Can we finally get an electric bicycle subsidy?

Mass use of electric bicycles could create more than £2bn in health benefits and cut one million tonnes of emissions annually according to an evidence review by academics at Westminster University, commissioned by the campaign group Bike is Best.

Grants of £1,500 are available for low-emission cars but there is no such 'plug-in' grant for electric-assist bikes despite the fact they require no special charging infrastructure, reduce congestion and road danger and produce a fraction of the pollution.

The research found that 53% would buy an electric bicycle if there was a 25% subsidy. The poll results tally with recent research by Bosch which polled over 2,000 people across the country including non-cyclists. Of those who had already bought an electric bicycle, 81% felt it was a good investment.

| 'pedelecs can be recharged from a household electricity supply so there's no need for the costly infrastructure that's slowing the uptake of electric cars'

Electric bicycles offer numerous advantages over electric cars; Not only do they consume far fewer natural resources to build and run, but they occupy less road space, contribute very little towards road danger, create no tailpipe emissions and constitute active travel. Another key advantage is that these so-called pedelecs can be recharged from a household electricity supply so there's no need for the costly infrastructure that's slowing the uptake of electric cars.

However, perhaps the thing about pedelecs that should be most attractive to those in power is the potential they offer to wrestle people out of their cars. In many respects, electric cars are a red herring - the only way to deal effectively with road danger and to promote liveable neighbourhoods is for there to be far fewer cars (of any type) on the roads.

Given all the merits of the electric bicycle, it seems strange that the ongoing £400m+ subsidy for electric cars via the 'plug-in grant' has never been extended to include pedelecs. Equally curious is that the government's cycle to work initiative - the salary sacrifice scheme that allows people to buy a tax-free bicycle via their employer - has not had its cap of £1,000 increased to allow for the higher purchase price of pedelecs.

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Electric bicycles - Every type of rider catered to

Whether you ride road bikes or a commuter, if you don't want the lines of your machine ruined by a battery, you can now choose an electric assist that's indistinguishable from a conventional pedal cycle. Likewise, mountain bikers can choose anything from battery powered cross country models to high spec downhillers.

In terms of price, range and usability the bicycle is the most practical option for those who want the benefits of an electric vehicle today. Forget the costly infrastructure required by electric cars, the batteries that power bicycles are highly portable and light enough to be carried into a house to be re-charged. Furthermore, the electrically-assisted bicycle is the ultimate hybrid; if the battery runs flat, the rider can switch to leg power in an instant.

Electric bicycles are becoming evermore popular in Europe, but here in Britain there remain those who scoff at the idea. This is unfortunate as they provide a practicable alternative to the car for many commuters as well as helping to tackle the climate emergency and local air pollution. Electric bicycles are at their most efficient when the rider works in tandem with the motor; electrically-assisted bikes can make a 30-mile round-trip commute a realistic option for even a novice cyclist. They also make cycling more accessible for the elderly or disabled.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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