Electric bikes for everyone – breaking down the myths
Electric bikes have spent the better part of the last decade making a significant impact in the world of personal transportation (or three decades depending on who you ask). However, despite their booming popularity, there still exists a number of myths around these innovative forms of alternative transportation. One of the most common misconceptions is that electric bikes are for older riders or those with mobility issues.
I keep thinking this will be the year we roll past this myth, and yet it continues to rear its head in e-bike discourse across the US. And it couldn’t be further from the truth! Let’s debunk this myth and shine a light on the universal appeal and benefits of e-bikes for people of all ages.
Myth: E-bikes are only for the elderly
It’s easy to see how this myth has developed. The added assistance that an e-bike provides can be incredibly beneficial for older folks or those with mobility issues. And in the early years, it was true that older riders made up a lion’s share of e-bike sales.
Companies like Pedego have spent over a decade developing a retail-based approach to teaching customers – originally largely older folks – about e-bikes in their brick-and-mortar shops. It was a move that inspired confidence by testing a range of models and got many people back out riding who had given it up years ago. And ten years ago, silver-haired Pedego riders on electric beach cruiser bikes smiling in e-bike ads were one of the first places that many people learned what an e-bike was. Perhaps that is part of where the misconception came from (and to be fair, Pedego’s models have greatly expanded into several cool, fun new models that target younger riders).
However, to say e-bikes are only for this demographic is a significant oversight.
For the young and adventurous
E-bikes offer an exciting blend of traditional cycling with serious infusion of technological advancement. For younger riders this means longer rides, climbing steeper hills with less fatigue, the ability to pair your phone or GPS with your e-bike, and lots of customization opportunities. Companies like SUPER73 have even built an entire culture around modifying and customizing e-bikes, with riders using their e-bikes as an extension of their personalities to show off their unique aesthetics and designs.
For those that didn’t grow up on a bike, e-bikes also serve as a fantastic introduction to the world of cycling, providing a confidence-boosting assist for beginners.
Younger generations are also increasingly eco-conscious, which makes sense as we see ever more clearly the destruction that is being done to our world. E-bikes offer a sustainable alternative to cars by reducing carbon emissions and contributing to a healthier planet.
And when you consider the tighter wallets that younger generations have compared to their parents’ generations, e-bikes also make sense as an alternative to the rising costs of car ownership. More on that in a moment!
For the fitness enthusiasts
Many people believe that riding an e-bike doesn’t provide a workout. This, too, is a myth. Not only has this myth been broken by anyone who “feels the burn” on an e-bike in low power mode, but countless studies have disproven the myth by demonstrating the exercise benefits of e-bikes.
Yes, e-bikes do offer assistance, but unless relying entirely on a throttle, the rider is still active and engaged. If you want more of a workout, you can adjust the level of assist to match your fitness goals or just based on how much effort you want to put into a ride on any given day. Higher assistance can help on thigh-cramping climbs or longer rides, while lower assistance can give you more of a workout.
In fact, I never considered myself a cyclist but over time I found the joy of cycling without any electric assist only after getting an e-bike and improving my own cycling.
For urban dwellers
E-bikes can be a game-changer for city dwellers of all ages. They’re faster than walking, more flexible than public transportation, and less stressful than driving in traffic. Plus, with compact, folding models readily available, storage in smaller apartments is less of an issue.
At risk of repeating myself, e-bikes make excellent car replacements for so many reasons. The costs savings are often touted as one of the main reasons for replacing a car with an e-bike, but don’t discount the shorter trips times due to skipping past traffic or the added fun of turning a commute slog into a joy ride!
In fact, I live my life largely car-free thanks to e-bikes (though I also rely on electric scooters and electric motorcycles, to be fair).
E-bikes and the elderly: A match made in heaven
While I think it’s fairly obvious now that e-bikes are not exclusively for the elderly, it’s worth reiterating how beneficial they can be for older riders.
E-bikes can help elderly individuals maintain an active lifestyle while providing a sense of independence. They offer a safe, low-impact exercise that can be customized to individual fitness levels. The added assist allows for longer rides without the risk of overexertion, promoting heart health and overall fitness. A new wave of electric trikes is even bringing electric biking to those without the balance to ride a two-wheeler.
Moreover, e-bikes are a fantastic way for older people to connect with nature and their communities. They can explore local parks, visit friends, or simply enjoy a leisurely ride, all while benefiting from fresh air and sunshine.
I’ve put both my parents on e-bikes, and it’s amazing to see the smiles on their faces each time they hop on the saddle. There’s just something about feeling the boost beneath you that transcends physical age and connects with people on an emotional basis. If you haven’t seen an e-grin yet, put a parent or friend on an e-bike and you’ll instantly know what I’m talking about. That first ride just brings something out in people and it’s a beautiful sight to see.
Electric bikes are a diverse and flexible mode of transportation that simply transcends age demographics.
They provide a boost for those who need it, an adventurous ride for thrill-seekers, a fitness tool for exercise enthusiasts, and a practical solution for urban commuters.
So whether you’re young or just young at heart, there’s an e-bike out there that’s perfect for you. Let’s move beyond the myths and embrace the two-wheeled electric revolution for all ages!
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On today’s fleet-focused episode of Quick Charge, we talk about a hot topic in today’s trucking industry called, “the messy middle,” explore some of the ways legacy truck brands are working to reduce fuel consumption and increase freight efficiency. PLUS: we’ve got ReVolt Motors’ CEO and founder Gus Gardner on-hand to tell us why he thinks his solution is better.
You know, for some people.
