The development of electric bicycles

Electric bicycles appeared in the late 19th century. From 1895 to 1899, the U.S. Patent Office registered a number of electric bicycle patents (Ogden Bolton patented a battery-powered bicycle in 1895, Hosea W. Libbey patented a dual-motor bicycle in 1897, and John Schnepf patented a roller motor). Models with torque sensors and power control became available in the late 1990s. One of the first commercially successful e-bike models appeared in 1997 under the name "Select", and a year later there were over 49 different e-bike models on the market to choose from.

Electric bikes have captured a significant portion of the bicycle market over the past 20 years. Since 1998, it has managed to achieve steady sales growth with its simple design that closely resembles conventional bicycles, small and efficient electric motors and simple control methods. Today, more than 120 million electric bicycles are in use in China alone, and the use of electric bicycles in Europe and North America is growing rapidly.

Suitable for more groups

Electric bicycles solve the difficulty of cycling for groups of people who may not have previously considered cycling as a viable travel option, such as those with long commutes or the elderly, said Frans Timmer, Executive Vice President of the European Commission "E-bikes have democratized cycling for social groups that are far removed from cycling, such as the elderly," Mans said.

This is also supported by a Dutch study carried out by insurance company Univé, which showed that e-bikes have significantly improved mobility in the elderly in recent years. According to Dutch cycling statistics analyzed in the study, people over 65 started cycling 13.4% faster between 2010 and 2017. In addition, 75-year-old cyclists increased their miles by more than 33 percent.