If someone had told you twenty years ago that electric vehicles will be perfect for city commuting one day, you surely wouldn’t believe it. Thankfully, in 2022 cities evolve and adapt their infrastructure for more mobile and eco-friendly vehicles. For example, the eBike CA law in 2015 removed many restrictions for electric bike riders, recognizing eBikes as a proper motorized vehicle category.

For cities, electric bikes benefit in many ways. They eliminate congestion on roads and sidewalks ‒ the more bikes we have, the less pressure goes onto the traffic. Besides, electric bikes are “green” ‒ they don’t emit CO2 and therefore reduce air pollution. They’re also noise-free, meaning they reduce noise pollution as well.

You can easily use an electric bike for daily commuting and for making entertaining bike trips alone or with good company.

Five reasons to use an eBike in the city

In big cities like New York City and Los Angeles, electric bike owners can use their eBikes almost without limits. The laws for electric bikes are different from state to state, but in most US states, the three-class category system is adopted, meaning eBikes are properly recognized as a group of vehicles.

You don’t need a driver’s license or insurance for your electric bike to ride it in most states. EBike in LA has almost no legal limits ‒ it’s allowed on sidewalks and common roads without any registration or licensing. The only exceptions are for Class 3 eBikes ‒ they have some restrictions. Also, local governments of some counties and national parks might have their own electric bike regulations, so it’s always best to check in with them if you’re not sure about the eBike laws in your city.

Apart from that availability, electric bikes have a number of other advantages for your city life.

  1. You can choose your own riding style. If you’re the one to love chilly rides without any weird feelings in your legs afterward, the pedal-assist system will save you a lot of effort. And if you prefer to engage in physical activities, you can always turn off the PAS system and do the pedaling on your own. Either way, the pedal-assist system is great for conquering any road and any terrain ‒ with or without inclines and gravel. Just choose the pedal-assist mode, and enjoy your ride. In terms of city riding, it’s really convenient ‒ you can get anywhere times faster than if you chose a car or a regular bicycle.
  2. You can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. Choosing an electric bike instead of a fuel-powered car to ride to work and then back home will make your lifestyle more eco-friendly. Using an electric bike for your daily commuting reduces air pollution and a bit relieves you of the gasoline smell. You can help the planet just by choosing an eBike over other motor vehicles!
  3. You can get fitter and healthier. Even with pedal-assist, a lot of your muscles engage in eBike driving, meaning you get to spend more calories and get more physical activity than if you used a car. This activity reduces many health risks: for the cardiovascular system, blood sugar levels, and joints. Besides, the more active you are, the more toned your body looks, which is another huge bonus of driving an electric bike instead of other vehicles.
  4. A lot of cities have been enhancing their cycling infrastructure. Even with how car-oriented most of the cities in the USA are, eBike in NY, for example, is more mobile than any other vehicle due to existing regulations and developing infrastructure. Besides, every bike is a winner in the traffic jam ‒ you can get anywhere you want much faster by using the mobility of electric bikes.
  5. You can save more money. You don’t need gas or diesel to fuel your electric bike ‒ just a regular power outlet is enough to get going. Even if the electricity rate in your city is bigger than the US average, charging your electric bike still costs not that much.

With that in money, let’s see how much having an eBike will cost you.

What about money?

Charging your eBike is convenient ‒ you can use both 220V and 110V power outlets anywhere, even at your house or apartment. Just detach your battery, switch its power off, and plug the charger into the power outlet. It’s easy and convenient and not that expensive ‒ you won’t spend more than 80 cents per single charge. If you use your electric bike twice a day to get from home to work and vice versa, you can do it even on a single charge,
especially if your workplace is not too far and you’re using a bike with a big capacity. Delfast TOP 3.0, for example, has a single-charge range of approximately 200 miles, which is a lot, especially for the city.

Even buying an eBike is worth it ‒ the most advanced models still cost 5-6 times less expensive than a new car, not to mention maintenance and fueling expenses.

Basic maintenance can be done mostly on your own, while more serious things like motor & battery checkups need professional assistance. Still, the biggest expense you can expect is a battery or motor replacement ‒ these happen really rarely, and sometimes you won’t even meet this kind of problem if you take proper care of your two-wheeler. A new battery costs around $500, and a new motor costs a few times more but compared to regular automobile repairs, this is close to nothing.