We’ve also got a look at the Kenworth Supertruck 2 concept truck, revisit the Revoy hybrid tandem trailer, and even plug a great article by CCJ’s Jeff Seger, who is asking some great questions over there. All this and more – enjoy!
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Thanks to Trump’s repeated executive order attacks on US clean energy policy, nearly $8 billion in investments and 16 new large-scale factories and other projects were cancelled, closed, or downsized in Q1 2025.
The $7.9 billion in investments withdrawn since January are more than three times the total investments cancelled over the previous 30 months, according to nonpartisan policy group E2’s latest Clean Economy Works monthly update.
However, companies continue to invest in the US renewable sector. Businesses in March announced 10 projects worth more than $1.6 billion for new solar, EV, and grid and transmission equipment factories across six states. That includes Tesla’s plan to invest $200 million in a battery factory near Houston that’s expected to create at least 1,500 new jobs. Combined, the projects are expected to create at least 5,000 new permanent jobs if completed.
Michael Timberlake of E2 said, “Clean energy companies still want to invest in America, but uncertainty over Trump administration policies and the future of critical clean energy tax credits are taking a clear toll. If this self-inflicted and unnecessary market uncertainty continues, we’ll almost certainly see more projects paused, more construction halted, and more job opportunities disappear.”
March’s 10 new projects bring the overall number of major clean energy projects tracked by E2 to 390 across 42 states and Puerto Rico. Companies have said they plan to invest more than $133 billion in these projects and hire 122,000 permanent workers.
Since Congress passed federal clean energy tax credits in August 2022, 34 clean energy projects have been cancelled, downsized, or shut down altogether, wiping out more than 15,000 jobs and scrapping $10 billion in planned investment, according to E2 and Atlas Public Policy.
However, in just the first three months of 2025, after Trump started rolling back clean energy policies, 13 projects were scrapped or scaled back, totaling more than $5 billion. That includes Bosch pulling the plug on its $200 million hydrogen fuel cell plant in South Carolina and Freyr Battery canceling its $2.5 billion battery factory in Georgia.
Republican-led districts have reaped the biggest rewards from Biden’s clean energy tax credits, but they’re also taking the biggest hits under Trump. So far, more than $6 billion in projects and over 10,000 jobs have been wiped out in GOP districts alone.
And the stakes are high. Through March, Republican districts have claimed 62% of all clean energy project announcements, 71% of the jobs, and a staggering 83% of the total investment.
A full map and list of announcements can be seen on E2’s website here. E2 says it will incorporate cancellation data in the coming weeks.
Read more: FREYR kills plans to build a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia
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Tesla has reportedly delayed the launch of its new “affordable EV,” which is believed to be a stripped-down Model Y, in the United States.
Last year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a pivotal decision that altered the automaker’s direction for the next few years.
The CEO canceled Tesla’s plan to build a cheaper new “$25,000 vehicle” on its next-generation “unboxed” vehicle platform to focus solely on the Robotaxi, utilizing the latest technology, and instead, Tesla plans to build more affordable EVs, though more expensive than previously announced, on its existing Model Y platform.
Musk has believed that Tesla is on the verge of solving self-driving technology for the last few years, and because of that, he believes that a $25,000 EV wouldn’t make sense, as self-driving ride-hailing fleets would take over the lower end of the car market.
However, he has been consistently wrong about Tesla solving self-driving, which he first said would happen in 2019.
In the meantime, Tesla’s sales have been decreasing and the automaker had to throttle down production at all its manufacturing facilities.
That’s why, instead of building new, more affordable EVs on new production lines, Musk decided to greenlight new vehicles built on the same production lines as Model 3 and Model Y – increasing the utilization rate of its existing manufacturing lines.
Those vehicles have been described as “stripped-down Model Ys” with fewer features and cheaper materials, which Tesla said would launch in “the first half of 2025.”
Reuters is now reporting that Tesla is seeing a delay of “at least months” in launching the first new “lower-cost Model Y” in the US:
Tesla has promised affordable vehicles beginning in the first half of the year, offering a potential boost to flagging sales. Global production of the lower-cost Model Y, internally codenamed E41, is expected to begin in the United States, the sources said, but it would be at least months later than Tesla’s public plan, they added, offering a range of revised targets from the third quarter to early next year.
Along with the delay, the report also claims that Tesla aims to produce 250,000 units of the new model in the US by 2026. This would match Tesla’s currently reduced production capacity at Gigafactory Texas and Fremont factory.
The report follows other recent reports coming from China that also claimed Tesla’s new “affordable EVs” are “stripped-down Model Ys.”
The Chinese report references the new version of the Model 3 that Tesla launched in Mexico last year. It’s a regular Model 3, but Tesla removed some features, like the second-row screen, ambient lighting strip, and it uses fabric interior material rather than Tesla’s usual vegan leather.
The new Reuters report also said that Tesla planned to follow the stripped-down Model Y with a similar Model 3.
In China, the new vehicle was expected to come in the second half of 2025, and Tesla was waiting to see the impact of the updated Model Y, which launched earlier this year.
Electrek’s Take
These reports lend weight to what we have been saying for a year now: Tesla’s “more affordable EVs” will essentially be stripped-down versions of the Model Y and Model 3.
While they will enable Tesla to utilize its currently underutilized factories more efficiently, they will also cannibalize its existing Model 3 and Y lineup and significantly reduce its already dwindling gross margins.
I think Musk will sell the move as being good in the long term because it will allow Tesla to deploy more vehicles, which will later generate more revenue through the purchase of the “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) package.
However, that has been his argument for years, and it has yet to pan out as FSD still requires driver supervision and likely will for years to come, resulting in an extremely low take-rate for the $8,000 package.
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