Driving less sounds like a great idea, right? Gas is expensive, but riding has more advantages than simply saving at the pump. Riding your ebike for transportation means less time spent stuck in traffic, less money spent on auto ownership costs, and more time to get some fresh air while you’re out and about.
By reducing your auto use over the course of a few months, you could even save enough money to offset the cost of a new ebike, and soon flip over to an overall household cost savings by riding more and driving less. Read on for some sustainable living ideas to get you started considering how to make the switch yourself!
1.Ride your ebike to the store
Around 50% of all household trips are 3 miles or less, and you can bet that number involves lots of short runs to the grocery store. It’s easy to set up your electric bike to be a grocery-getter on regular runs where you pick up a couple bags’ worth of supplies. With a sturdy rear rack and a set of panniers, you’re equipped with your own reusable grocery bags as well as the most enjoyable way to get things back from the store.
2. Switch to pay-by-mile insurance
Car owners who don’t log many miles might be aware that many insurers offer mileage-based plans that can deliver significant savings to infrequent drivers. Adding an ebike to your transportation options gives you a better way to drive less and still get around efficiently, putting you on the track to hit the low-driving threshold where pay-per-mile insurance means savings for you.
3. Cancel your gym membership
Ok, this one won’t win any converts in the weight room...but those who head to the gym for aerobic work may find that cycling (even with motor assist) can be just as effective a workout as in-gym options. Even if you keep your gym membership, you can ride to and from, tuning your motor assistance levels to provide you with optimal warmup and cooldown.
4. Lower your EV charging bill
So your electric bike isn’t the only EV in your garage? We’re excited that you’ve lowered your Co2 footprint! Now lower it even further by using your super-efficient ebike on more trips and leaving your heavy electric car parked; saving the charge on that 60kwh battery for when you need it.
5. Save on car maintenance
Tire wear, brake pads, suspension components– they’re all expensive to replace on a car and way cheaper to replace on electric bikes. If you’re aiming to reduce your overall environmental footprint, also consider that riding your Vvolt will produce way less brake dust and tire rubber particles than even the most compact cars.
6. Ride to dinner
Whether you’re heading to a local restaurant or to a friend’s for a backyard BBQ, there’s nothing like a good ride to whet your appetite, take in the cool air and enjoy saving a few bucks in gas money while doing it. We include lights and 360º reflective decals on every Vvolt ebike to make your evening and night time excursions safer. Add a rack and get reack to take your contributions to the potluck.
7. Go multimodal! Mix mass transit with ebiking
If you live in a place with public transportation, you can probably take your bike on the bus or train. So take your ebike rather than waiting for connections or driving to the park-and-ride to start your commute. Mixing transportation modes is a great way to get longer distances while still avoiding the hassle of rush-hour traffic. If you can use this mix you’ll save in the long run, as the costs of a monthly transit pass and ebike ownership are still way below those of car ownership!
8. Ride your bike and rent your vehicle
Plenty of people plan to keep their car even as they switch to riding electric bikes for most daily travel. Did you know you can rent out your personal auto rather than having it sit when you’re not using it? There are a number of peer-to-peer car sharing apps that let you rent out your car, truck, suv or van on an hourly basis, so you’re making money (or at least offsetting gas and insurance costs) while you have more fun riding your electric bike around town.
9. Ride yourself (or your kids) to school
Remember that 50% of all trips are short ones under 3 miles? That distance sounds to us like a daily ride to high school, college classes or the morning run to drop the kids at elementary school. Figuring an average ebike speed of 15 MPH over those 3 miles, you could travel door-to-door in 12 minutes. By removing time spent hunting for parking or waiting in the drop off line, you get where you’re going in record time while reducing stress!
10. Ride to work
Electric bikes are the best option for bike commuters, as they can reduce time spent commuting when compared to both autos and analog bikes. Not only that, but riding in higher assist levels pretty much eliminates the chance that you’ll arrive a sweaty mess, so no need to pack a change of clothes like on a traditional bike commute. Riding to work saves money by reducing your vehicle expenses and also provides a great “third place” experience by clearing your head in the fresh air on the way to and from work.
