The demand for electric bikes is increasing as people desperately seek cheaper alternatives for travel amid rising gas prices.
“I’m not going to tell you it’s all because of fuel. But I absolutely believe it’s acting as a catalyst to get more people to consider alternate forms of transportation.”
Some people consider the current trend to be similar to the Bike Boom that America witnessed in the early 1970s. Sales of bikes more than doubled in just four years at the time, with high gasoline prices playing a role. “History repeats itself,” according to DiCostanzo.
“A lot of the families that we’re starting to see coming in have two vehicles, they’re thinking about getting rid of one and having an electric bike as an alternative to an automobile,” Leishman said. Cargo bikes, seen as car replacements, are becoming popular as they can carry a couple of children together with a load of cargo in the back.
Wagner predicts e-bikes to be the future of transportation. His business is getting inquiries every week or couple of days. Purchasing an e-bike requires a sizable upfront investment. However, Wagner sees the one-time investment as a reasonable decision when considering gas prices.
“I think it’s definitely worth it and as time goes on just like in cars, the batteries are going to get cheaper,” said Wagner. “They are going to be easier to make, so when that happens the price of electric bikes just drops.”
The United States imported 800,000 e-bikes in 2021 according to the Light Electric Vehicle Association. This is a big jump from the 450,000 e-bikes imported in 2020.