State Of Electric Bicycles In India

In the last couple of decades, global warming and extreme climate change have emerged as one the gravest challenges faced by mankind. This has led nations, governments, and people in general, to be on the constant lookout to adopt environment-friendly and sustainable measures to reduce carbon footprints. The pressing need to curb the consumption of fossil fuels for transportation which contributes to a fifth of the global carbon emissions has put the spotlight on e-mobility in recent years.

As the world is coming together to battle the global climate crisis by reducing dependence on traditional means of commute and public transport, a steady shift towards electric vehicles is gradually emerging as a step forward in the right direction to redefine how people commute. In this revolution, the role of e-bicycles will be of paramount importance as it is bringing about promising and positive social changes that are helping improve urban air quality and ease traffic congestion.

The concept of electric bicycles has been gaining significant popularity in India in the recent past as a more sustainable and economical mode of transportation. The Covid pandemic has accelerated this trend even further as people are increasingly prioritising healthier and more sustainable lifestyles. There has been an upsurge in demand for e-bicycles in the last few years as a practical and convenient mean of transport as it offers a slew of additional benefits. Right from the environment and urban sustainability to being pocket-friendly and easy to maneuver the traffic, e-bicycles provide the rider a comfortable and enjoyable riding experience.

Cycles have been an integral part of Indian households for generations, especially over the last century. It is crucial to encourage people across the country to embrace cycling for daily commute to curb carbon emissions and beat traffic woes and help the nation inch closer to its sustainability vision. 

Although e-bicycles are gradually making inroads into the Indian market, their adoption rate remains relatively low compared to other countries. It is still a niche category within the e-mobility space in India and is at a nascent stage faced by certain challenges. Several factors such as lack of a robust cyclist-friendly infrastructure, limited awareness regarding its numerous benefits and high initial costs have prevented its wider adoption.

E-bicycles have immense potential to disrupt the bicycle segment with cutting-edge technology and innovation, however, in India, conventional bicycles are still widely perceived as a cheap and sustainable option, especially in smaller markets. This has primarily resulted in the penetration of e-bicycles currently remaining limited to the urban elite population. The traditional way of looking at bicycles is that it's either meant for fitness or to travel shorter distances. E-cycles on the other hand are more versatile as they offer multiple ride options and are thoughtfully designed to offer more comfort and ease of usage for work commute, leisure travel and even to navigate through difficult terrains.

Electric bicycles are convenient and allow people to travel more easily and longer without much physical strain enabling them to prevent reaching the office drenched in sweat or going back home after a long and tiring day at work without draining themselves out completely.

While e-bicycles require a rather heavy initial investment as compared to traditional bicycles, they are economical in the long run and also provide added convenience and comfort for even slightly longer travels. Moreover, with skyrocketing fuel costs, rising traffic congestion, alarming rate of pollution and parking hassles, e-bicycles are poised to gain rapid popularity in the coming years in India. The cycle industry can certainly pin its hopes on the immense growth prospective of e-cycles in India, however, the segment requires the holistic efforts of the government and of e-bicycle manufacturers to address the challenges that currently exist.

It is crucial to create wider awareness regarding the several benefits of switching to an e-bicycle and create a robust civic infrastructure to provide a huge fillip to the e-bicycle segment. All of these measures will certainly propel the e-bicycle segment’s journey on its growth trajectory and pave the way for a brighter future in the coming years.

The article has been authored by Tushaar Bajaj, Co-Founder and Director of Virtus Motors.

Tushaar Bajaj

Guest Author The author is the Co-Founder and Director of Virtus Motors