The argument used in favor of EVs over ICEVs also applies to e-bikes over EVs.
Unless you add “but do all the same common trips just as quickly”. Then having thousands of watts of power output matters.
I think you need a more exact definition of “efficient” here. If you mean energy efficient, bikes are efficient, but human and crop metabolism is not. If you mean economically efficient, the speed and capacity issues have to be factored in. They both produce zero emissions in their end state.
BEVs are still cars and create massive traffic problems. Cars are not guaranteed to be faster. We cannot all use cars for all of our transportation needs anyways, so alternatives need to exist regardless.
Humans burns calories all the time, even when resting. And you still need to exercise. Might as well power a real bike instead of a stationary bike. So this is a totally silly thing to worry about.
Unless you add “but do all the same common trips just as quickly”. Then having thousands of watts of power output matters.
I think you need a more exact definition of “efficient” here. If you mean energy efficient, bikes are efficient, but human and crop metabolism is not. If you mean economically efficient, the speed and capacity issues have to be factored in. They both produce zero emissions in their end state.
BEVs are still cars and create massive traffic problems. Cars are not guaranteed to be faster. We cannot all use cars for all of our transportation needs anyways, so alternatives need to exist regardless.
Humans burns calories all the time, even when resting. And you still need to exercise. Might as well power a real bike instead of a stationary bike. So this is a totally silly thing to worry about.
I agree. Energy efficiency would be an odd way to measure it on it’s own.
Sure, bikes are nice in their niche, and they will probably be used more and not less in the future. And maybe that’s a natural place to leave this.