Electric bikes are outselling electric cars in the United States

In cities, ebikes are a real alternative to cars when it comes to making short journeys. — AFP Relaxnews

The trend may be global, but figures from the United States are particularly striking: in 2021, more electric bikes were sold there than electric cars. And in a country where the car is king, that’s something of a revolution.

Nearly 790,000 ebikes were sold in the United States in 2021, an increase of 70% compared to 2020, according to data compiled by the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA) and reported by Bloomberg. This figure compares to 650,000 electric cars (or plug-in hybrids) sold in the same period.

This success is especially evident in large cities, where ebikes represent a fast and ecological alternative to cars. An electric bike can indeed travel as fast, if not faster, than a motorcycle or car in downtown areas. They are much easier to handle in traffic jams and can easily slip through where other motorised vehicles have a harder time advancing.

Sales figures have been booming around the world since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, and there is still plenty of room for growth in the United States. The LEVA association estimates sales of electric bikes at over three million units in Europe and over 35 million in Asia. – AFP Relaxnews