Berlin – Electric bikes are everywhere. More and more people are switching to e-bikes in cities, rural areas and even on their commutes. But how environmentally friendly are e-bikes really?
It really depends on your perspective. E-bikes have many advantages over cars: they’re cheaper, healthier and also better for the environment. According to the Federal Environment Agency (UBA), e-bikes produce only a fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions compared to cars.
Fewer emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles
UBA calculates CO₂ emissions per passenger kilometre, which is a unit of measurement that represents the transport of one person over a distance of one kilometre. To do this, emissions from vehicle use, energy supply, vehicle production and infrastructure are added up.
Thus, the Pedelec produces around 15 grams of CO₂ per passenger kilometre, while a car produces around 194 grams of CO₂. In simple terms, according to UBA, an e-bike produces around 7.7 per cent of the greenhouse gases of a car.
The crux of the issue: According to the UBA, switching from bicycles to e-bikes only brings environmental benefits if the e-bike is used regularly for trips made using motorized transport. Therefore, switching to an e-bike instead of a bicycle does not pose any environmental benefits, as just producing the necessary batteries generates additional CO2 emissions.
Environmental impact and correct disposal of e-bike batteries
According to the UBA, the largest environmental impact for e-bikes comes from the production of batteries, mainly lithium-ion batteries. These contain raw materials such as cobalt, nickel, iron, copper, aluminium and lithium, whose mining often entails significant environmental impacts, including large amounts of water consumption and soil pollution.
According to the UBA, e-bike batteries should, if possible, be removed before disposal and taken to a collection point for used batteries. Lithium batteries can self-ignite and cause fires if disposed of incorrectly. Used e-bike batteries are considered industrial batteries and will be taken away free of charge by the seller. If there is a replacement traction battery in the range of sale, there is a legal obligation to take back batteries of other brands and designs. According to the UBA, many recycling centers also take these batteries free of charge. It is better to ask in advance if you don’t want to ride twice.