Massive consumer shift to electric vehicles in Chinese cities

Summary

The Chinese state supported the development of electric vehicle technology in the 1990’s and since e-bikes (small-frame bicycles with electric motor and pedals) and e-scooters (larger 2-wheel vehicles similar in build to gas-driven scooters) has proliferated at high rates now with around 200 million units in circulation. While highly successful in replacing fuel-based motorbikes and cars, their versatility have also replaced the use of public transport and manual bicycles. Traffic rule violation and road safety are major concerns and the environmental gain from zero-emission transport is somewhat offset by the environmental impact from incomplete recycling of used lead-acid batteries which still are commonly used. Nevertheless, the widespread adoption of e-bikes is a sustainable success story from the point of view of GHG emission reduction and urban air- and noise-pollution.

Full Story

In many Chinese cities e.g. Shanghai and Kunming, electric bicycles and scooters have almost replaced gas-driven scooters. E-bikes are according to regulations small 2-wheelers weighing up to 40kg with a max speed of 20km/h and with pedals built in, although many models transgress these limits. E-scooters also have pedals, although rarely used, and hence fall under the same category. E-scooters are larger, heavier, and faster, and resemble gas-driven scooters. E-bikes and scooters can have ranges up to 50-60km on a charge and are also very popular in rural areas. The Chinese state supported the development of the technology since the 1990’s and some cities banned sale of gas-powered scooters in the late 1990’s, but the widespread adoption of the technology has largely been market- and demand-driven. There are now an estimated 200 million e-bikes on Chinese roads, with more than 700 domestic manufacturers selling over 35 million bikes a year. In some cities electric bikes can now also be rented/shared through dedicated bike sharing apps on smartphones, and fastfood and other couriers rely heavily on these vehicles. The factors that have rendered them so popular are the low purchase and running costs, rise in gasoline prices, fall in electricity prices in rural areas, the pollution from gas driven scooters, the congested public transport system, the congestion of roads by cars, their speed and flexibility, the low physical effort required compared to traditional push-bikes, and generally higher level of living standards and spending among the Chinese population. The bikes are charged in standard electric outlets in people’s homes or from streetshop-based coin-operated charging stations. For people in apartments, the battery is carried to the apartment for charging, typically during night when electricity tariffs are lower.

Typical e-bike (left) and e-scooter

The e-bikes, when replacing gas-driven scooters, is a sustainable success story. However, there are indication that e-bikes have also substituted use of public transport and traditional manual bicycles, which, from an environmental perspective, is not an advantage. However, it is likely, that the general rise in living standard would have led to the replacement of the bicycle anyway, but towards gas-driven scooters and cars rather than e-bikes and e-scooters. Most models still use lead-acid based batteries which have significant environmental impacts in the form of lead contamination if not properly recycled. Recently, lithium-ion batteries have grown in importance which, environmentally vice, places the e-bikes on par with other modern electric driven vehicles. However, especially for e-scooters, lead-acid batteries are still dominating. One big advantage of lithium-ion batteries is that as they weigh less, they can more easily be removed for charging and as an anti-theft measure, and this could be an important factor in replacing lead-acid batteries.

The popularity of e-bikes has in many places led to more unsafe roads and many accidents. Since e-bikes are classified as bicycles, they can use bicycle lanes and require no licences, special permit, or safety equipment. As the bikes are small, fast, and agile, the drivers are often neglecting traffic rules leading to several cities imposing restrictions on or even banning use of e-bikes in some areas.

Thus, although not without challenges and negative impacts, the transition to electric driven cheap small personal vehicles is a step towards a greener transportation sector. They are highly flexible, cheap, and an alternative to personal cars which require more space and hence commonly cause congestion, even if they also are electrically powered. The Chinese example highlights how a well developed market can lead to rapid massive adoption of new and more green technology.

Photo top: chinasignpost.com bottom: onsetbayphoto.com

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