CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARD E- BIKES: A REVIEW OF THREE STUDIES IN NORTH AMERICA Christopher Cherry (University of Tennessee), Ziwen Ling (University of Tennessee), John MacArthur (Portland State University), and Jonathan Weinert (Bosch).
NORTH AMERICAN E-BIKE USER SURVEY 2013: PORTLAND STATE UNIV.
Geography of survey respondents
Demographics 85% Male Gender n=553 15% Female 65 and over 55 to 64 45 to 54 35 to 44 25 to 34 18 to 24 1% Age 13% 18% 26% n=451 32% n=448 4% High School Education 25% Some College 37% 34% College Graduate Graduate Degree $150,000 or more $100,000 to$150,000 $75,000 to $100,000 $50,000 to $75,000 $35,000 to $50,000 $25,000 to $35,000 $15,000 to $25,000 Under $15,000 Income 7% 7% 5% 16% 18% 16% 18% 13% N = 448
What were the main reasons you bought an electric bike, or converted a standard bicycle? 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 0% To replace some car trips Health - medical condition reduced your ability to ride a standard bike Health - to increase physical fitness Because you live or work in a hilly area To ride with less effort To be able to keep up with friends/family when I go for rides Male Female Respondents w/ physical limitation Respondents w/out a physical limitation Respondents <55 Respondents >55
What is the main reason that you use your electric bike (purpose of trips)? 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 0% Commute to work/school Local trips (shopping and errands) Recreation Male Female Respondents w/ physical limitation Respondents w/out a physical limitation Respondents < 55 Respondents > 55 Other
Bike Use 94% indicated they had rode a standard bike as an adult 55% rode their standard bike weekly or daily prior to e-bike purchase --this went up to 93% after purchase Of the 6% that hadn t rode a bike as an adult, 89% ride their e-bike daily or weekly Over 90% use their e-bikes weekly or daily To replace 95% of car trips and make commuting fun Survey Respondent
Getting around 45% indicated that they take a different route on their e-bike than a standard bike 35% don t avoid hills on e-bike and 31% will take more direct or higher traffic route on e-bike but 30% say they take lower traffic or less direct route Three quarters (73%) ride to different destinations on their e-bikes than they did on a standard bike I have bad knees (I'm retired, 68 years old). If I pedal a bike my range is limited by pain to about 5 to 6 miles. The e-bikes has a range per charge of 30 to 35 miles. Survey Respondent
What are the different destinations you ride to on your electric bike? 52% of women responded that they take a different route on their electric bike than they did on their standard bike, compared to 42% of men. 82% of women responded that they ride to different destinations on their electric bike than they did on their standard bike, compared to 73% of men. 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 5% 0%
KAISER PERMANENTE E-BIKE PILOT PROJECT 2015: PSU
Kaiser Permanente E-bike Pilot Project 30 Currie izip E3 Compact Top Speed: 18 mph Range: 15-22 miles Weight: 42 lbs. Folding Kaiser Employees at 3 campuses (1 st /last mile commuting) Project ran from May 2014 to Oct 2015
Map overview of employment centers, transit and survey respondents' homes - Portland Metro.
Mode choice by trip purpose Commuting 68% 7% 2% 7% 15% 1% Personal Errands 66% 13% 4% 13% 4% 1% Visiting Family/Friends 48% 32% 7% 3% Entertainment & Socializing 36% 44% 6% 7% 6% 2% Exercise/ Recreation 30% 13% 33% 21% 2% 2% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Drive alone Carpool/passenger Walk Bike Public transit Other
Barriers to participation in cycling cited by respondents Standard bicycle E-bike (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) Sample size (n) 56 31 87 80 86 Weather conditions 45% 39% 67% 59% 55% Trip logistics, preparation and/or time constraints 45% 61% 2% 14% My destination is too far 44% 56% 16% 23% The bike is uncomfortable or causes pain 11% 16% 0% 11% 19% I can t carry the things I need 0% 0% 41% 43% 50% I am concerned for my safety 5% 3% 15% 16% 14% I do not have access to a bicycle OR there was an issue with my e-bike 11% 12% 0% 0% There is no place to securely store my bicycle 0% 0% 2% 6% 17% I don't like to arrive sweaty/no showers at work 4% 0% 47% 14% I am unable to bike for health concerns or am physically unable 15% 16% 3% 5% Transit connections are not easy or convenient 0% 0% 0% 8% 9% "Laziness" (self-reported) 2% 6% 2% 1% 1% Hills 4% 0% 38% 1% 0% Other 2% 6% 3% 4% 7% (A): Pre-use: Why did you stop biking for transportation to work? (B): Pre-use: Why did you stop biking for recreation? (C): Pre-use: What are the main factors keeping you from biking more often? (D): Mid-use: If you would like to use the e-bike to commute to work more often, what prevents you from doing so? (E): Post-use: If you weren't able to use the e-bike as often as you would have liked, what prevented you from doing so?
