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Can an e-bike really save you money on gas? The math is clear (electrek.co)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/micromobility@lemmy.world
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One of the most common questions I hear from people considering an e-bike right now, during a period of soaring...

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[–] 9 points 5 months ago (2 children)

I understand that isn't possible for everyone and/or everywhere, but the biggest saving is not even having a car in the first place. Not just the actual price of the car (and it's depreciation), but the monthly/yearly costs associated with owning one. Insurance, taxes, maintenance and possibly repairs.

It has been a very long time since I actually owned one, but at least here (EU) it can easily be like 150€ a month and you haven't even driven a single kilometer. I'm pretty sure it's physically impossible for me to use up 150€ in electricity with an eBike in a month, and there isn't even any fuel accounted for.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    I'd love to completely get rid of my car, but, alas, it would mean the end of my social life since the buses rarely run past 9 and the roads are too dangerous to cycle.

    One thing I think we could do, though, is move towards making those fixed expenses of car cost sensitive to mileage. For instance, lets mandate availability of insurance-per-mile instead of insurance-per-month; because the temptation to USE a car in a car-dominated infrastructure is pretty constant and severe.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    Yeah that is where the largest savings can come from. Never learnt to drive because of the costs involved with car ownership. Couldn't afford it then and now I would rather buy something else. Could go on 4 cruise holidays a year with the money saved just by not having a car.

    Even the bus costs a fair bit compared to a bike, but still cheaper than owning a car. Sure, fuel to go to work might cost less than a bus ticket. But a bus ticket doesn't require me to buy a depreciating asset - well, other than enough clothes to not scare other passengers.

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