Hot take: if you can choose between an #ebike and a car, of course take the bike.
However if your choice is between a regular bike and an e-bike the former is much more environmentally friendly.
In short, biking become less and less environmentally friendly the more regular bikes get replaced with e-bikes and e-scooters.
@WhyNotZoidberg That's an interesting assertion. How did you calculate your "several hundred times"?
I read a master's thesis 10 or so years ago that compared the carbon emissions of using an e-bike with using a regular bike and, for most diets considered, the emissions were lower for the e-bike. The emissions related to manufacture were taken into account.
@WhyNotZoidberg I'll post a link if and when I find the thesis. There's no guarantee that it is still online, though.
In the meantime, do you have evidence for the "several hundred times"?
@fix_it_bob I think I found an article referring to the paper you talk about and it is full of questions:
The paper claims e-bikes are more environmentally friendly than walking because you eat more when walking.
There is no information for the source for "average European diet"
The paper assume nobody loses weight by exercing.
There is no consideration to the fact that in order to make an e-bike have the lifespan of a regular bike at least one battery replacement is necessary.
@fix_it_bob in short the paper seems to be of the spherical chicken variety, a purely theoretical product.
(Plus it is fascinating to find a paper that seriously argue that humans should exercise as little as possible)
@WhyNotZoidberg Here is a Cycling UK article quoting 21 g/km for a "conventional bike" and 14.8 g/km for an "e-cycle":
https://www.cyclinguk.org/article/how-much-carbon-can-you-save-cycling-work
The 21 g/km figure appears in the following publication, which may be the source for the above:
https://ecf.com/files/wp-content/uploads/ECF_BROCHURE_EN_planche.pdf
I can't find the 14.8g figure, though. However, there is a 22 g/km figure for "pedelecs".
Reducing our carbon footprint is something we should all be aiming for, and cycling short journeys is one of the best ways individuals can do this. Content officer Rebecca Armstrong looks at how cycling is the least carbon-intensive way to get to work
Why Not Zoidberg? 🦑
fix_it_bob