Switching to an electric bike means getting more exercise, period. Here’s why

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2 years ago

November 22, 2022

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Here at Electrek we cover all sorts of electric vehicles, from cars and trucks to planes and trains. But one type of electric vehicle outsells all others combined many times over: the humble electric bicycle.

And yet, for some reason, electric bicycles have been plagued by a running misconception that switching to an e-bike means a slow decline into sedentary demise. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The simple fact is that switching to an e-bike is one of the best things you can do to get more exercise. Don’t believe me? See why, below.

What is an electric bicycle?

First, let’s set the stage with some quick definitions. Electric bicycles are nearly the same as pedal bicycles, except for the inclusion of an assist motor and a battery pack. They use the same pedals, wheels, seats, tires, handlebars, etc. An e-bike is just a pedal bike with a helper motor.

There are multiple types of e-bikes, with the main two groups being pedal assist (where you have to pedal to engage the assist motor) and throttle-enabled (where you usually have the choice of using pedal assist like the first style or alternatively using a hand throttle that doesn’t require pedaling).

Both types are capable of offering great exercise, since both include pedal assist functions where you only get motor assistance when you’re also pedaling. But keep in mind that if you’re exclusively using the throttle on the e-bike instead of pedaling, you’re not getting much more exercise than you would on a horse. The good news is that as long as you’re using pedal assist, switching to an electric bike means you’ll be getting more exercise and living a healthier lifestyle.

“But switching from what?” you may be thinking. Oh! Now you’re asking the right question!

It’s not e-bikes versus pedal bikes

For some godforsaken reason, the e-bike argument is often reframed as electric bikes versus pedal bikes. It’s not uncommon to see comments on e-bikes articles to the effect of “Just what a country with 40% obesity epidemic needs. Less exercise.”

But that’s the wrong way of looking at it, and the numbers prove it.

When someone “switches to” an electric bike as a form of transportation, they are almost always switching out of a car. Sometimes it’s a bus or a train. But it’s almost never switching from a pedal bike to an e-bike.

And do you know why? It’s because almost no one rides a pedal bike.

If you’re a pedal cyclist then you’re surely scoffing right now. I’ll give you a minute. But then climb down from your high saddle, come back to me and look at the numbers. Surveys vary, but nationwide studies from 2019 found that around 0.6% of the US commuters used a pedal bike. That’s not nothing. It’s around 760,000 people, actually. But out of 130 million commuters in the US, that’s almost nothing.

To be fair, bicycle commuting numbers grew after the COVID-19 pandemic amid a renewed interest in cycling, but we’ve still barely broken into integers here in the US. (Side note: Europeans, your numbers are much higher. That’s awesome. Keep doing you.)

But the fact remains that somewhere between 75-90% of all commutes in the US occur by car (numbers vary widely depending on the city and whether ride-hailing/taxis/car-sharing are included).

So if someone is switching to an electric bicycle, they’re almost guaranteed to be switching away from a larger vehicle like a car, truck, bus, or train.

And when that’s the case, which it almost always is, they’re essentially guaranteed to be getting more exercise.

Electric bikes are great for exercise

Study after study after study has reported the health benefits of e-bikes for exercising. Boosted cardiovascular health. Better fitness test results. Improved mental health. Lower BMI from weight loss. The health benefits of e-bikes are long documented. They probably make you better in bed too. I have no study to cite for this but think about it: a healthier body and mind surely aren’t going to hurt in the bedroom.

Most Americans find it hard to fit 30 minutes of moderate exercise into the day. And that’s fair – we all live busy lives. But a quick 15-minute e-bike commute to work gets you that 30 minutes per day without forcing you to set aside a specific block of daily exercise time. And many people cite e-bike exercise via commuting as a convenient level of exertion that gets your heart pumping without being so strenuous that you arrive at work sweating and in need of a shower.

In fact, I’ve heard the same story over and over again from new e-bike converts: They bought an e-bike to get to work but found it to be so enjoyable that it turned into a recreational activity too. Their e-bike is a daily commuter vehicle and a weekend pleasure ride.

Can you get most of these benefits from riding a pedal bicycle? Of course! And if you can make it happen on a pedal bike, that’s great! If you can walk to work, that’s great too! But you know what? You probably won’t. It’s nothing against you, personally. It’s just a numbers game. Due to the exertion required (and that resulting “sweaty at work” situation from pedal bikes), there are just so few out there that the odds of you being one of them is miniscule.

If you ARE a pedal bike commuter or a walk-to-work person, that’s awesome and I applaud you. But you’re in a teeny, tiny minority. To be honest, I don’t even know how you found this article. You’re practically an endangered species at this point. Screw the pandas. We need bumper stickers that say “Save the cyclists!”

So sure, I’m not saying pedal bikes aren’t great for exercise too. But again, that’s not the argument here. That’s reframing the whole idea incorrectly. Pedal bikes are great for the 1% of folks who ride them to work. For the rest of Americans, e-bikes could be the fun, fast, and efficient form of exercise that gets you out of the glass box and into the world, experiencing your city around you while improving your health.

