‘Chinese Demand for E-Bikes Grow’
China’s electric bicycles, which have become extremely popular in recent years, are now beginning to expand and take hold in other areas of the world.
Zhang Xiaoshun, chairman of Shandong Weisite Bicycle Co., one of China’s leading e-bicycle companies, told China Daily that their products are now being exported to Europe and Australia. He also said that the company’s bikes are equipped with a lithium-ion battery that can run up to 240 kilometers when fully charged.
Electric bicycles contain an electric motor that is used to propel the bike forward and use rechargeable batteries. In China, e-bikes have gradually begun to replace motorcycles and mopeds that use fossil fuels. For environmentalists, this is an important step as China is well documented for it’s high level of pollution. E-bikes are classified ‘zero-emissions vehicles’ and have a very low environmental impact. Many activists are hoping moves like these symbolise a national stance towards a greener environment.
While e-bikes have become huge in countries like China and Germany, they are catching on more slowly in other nations like the U.S. and U.K. Some oppose the idea of e-bikes on the grounds that it takes away the exercise element of cycling; however, while they might not facilitate as much exercise as regular bicycles, e-bikes do still need to be pedaled in order to power forward. However, without question the electric motor requires much less physical effort and makes pedalling easier.
In 2013, e-bike sales in China reached 36.95 million units, and annual output for the country has currently reached 30 million. While other countries may not be quite as quick or eager to embrace e-bikes as China, the bicycles are indeed gaining popularity outside of the country, slowly but surely.
