E-Bikes and co: How eco-friendly is electromobility?

Until recently, the classic old bicycle would have been an obvious option for anyone wanting to get active outdoors. These days, however, there are a number of electric alternatives that require slightly less exertion. But e-bikes and e-scooters aren't always as eco-friendly as you might think, and can cause other problems too.

The e-bike, an enhanced bicycle if you will, is probably the best-known electric alternative to regular bikes. The battery motor makes it move faster and is especially helpful on inclines. One problem: Because it makes biking less exhausting, more seniors who would normally not head out into the traffic anymore, ride e-bikes. That has lead to an increase in accidents.

Another issue with e-bikes is the battery, the production of which requires a lot of natural resources. E-bikes run on rechargeable lithium batteries. Digging this metal out of the earth is no easy feat and requires large lithium mines. It's also a finite resource. In 2018, the world's remaining lithium reserves were estimated at 53.8 million tons.

Electric modes of transportation don't emit CO2, but e-bike batteries have to be charged regularly. The same is true, of course, for batteries of e-scooters, e-skateboards monowheels, hoverboards, … See a trend there? The demand for electricity is growing and not all of it is met with energy from renewable sources.

As companies keep coming up with cool new e-gadgets for us to buy, the number of batteries that need to be charged is likely to keep rising. In addition to regular e-bikes, there are even e-unicycles. Not into peddling? Then how about a hoverboard, inspired by cult classic "Back to the Future II"?

E-scooters are similar to the scooters you might remember from your childhood. These new ones, however, don't rely exclusively on our feet to propel them forward, but on battery power. That makes them more eco-friendly than vehicles with a combustion engine, but many people only use them to travel the "last mile" from a bus stop or car park to wherever they're going.

Up until now, zipping along the streets on an e-scooter was illegal in Germany. Because of their little "engine," you'd need certain permits for e-scooters (like a license for a car), but those weren't available. Starting in the summer of 2019, Germans will be allowed to drive e-scooters with a maximum speed of up to 20 kph (12 mph) on bike paths. In the US, that's been legal for a while.