With more cities improving their cycling infrastructure (one of the top reasons commuters often cite for not cycling to work), it’s becoming easier than ever to leave the car in the garage and hop on an e-bike. To be fair, the US has a long way to go in building safe, protected bike lanes. But progress, however slow, is headed in the right direction. Many advocacy groups and individual bike/e-bike commuters alike are making their voices heard, with more cities listening and installing better bike lanes.

That’s important progress, but it shouldn’t stop those who already can bike from considering making the switch today.

The “I live on the side of a 50 mph highway and can’t bike to work” crowd get a pass, but please understand you are also the minority. For the rest of you that live in a city, consider how biking, e-biking, walking, skipping, kick-scootering, or any other form of active personal transportation could improve your commute, your health, and your life.

And for those of you that are dead set on never leaving the comfort of your SUV, just understand that cyclists help you too. The next time you see one zip by you while sitting in your captain’s chair, realize that you’re waiting in a little bit less traffic because of them. You’re welcome.

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Environment

Tesla issues recall on over 200,000 for the self-driving computer failure

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1 hour ago

January 10, 2025

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Tesla issues recall on over 200,000 for the self-driving computer failure

Tesla has officially issued a recall on over 200,000 vehicles in the US over the self-driving computer inside the vehicle short-circuiting and failing to work.

This is an issue that Electrek has been reporting on for a month.

In December, Electrek released an exclusive report about Tesla having a major issue with a new version of its onboard “Full Self-Driving computer,” AI4.1, failing due to a short circuit, and Tesla must replace the computers.

We found examples of the issue arising as far back as July. The problem can start quickly, within a few miles on a brand-new car or after a few hundred to a few thousand miles.

When the computer fails, many vehicle features stop working, like active safety features, auto wipers, auto high beams, cameras, and even GPS, navigation, and range estimations.

Tesla’s fix was to replace the computer completely, but sources also mentioned a temporary software fix to enable some of the features in the meantime.

We followed up with another report earlier this week that highlighted how it is leaving customers in a difficult situation without the features and with faster battery degradation as the computer appears stuck in an auto-update mode that drains 5 kWh per day.

In the latest report, we also mentioned that Tesla has yet to issue a recall regarding this issue despite having to do so since these vehicles have become non-compliant with NHTSA without rear-view cameras.

Today, Tesla officially released a recall over the issue. For the first time, we get a better idea of the affected population, which adds up to 239,382 vehicles:

The subject population includes certain Model Year (MY) 2024 – 2025 Model 3, MY 2023-2025 Model Y, MY 2024-2025 Model S and MY 2023-2025 Model X vehicles that were equipped with certain car computers and operating a software release that was prior to 2024.44.25.3 or 2024.45.25.6

In the recall notice, Tesla describes the non-compliance:

On a small percentage of affected vehicles, upon vehicle power up, a reverse current may cause a shorting failure on the car computer board, resulting in the loss of rearview camera functionality, which does not comply with FMVSS 111, S5.5 and S6.2

Again, the problem is much larger than that as the entire computer fails, but the automaker only mentions the rear-view camera because that’s the part that makes it a safety risk and non-complaint.

Tesla says that it noticed the higher rate of computer failure on November 21, 2024. It started investigating and after about a month, it believes it has an idea of the cause, which would be several factors working together:

This sequence of specific software and hardware configurations, coupled with colder temperatures, could increase reverse current, which could short the primary and/or secondary power components.

As of December 30, 2024, Tesla has identified 887 warranty claims related to this issue.

In the remedy section of the recall, Tesla explains that it will push the software fix to the entire population, but it will also continue to provide computer replacement for vehicles who experience shorting:

On or shortly after December 18, 2024, at no cost to customers, affected vehicles began receiving an over-the-air (OTA) software update that changes the vehicle power up sequence to prevent the shorting failure condition to the primary and/or secondary power component. No further action is necessary from owners of affected vehicles that are equipped with software release 2024.44.25.3, 2024.45.25.6 or a later release if an affected vehicle has not experienced the shorting failure condition or stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition. Tesla is actively working to identify which affected vehicles, if any, experienced stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition. If an affected vehicle experienced the shorting failure condition or stress that may lead to the shorting failure condition prior to installing software release 2024.44.25.3, 2024.45.25.6 or a later release, then Tesla will replace the vehicle’s car computer at no cost to the customer.

We reported that some customers experiencing this issue are having to wait for months for a computer replacement.

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Environment

Mazda unveils its new EV for Europe: Meet the Mazda 6e with nearly 350 miles range

Published

2 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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Mazda unveils its new EV for Europe: Meet the Mazda 6e with nearly 350 miles range

The electric Mazda 6 successor will arrive in Europe this summer. Mazda finally revealed its new EV, the Mazda 6e, with nearly 350 miles of driving range. Check out the new Mazda EV below.

Meet the new Mazda 6e EV for Europe

Mazda unveiled the 6e at the Brussels Motor Show in Belgium on Friday. The sleek electric sedan is the European version of the Mazda EZ-6, sold in China.

