We've highlighted this idea several times before: eBikes are an excellent green alternative to mopeds and gas-powered vehicles. By opting for an eBike for your daily commute, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and make our planet a safer place for everyone.

Let's take a closer look at how exactly eBikes contribute to reducing your carbon footprint compared to other vehicles.

Car vs. eBike

When it comes to costs, eBikes are clearly the better choice compared to cars:

• The price of an eBike is typically 5-9 times lower than that of a car;
• Instead of spending around $100 on a full tank, you’ll only need to pay approximately $24-34 per year to charge your eBike – even less if you don’t use it daily;
• Maintenance for eBikes is simpler and more cost-effective.

So, eBikes have two major advantages over cars: they’re more environmentally friendly and more budget-friendly.

But you might wonder, “Is a vehicle truly green if its production process leaves a heavy carbon footprint?” That’s a perfectly valid question, and we’re very much aware of it.

How Green Is eBike Manufacturing?

To be honest, it’s not entirely green. However, compared to car manufacturing, it remains the most ecological option available today.

The manufacturing emissions of a car start at 45 grams of CO2 per mile. In comparison, an eBike with its roughly 9 grams per mile emits five times less CO2—and that’s just the beginning!

One crucial aspect to consider is the Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery. These batteries are renowned for their long lifespan and high capacity, but their production still has environmental impacts. The dirtiest part of the process is the mining of lithium. Many compounds created during this process emit nine times more CO2 than the total weight of the mined lithium.

Of course, there’s always the option of recycling, and it’s gaining more recognition worldwide. However, despite lithium being widely used in electronics, recycling it is still costly. Mining is often cheaper, but with the growing trend of electric vehicles, it’s possible that in a few years, recycling Li-Ion batteries will become the most practical way to obtain lithium.

Shipping is another factor to consider. No matter which shipping method you choose—air cargo, sea shipping, or by truck—you'll inevitably incur a noticeable carbon footprint. For now, it’s impossible to completely eliminate these emissions.

But if you think about it, cars leave a far heavier CO2 footprint during the shipping process. It begins when various manufacturers ship car parts, and ends with fewer cars fitting into the carrier. You see, cars are much larger than eBikes, so they naturally take up more cargo space. A single shipment can fit four or even five times more electric bikes than cars, especially since they're often shipped in a disassembled state.

What About Riding an eBike?

Over the average lifespan of an electric bike, the total carbon footprint of the vehicle will be no greater than 100 kilograms—if you ride daily or take some long trips. As for cars, gas emissions produce immense amounts of CO2 and heat, which is common knowledge. Even electric cars like Tesla, with their powerful Li-Ion batteries, still emit around five tons of CO2 per year due to their higher capacity and power.

Let’s look at some numbers. It’s been established that eBike emissions per mile are as low as 8-9 grams, factoring in the battery as the main source of these emissions. Naturally, this depends on your riding style and preferences—if you opt to ride without relying heavily on the pedal-assist system, your emissions can be even lower.

But what about electricity? Surely it doesn’t appear out of thin air, and we don’t have fully green energy plants in every city. The good news is that the electricity consumption of an electric bike adds up to as little as 2 grams per mile. This is far better than fuel, and much cheaper.

Unless you’re a tree, you can't be 100% green. But what you can do to help combat climate change is support green energy, electric vehicles, and smarter urban commuting.