by A recent study conducted by researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has examined the effects of electric bikes (e-bikes) on the overall quality of mobility in specific regions. The study aimed to determine whether e-bikes can provide comparable levels of time-, cost-, and energy-efficient access to opportunities as cars, and whether they improve mobility for certain groups within a community.
To gather real-world data and enable a thorough evaluation of emerging transportation modes like e-bikes, the NREL researchers utilized two important tools: the Open Platform for Agile Trip Heuristics (OpenPATH), an open-source travel data collection application, and the Mobility Energy Productivity (MEP) metric, which measures the efficiency of a region’s transportation system on multiple dimensions.
By integrating these tools, transportation practitioners and planners can gain valuable insights into the impacts of emerging modes of transportation, facilitating the development of sustainable, equitable, and efficient mobility solutions. To demonstrate the effectiveness of these tools, the NREL researchers evaluated the impacts of providing e-bikes to low-income essential workers in Colorado.
Analyzing data from nearly 50,000 trips collected via OpenPATH, the researchers used MEP calculations to determine that certain locations in downtown Denver offered more time-, cost-, and energy-efficient access to opportunities when using e-bikes compared to driving. Christopher Hoehne, a mobility systems research scientist at NREL, noted that the provision of e-bikes to low-income essential workers proved meaningful, as they frequently used them for commuting to work, although driving remained their most common mode of transportation overall.
The findings of NREL’s analysis are documented in an article titled “Mobility Energy Productivity and Equity: E-Bike Impacts for Low-Income Essential Workers in Denver,” published in the Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board. The article highlights how MEP, based on accessibility theory, quantifies the ability of a transportation system to connect individuals to various opportunities while considering factors such as time, cost, and energy.
By integrating MEP’s modeling capabilities with local mobility data obtained through OpenPATH, the analysis results become region-specific and relevant. According to K. Shankari, an NREL Director’s Fellow who developed OpenPATH, this integration allows for the exploration of physical infrastructure considerations, such as bike paths, that support alternative transportation modes.
The researchers found that the overall e-bike MEP for Denver was 34, slightly over a quarter of the drive MEP (129), but more than double the bike MEP (16) for the same region. This indicates that e-bikes provide twice the amount of time-, energy-, and cost-efficient access to opportunities compared to manual bikes.
Interestingly, the e-bike MEP was comparable to the drive MEP in Denver’s central business district due to its high concentration of opportunities and well-connected network of bike and e-bike-accessible paths. However, in some locations, the scores for walking, biking, and e-biking were zero MEP due to limitations in infrastructure connectivity, such as highways that do not permit these transportation modes.
The study revealed that e-bikes function as the best alternative to driving in locations where they can provide efficient access to nearby opportunities, particularly in denser neighborhoods. Venu Garikapati, a senior transportation data analytics researcher and MEP project leader at NREL, explained that the e-bike MEP was highest in downtown Denver, where activities and job opportunities are most densely concentrated. However, in exurbs and suburbs characterized by urban sprawl, the advantage of driving in terms of time outweighs the cost and energy required to access less dense opportunities, reducing the e-bike’s efficiency.
The researchers identified 12 areas in Denver where the e-bike MEP was comparable to the drive MEP, offering 80% or more energy-efficient access compared to driving. The location near the Colorado State Capitol scored the highest, providing 94% of the drive MEP.
The study also highlighted the importance of density in urban mobility trends. Higher densities are associated with an increased number of shorter-distance trips, while car-centric urban planning has resulted in significant land use for driving and parking. Furthermore, urban sprawl contributes to higher rates of driving and energy consumption.
The electrification of vehicles, combined with a decarbonized electric grid, can play a critical role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. E-bikes, as one of the smallest electric vehicles available, are more cost and energy-efficient than cars.
According to Hoehne, new mobility technologies like electrified and shared mobility, supported by appropriate policies and incentive programs, can address sustainability and equity issues in transportation planning. While e-bikes are an attractive option due to their lower cost and energy use per mile compared to personal cars, they are most suited for shorter-distance trips within densely populated areas.
In conclusion, the NREL study provides valuable insights into the impacts of e-bikes on sustainable, equitable, and efficient mobility. By utilizing tools like OpenPATH and MEP, transportation practitioners and planners can make informed decisions to maximize the benefits of emerging transportation modes and create a more sustainable future.
*Note:
1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
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