your gross salary.
Find out more on eligibility and how to apply on their website.
Check out our friends e-bikeshop’s handy guide on what e-bikes could replace cars for you.
But cars are just so convenient!
Yes they are. It’s so easy to roll out of bed, throw some breakfast down and get in the car to rush to work, get the food shopping or take a trip out and zone out with the radio on. But how did we get to this point?
We have more time on our hands than ever thanks to advances in technology – Deliveroo brings us food, online shopping brings us clothes. There’s subscription services for everything nowadays – food, coffee, dishwasher tablets, even pet food.
Would we be happier day in day out if we got our bike and gear out the night before, got up a little earlier, and did some exercise with purpose?
By swapping your car or train journey for a bike ride to work, you will arrive at your place of work feeling 40% less stressed than before.
Check out Pure Electric’s video on Going Car Free for a Week.
Aren’t e-bikes more likely to be stolen?
Actually, no. We recently undertook a survey that found e-bike owners are 38% lower risk than a non-electric bike owner.
We believe this is down to a number of factors, including the type of use of an e-bike and the demographic being more risk-averse. That’s why we offer an automatic 25% saving on all e-bike insurance policies. Simply tick “e-bike” when getting your quote.
There’s no sweeping statement here saying yes everyone should be replacing cars, but now is the time to reflect on how you transport yourself and your family.
*correct to 16/11/22
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