E-scooters Vs. E-bikes: Which Is The Best?Nov 06, 2021
As gridlocked streets and terrible air pollution become increasing concerns for cities, we are all continually looking out for solutions. Moving away from car-centric infrastructure is a necessity and many city planners are creating more bike lanes and zero emission zones while also looking to public transport and personal electric vehicles to fill the gap.
Electric Scooter
Battery electric scooter were made for shorter distances and cruising along city streets. With ranges anywhere between 10 and 30 miles, electric scooters go hand in hand with commuting and are great for getting you from your door to public transport and vice versa. Super lightweight and portable, e-scooters are much easier to carry onto public transport or into the office than bikes, since their compact form factor occupies less space. Their simple frame consisting of just a board, a pole with handlebars and small wheels makes storage a breeze when compared to even the most foldable of e-bikes. Being able to transport electric scooters anywhere means that you can also store them indoors. This is a particular advantage of personally owned e-scooters which removes the need for you to worry about vandalism or them being stolen, something bike owners always need to keep at the forefront of their minds. For more on the pros of personal e-scooters, read our post Is It Better to Rent or to Own an Electric Scooter?. However the convenience of electric scooters not only lies in their easy usage and portability, but also — at least for personally owned ones — in their initial upfront investment. Even e-scooters on the more expensive end of the market are significantly cheaper than the average electric bike, something your bank account will be thankful for.
Electric Bicycle
Electric bikes are perfect for longer journeys and if you like to stay active Keep comfy and fit on wider ranges of terrain. Electric bikes are also great for commuting, especially with longer distances to travel as the range of e-bikes far exceeds that of e-scooters. With maximum assisted speeds of 30 mph, e-bikes are indisputably quicker than most e-scooters, although many countries further limit the legal maximum speed in urban areas — so, in practice, the difference between both may not be as significant. While e-scooters perform best on smoother city streets, there are many more options over where to ride your e-bike. Their wider, bigger wheels are much more forgiving over rough surfaces and can tackle a wider range of terrain, making electric bikes ideal for travelling outside of the city too. Even when moving over bumps and potholes, having a saddle to sit on can make your journey more comfortable for longer rides — an advantage over most e-scooters, as they don’t usually have seats. While sitting down does conserve some of your energy, electric bikes obviously require more physical effort than e-scooters as they don’t rely completely on the motor — yes, e-bikes do have pedal assist but you still have to pedal to keep them moving, which is perfect for those looking for a healthy way of keeping fit. It may not necessarily be a no-sweat ride, but compared to the traditional bike, there is much less effort required. And what happens if your battery dies mid-journey? That’s no problem. Being partially pedal-powered means that even if the battery runs out of charge, the bike can still be moved — although this can become difficult as e-bikes are much heavier and thus more cumbersome than e-scooters.
Conclusion
With new developments in technology and the the looming threat of climate change there is a continually pressing need to change the way we move around our cities, and these popular forms of micromobility could offer part of the solution. In reading this post you are educating yourself about greener alternatives to fuel-powered vehicles that will not only transform the way you move, but will potentially better the levels of air pollution and road congestion our cities have become accustomed to. If you have longer distances to travel, want the free exercise and you intend to ride over more than smooth city streets, then electric bikes are probably better for you. Cycling infrastructure already in place can also make journey planning more straightforward. However, if you are looking for an easy, sweat-free, and cheaper way of getting from A to B in the city and you plan to ride shorter distances, then e-scooters are the way forward — especially if multimodal travel forms an essential part of your commute. Whichever option you choose, know that with every ride you will be contributing to a greener, cleaner planet!