The EZ-6 is made by Mazda’s Chinese joint venture, Changan Mazda. It has been on sale in China since October, starting at just 139,800 yuan, or less than $20,000. Now, Mazda is bringing the Chinese-made EV to Europe.

Mazda said the new 6e is “designed to attain the driving performance and functionality to meet European customers’ needs.”

Although it’s tailored for European buyers, the 6e was still developed by Mazda and its Chinese partners. You can see the new EV still includes the classic Mazda design. However, the 6e is powered by Changan’s hybrid platform and is loaded with the latest in-cabin smart tech.

In China, the EZ-6 is available in EV and extended-range configurations. The all-electric model gets up to 372 miles (600 km) CLTC range.

Mazda will offer two battery options in Europe, 80 kWh and 68.8 kWh. The larger (80 kWh) battery pack provides up to 343 miles (552 km) WLTP range, while the smaller option can get up to around 300 miles (479 km) range.

At 4,921 mm long, 1,890 mm wide, and 1,491 mm tall, the new Mazda 6e is about the size of a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm long, 1,922 mm wide, and 1,441 mm tall with a 2,875 mm wheelbase).

Mazda-6e-EV-interior — Mazda 6e interior (Source: Mazda)

Like in China, the European-made EV includes a clean interior with a 14.6″ infotainment and 10.1″ driver display screens. The “smart cabin” also features a 50″ virtual head-up display and other premium features like zero-gravity reclining seats.

The Mazda 6e will go on sale in Europe this summer as the Japanese automaker looks to meet the EU’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates.

Mazda-$20,000-EV — Mazda EZ-6 electric sedan in China (Source: Changan Mazda)

Since it will be exported from China, Mazda will still pay for it after the EU raised tariffs on Chinese EV imports by up to 45.3%. Mazda will reveal prices closer to launch, but they are expected to start much higher than the $20,000 price tag in China.

Earlier this week, we also learned Mazda will build its first dedicated EV on a new platform in Japan. The company is building a new module pack plant to supply battery cells for the upcoming electric car.

What do you think of the electric Mazda 6 successor? Would you buy one in the US or Europe? Let us know in the comments.

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Environment

World’s largest EV maker unveils new sodium battery electric motorbikes

Published

5 hours ago

January 10, 2025

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World's largest EV maker unveils new sodium battery electric motorbikes

Yadea, which has claimed the title of the world’s largest electric vehicle maker for seven years running, has just announced a new electric motorbike powered by the company’s innovative HuaYu sodium-ion battery technology.

Yadea has long dominated the electric two-wheeler and three-wheeler market globally, but has generally relied on both lithium-ion and lead acid batteries to power its vehicles in different markets.

The newly unveiled electric scooter uses Yadea’s recently introduced sodium battery technology, offering what the company says is outstanding performance in range, charging speed, and safety. Using the HuaYu Sodium Superfast Charging Ecosystem presented by Yadea, the battery can reach 80% charge in just 15 minutes, providing greater convenience for riders.

Yadea’s sodium battery has successfully passed more than 20 safety tests, many focusing on its resistance to fire and explosions under extreme conditions like punctures and compression.

Yadea’s new sodium battery offers an energy density of 145 Wh/kg and a lifespan of up to 1,500 cycles at room temperature, with the company rating it for a five-year useful lifespan. It also includes a three-year warranty for added assurance.

With excellent low-temperature capabilities, the battery retains over 92% of its discharge capacity at -20°C, making it well-suited for colder climates.

Sodium batteries present major advantages

Most electric vehicles used in the West, especially electric two-wheelers, rely on lithium-ion batteries for their high energy density. But sodium-ion batteries offer many benefits over traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Sodium is an abundant element on the planet and is easily accessible, unlike lithium, which is concentrated in specific regions and often expensive to extract. This abundance can make sodium-ion batteries cheaper to produce, reducing costs for EV manufacturers and potentially making electric vehicles more affordable.

Lithium mining also has environmental challenges, such as water depletion and habitat destruction. Sodium, on the other hand, can be sourced from seawater or common salts, offering a more sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

Sodium-ion batteries are less prone to overheating and thermal runaway compared to lithium-ion batteries. This makes them inherently safer for electric vehicles, reducing the risk of fires and improving consumer confidence in EV technology.

Sodium-ion batteries perform better than lithium-ion in cold climates. Lithium-ion batteries struggle with capacity retention in freezing conditions, but sodium batteries maintain efficiency, making them ideal for EVs in colder regions.

Sodium batteries still have challenges to overcome

While sodium-ion batteries are promising, they currently have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning they store less energy per unit of weight.

For EVs, this translates to shorter driving ranges for the same-sized battery. That’s especially important in electric two-wheelers like motorbikes and electric bicycles, which don’t have much extra space for storing bulky batteries.

However, advancements in cathode materials and battery architecture are quickly closing this gap, which Yadea has demonstrated. These sodium-ion batteries still can’t match the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, but as they continue to improve their energy density, the technology’s other major advantages provide encouraging signs for larger adoption in the industry.

Yadea’s status as a major electric motorbike maker also means that its adoption of sodium-ion battery technology could help lead the entire industry towards this battery chemistry, bringing safety and performance benefits along with it.