Abstract
Electric bicycles (e-bikes) are considered a sustainable alternative to automobile transportation today. The electric bike includes all the benefits that conventional bicycles offer, plus faster, more comfortable and longer trips, as well as less effort for the user. In this paper, we specifically focus on a new type of e-bike, the so-called 'solar-powered e-bike'. Therefore, this review paper explores existing literature findings for the use of solar energy in transportation, and more specifically in e-bikes. This paper aims to capture the status of and experiences with the use of e-bikes; more specifically, with solar-powered e-bikes. It presents research conducted so far on e-bikes and solar-powered e-bikes, as well as the main technical features of the solar e-bike. Finally, it analyzes a sample of e-bikes' and solar-powered e-bikes' users, based on Dutch National Travel Survey data and an experimental field study conducted in 2017. Data showed that the main target group of (solar) e-bikes are commuters in the age group between 40 and 60 years old, commuting distances longer than 6 km, with a gross income higher than €2500. Solar-powered e-bikes are concluded to have potential as a sustainable way of transportation in urban areas and cities, potentially replacing the conventional means of transport.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2129 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Energies |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2018 |
Funding
Acknowledgments: We would like to acknowledge all survey participants at UT and TU/e, CBS for giving us access to the OViN data and students Floris Nijland and Pablo Gaete Haller for their assistance. We would like to thank Pauline van den Berg and colleagues at TU Eindhoven for the collaboration in the solar bike field trial. Last but not least, we would like to thank 4TU.Bouw Lighthouse funding scheme and the University of Twente for supporting this research study, as part of the Solar bike and Smart Living Campus projects.
Keywords
- Commuting
- E-bikes
- Mobility
- Photovoltaic
- Solar powered
- Sustainable
- Transportation mode
