When you’re zipping off to work with the wind in your face and 750 watts of electricity at your feet, you're probably thinking more about the fun you're having than the fact that you're making a responsible decision.
Saving the planet doesn't have to be top of mind when you're riding Rad, but maybe, just maybe, you can rest a little easier knowing that ebikes are putting us on the path (or bike trail) to a cleaner future. Here's how.
1. More ebikes mean (a lot!) less CO2.
To cut down on pollution, California has begun developing a voucher program to encourage residents to swap gas-guzzling older cars for ebikes.
Put simply, more people riding ebikes leads to a significant drop in CO2 emissions.
How significant? Honestly, the results can be impressive.
According to a new study from the Transportation Research and Education Center, CO2 emissions in an average city can fall by roughly 11 percent if ebikes make up 15 percent of the ways that people choose to get around.
Think about that.
In Portland, Oregon, alone, that would mean over 300,000 fewer metric tons of CO2 being released into the atmosphere each year. To put that number in context, that equates to 90,000 fully loaded semi trucks traveling 1,000 miles.
Needless to say, it adds up!
2. Ebikes can replace your car trips.
When a landslide prevented cars from driving through California's scenic Big Sur region, local resident Joaquin Sullivan discovered that ebikes were the best way to traverse the region's sprawling hills.
When we talk about car replacement, we’re not envisioning a world without cars. We know there are always (always?) going to be long, grueling road trips that are impossible to do without getting behind the wheel.
But ebikes are helping people drive less. That's important, especially when you consider that the average car emits about 4.6 metric tons of CO2 a year.
A majority of car trips are under six miles. Thirty-five percent are under two miles. By giving riders the ability to go further than they would on a traditional bikes, these are exactly the kind of trips that ebikes are designed to replace.
A poll among electric bike owners shows that most riders significantly cut back on the number of miles they drive. On average, respondents said they tended to use an ebike instead of a car for trips under 9.3 miles.
3. Ebikes are changing the delivery game.
Rad Power Bikes is the exclusive ebike provider for Domino's franchise owners and corporate stores in the United States.
We get it. When you're shopping, on deadline, online, you're probably thinking more about whether you should splurge on same-day delivery than the environmental questions surrounding the world of shopping online.
As companies that rely on delivery grapple to find ways to make their fleets more energy efficient, ebikes are emerging as a helpful tool.
New York City officials have approved a pilot program to allow some shippers to use ebikes in order to cut down on delivery truck traffic. That means less congestion and fewer idling motors.
As for us, our Commercial Division brings sustainable transportation and last-mile delivery solutions to businesses around the world.
Rad Power Bikes is now Domino’s exclusive ebike provider for franchise owners and corporate stores in the United States.
4. Ebikes are an integral part of the green economy.
Our co-founders joined engineers from Tesla, robotics programmers, and visionaries in safety and health care on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Manufacturing & Industry.
While many of us would like to see big, bold systemic changes happen overnight, a lot of the necessary steps to save the planet won’t take place until there’s money behind it.
To that extent, the global ebike industry is projected to climb to $38.6 billion by 2025.
Since taking Rad Power Bikes from a small garage operation to an international presence in 2015, our co-founders have already made it onto the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Manufacturing & Industry as well as the Inc. 5000 list — a clear sign that ebikes are being counted on to spur innovation.
5. We work hard to keep your bike on the road.
Our in-house experts provide Rad riders with online resources to keep their bikes in top shape for years to come.
We want our ebikes to roam the paths, trails, and roads of this good, green earth for a long, long time. A large part of ensuring that happens is taking care of our customers, and in turn, taking care of their bikes.
We’re dedicated to seeing that Rad Riders get the most out of their bikes. This means a one-year warranty, on-site and mobile repair capabilities in select locations, a product support team that can troubleshoot and diagnose issues via email and phone (and refer to reputable local bike shops when necessary), and an ever-growing online library of tips on how to maximize the life of our recyclable batteries.
Not sure if an ebike is right for you? Check out five reasons we think everyone should give an electric bike a shot, our guide to picking the right bike for you, and why riding an ebike isn't cheating.