100% Frequency of bicycle usage by trip purpose, before and during program All trips Commuting PersonalFamily SocialRecreation 90% 80% 70% 48% 47% 32% 41% 46% 45% 50% 58% 60% 60% 48% 49% 60% 50% 30% 40% 29% 43% 29% 25% 30% 20% 0% 43% 49% 19% 42% 33% 46% 29% 30% 17% 22% 21% 19% 16% 9% 6% 3% 6% 9% 4% 2% 6% 9% All trips Commuting Personal Family Social Recreation Before program (standard bicycle) During program (e-bike) 4-7 days/ week 1-3 days/ week 1-3 days/ month < 1 day/ month
Reported usage of e-bike (trip frequency) for commuting by distance from work. 60% 50% 40% 42% 38% 52% 52% 30% 20% 21% 21% 24% 16% 28% 0% 0% 5 mi (n=24) 3% 4% > 5 mi, < 10 mi (n=29) 10 mi (n=50) 5+ day/week 3-4 days/week 1-2 days/week Less than once per week
Respondents rating of specific e-bike features and functions Average 31% 40% 18% 7% 3% Engaging throttle (TAG) assist (n=127) 54% 36% 7% Engaging pedelec (PAS) assist (n=127) 45% 41% 13% Battery range for most trips (n=125) 42% 44% 11% Charging the battery overall (n=124) 40% 49% 9% Braking/slowing down (n=127) 37% 43% 15% 5% Stability while riding (n=126) 34% 44% 14% 6% Time it takes to recharge battery (n=123) 33% 53% 14% Size of e-bike folded (n=117) 28% 40% 20% 2% Size of e-bike unfolded (n=125) 21% 46% 28% 4% Pedaling without electric assist (n=126) 19% 28% 25% 17% Folding the e-bike (n=119) 14% 39% 27% 13% 7% Weight of e-bike (n=125) 7% 23% 35% 27% 7% 0% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor
US NATIONWIDE END CONSUMER ONLINE SURVEY 2015: BOSCH DATASET
Demographics Characteristics Age Gender (N=806) Over 60 44% 100% 80% 82% 50 to 59 45 to 49 9% 28% 60% 35 to 44 11% 40% 20% 0% Male 18% Female 24 to 34 18 to 23 Under 18 1% 0% 7% E-bike owners (N=360) Total sample (N=794) 35% Education Level (N=801) Annual Household Income (N=655) 30% Above $200K 8% 25% $ 181 K to 200K 3% 20% $ 141K to 180K 9% 15% $ 101K to 140K 20% $ 61K to 100K 29% 5% 0% High School/ GED Trade/ Technical Education Some college Bachelors Degree Advanced College Degree $ 20K to 60K Below $ 20K 27% 5% 0% 20% 30% 40%
How often do you ride? 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 5% 0% Avg. frequency: bike 2.7 day per week Avg. frequency: e-bike 3.8 day per week Less than Once a Month* Once a Month* 2-3 times a Month* Bicycle (N=387) Once a week 2-3 times a week* E-bike (N=363) Daily or Every day* 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 0% 1 to 2 miles* How far do you ride every day? 3 to 5 miles 6 to 15 miles* Bicycle (N=372) 16 to 25 miles 26 to 50 miles* E-bike (N=363) More than 50 miles
What are the most important reasons you ride bicycle or e-bike?-multiple Choices Other* No. of bicycle owners answered = 372 No. of e-bike owners answered = 363 To save time* To get from one place to another* For fun To save the environment* For better health* To save money* 0% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% E-bike Bicycle
What interests you most about e-bikes?-multiple choices Less sweat when riding* No. of bicycle owners answered = 432 No. of e-bike owners answered = 363 Ease of keeping up with other riders* Ability to go further Ability to go faster* Like new techonology Assistance in riding against the wind* Assistance in riding uphill* 0% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% E-bike Bicycle
Which criteria do you feel are most important for an e-bike to have?-multiple choices Top 5 criteria Bicycle owner (N=416) E-bike owner (N=363) 1 Range(riding distance) per battery charge 2 Quality of technical support and service after purchase 3 Lighter weight 4 On board computer features(range calculator, speedometer) 5 Anti-theft feature Motor power greater than 350 w
No. of participants 35% Expected maximum speed of e-bike What is your primary barrier to owning an ebike? Multiple choices (Only for non-ebike owners) 30% 25% 400 350 300 Price 20% 250 15% 200 150 5% 0% 15 mph* 20 mph 25 mph* Above 25 mph I'm not sure* Bicycle (N=432) E-bike (363) 100 50 0 Expensive purchase price Expensive to maitain Concern about safety No availability in my area Not availablenot a proven in type/style techonology I would want No place to ride Other What do/would you use e-bike for most often? Multiple choices 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 0% Commuting Work related transportation Running general errands around residence Carrying goods/kids For recreation and exercise Racing Trail/Mountain Primary means Biking of getting around Other E-bike owner (N=361) If you own an e-bike (N=374)
CONCLUDE
Demographics E-bikes still not mainstream (male, affluent, first adopters) Are their experiences representative of mass market? Trip Rate and Length E-bike trip rates are higher in all studies E-bike trip lengths tend to be longer (over five miles is still very long) Mode Shift Surveys support intuition, e-bikes shift (stated) motorized trips E-bikes potentially capture more utilitarian trip purposes Limitations on the nature of these surveys (e.g., typically ) Naturalistic data collection is next/ongoing step.