Cycling is a good way to take care of your health. Electric bikes are more sustainable than motor vehicles, but they also pollute.
Cycling, in addition to being fun, is an excellent way to take care of your health. It is a low-impact aerobic exercise that, practiced on a regular basis, can help you be fitter and ward off various diseases, while taking care of the planet.
In recent years, electric bicycles have proliferated, a form of transport that facilitates pedaling and does not depend on fossil fuels. Although compared to other means of transport (such as the car) they reduce the environmental impact, they are not as ecological as traditional bicycles due to the batteries they use.
WHAT ARE ELECTRIC BICYCLES?
Electric bicycles are two-wheeled vehicles that have a built-in electric motor that helps pedal more easily (usually integrated into the rear wheel). They also feature a rechargeable battery, controller, and pedaling sensor, making them a bit heavier than traditional bikes.
- The battery can have a range of 20 to 100 kilometers before needing to be recharged (depending on the model) and is usually located in the frame or rear luggage rack of the bike. They are usually removable and charge in about 3 to 6 hours. In some cases, they can be charged while pedaling (known as “energy regeneration”).
- The controller manages battery power and provides motor assistance.
- The pedaling sensor detects pedaling speed and force to monitor engine assistance.
They also usually have a display on the handlebar that indicates speed, battery charge or other data, depending on the model.
Electric bikes only provide assistance while pedaling and, according to current legislation, the motor is switched off beyond 25 km/h and its power must be less than 250W.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES?
As with traditional bicycles, riding an electric bike has many health benefits. For example:
- It strengthens the muscles of the legs, back and abdomen, improves posture and reduces the risk of injury.
- Increases flexibility and balance.
- Helps maintain a healthy weight.
- It improves cardiovascular health and thus reduces the risk of heart disease.
- It reduces stress and improves mood.
In addition, unlike traditional bicycles, electric bicycles require less physical effort and help to climb steep terrain more easily, which makes them very suitable as a means of transport for daily use or for long distances and also for people who are not in an optimal state, but want to perform physical activity. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF ELECTRIC BICYCLES
There is no doubt that electric bicycles, like traditional ones, are much better for the environment than cars and other motor vehicles. They are cleaner and more ecological, since they do not emit polluting gases and their carbon footprint is much lower. In addition, the more people use them, the more traffic congestion is reduced.
However, its environmental impact is greater compared to traditional bicycles, mainly due to its batteries. Like other electronic devices, electric bicycle batteries are generally lithium-ion (which makes them light and durable) and contain toxic materials such as cobalt, nickel or lithium, which can be harmful to human health and the environment if not properly managed.
To extract or produce these materials, greenhouse gas emissions are generated, something that can also happen during their disposal if they are not recyclable. Also, if batteries are not recycled properly, the toxics they contain can contaminate land and water, which can harm ecosystems and animal life. Therefore, it is important that manufacturers of this type of bicycle follow responsible production and recycling practices to minimize the environmental impact and, if you are going to buy one, you ensure that the manufacturer is committed to the environment.
A report carried out by researchers from the School of Civil Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Madrid determined that electric bicycles emit about 317 kg of CO2 throughout their useful life, a figure 16 times lower than that of a conventional car and 6 times lower than that of a low-displacement motorcycle. They also saw that 60% of this waste is generated in the process of extracting the materials and manufacturing the bicycle.
On the other hand, we must bear in mind that, in the same way that happens with other types of batteries (such as those of mobile phones), with the passage of time they degrade and stop charging well, so they must be changed. However, new batteries are becoming more durable.