'Pretty remarkable': UBC study finds e-bike rebates led to decreased car use
There's new evidence that offering people incentives to purchase e-bikes can significantly reduce their reliance on cars.
A number of e-bike incentive programs have launched in B.C. over recent years, including in the Victoria-area city of Saanich, which offered buyers rebates of $350 to $1,600 through a pilot program in 2021 and 2022.
A study from the University of British Columbia found e-bike adoption subsequently surged in that community – with 60 per cent of purchasers being entirely new to cycling.
Those who took part also reduced their weekly vehicle travel by 48 kilometres on average, a decrease of 30-40 per cent.
"Travel behaviour has a lot of inertia, it doesn't change a lot," explained Alex Bigazzi, principle investigator on the study,
"So when you find things that get it to the double-digits of shifts in travel behavior, it's pretty remarkable."
Cycling advocates told CTV News it makes sense people with e-bikes would use them more than cars.
“There's a reason the couriers are all on bikes, it's a faster way of getting there than driving,” said Jeff Leigh, president of HUB Cycling Vancouver.
“They allow people to replace the shorter-distance vehicle trips.”
Buying an e-bike upfront can be pricey. In Vancouver, E-Nic Ebike sells the motorized transports for anywhere from $799 to around $4,000.
Manager Katy Lu told CTV News the bikes sell for an average of "about $1,500" – but that the price tag hasn't slowed sales, which she said are booming.
In the long run, experts said e-bikes could save their owners money.
“They're going to be saving on gas and wear and tear on their vehicle,” said Glenys Verhulst, Saanich’s sustainability planner.
Verhulst said some owners also "shed a vehicle if they’re a two-vehicle household and they become a one-vehicle household.”
She said the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Saanich comes from "personal transportation," and the district is looking into ways to cut down on that. E-bike incentives are just one of the tools.
Researchers said incentive programs can push people to more environmentally-friendly transportation, but the roads need to be friendly to riders as well.
“We can't just give people e-bikes,” Bigazzi said. “It has to be supported with a broader set of infrastructure and associated policies to make cycling safe.”
He said this study is a good step toward creating cheaper and more environmentally-friendly transportation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.