Electric bikes pave the way for cleaner streets

A bike zips down the road, powered by a rear wheel motor and a battery pack secured in the triangle frame. Its rider wears a gray waistcoat and a floppy bow tie. The year is 1895. Electric bikes have been around for longer than a century, but the swift rise of freeways, cheap gasoline and automobiles pushed them to the wayside. Today commuters are rediscovering the benefits of assisted pedal power.

Many people agree that bicycles offer an inexpensive and environmentally-friendly way of getting from point A to point B, but many people also dislike the sweaty aftermath that comes from pedaling to work or school every day. Electric bikes offer a great alternative. Riders still get exercise, but the motors kick up the speed to 15 mph and take the struggle out of long, hilly commutes. In place of a trunk, trailers and packs can be attached to bicycles to carry groceries, textbooks and other essential loads. Besides a smaller waistline, you might find yourself with a fatter wallet. Biking just five miles to work each day instead of driving can save about $200 each year, depending on individual gas mileage.

Owning an electric bike used to require a hands-on personality, as they were often assembled from kits or from scratch, but now companies like BionX and G-Bike sell bikes ready to be ridden. G-Bike highlights the affordability of its product. With a range of about 35 miles, its battery can be fully charged on about 10 cents worth of electricity, and there is no need for a license, insurance or registration to ride. Canada-based Bionx claims that its battery can carry a rider more than 50 miles on a single charge, and the battery can be recharged in less than three hours. With its ReGen braking system, applying the brakes will even send energy back to the battery for a quick mid-route recharge.

Electric bikes produce zero emissions, making them much cleaner than cars. Of course, all those batteries need to go somewhere. As Tree Hugger covered last year, the lead batteries currently used in electric bikes still cause pollution through disposal and manufacturing. Still, the batteries' small size makes them suitable for charging through solar power. Electronics company Sanyo took advantage of this and recently built solar parking lots where riders can charge their bikes with photovoltaic panels.

The inventors of the electric bike didn't have to worry about carbon emissions, congested traffic or obesity-related diseases, but their innovation can help us face these modern challenges. Whether you're looking to lose weight, save gas or help the planet, electric bikes offer the simplicity of regular bicycles with the power of technology.