There has been a lot of attention recently focusing on electric vehicles (EVs) like the Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf (see recent blog posts here and here), but what about other modes of electrified transportation? We caught up with Melissa Wenzel to hear about her experiences with electric bikes and scooters.
Joel Haskard: You own both an electric bike and an electric scooter. Can you tell us their make, model and year?
Melissa Wenzel: Sure. My bike is eZee Liv, purchased August 2011. My electric scooter is an eZip, purchased in 2010.
Joel: Why both a bike and a scooter?
Melissa: I initially bought the scooter as an afterthought ($500) in case my bike broke down or because I was having elective surgery and wasn’t supposed to bike for a while. But I love taking it to the farmers market, where my commute home is uphill, and buying lots of produce and flowers it is easier to “scoot” rather than bike home. It has also had an added benefit that if a friend drives to my place and we visit somewhere within a couple of miles from my place, I can bike and let my friend use my scooter, and neither of us has to drive to that destination. I’m helping others get out of their cars!
Joel: What was your motivation for buying them?
Melissa: My workplace had them as part of their vehicle fleet many years ago and there was internal promotions to allow folks to be aware of them and test drive them. They are SO fun to ride! I knew then that someday I’d like to own one. I moved to downtown St. Paul, a mile from where I work (and within a mile of everything else I need: grocery store, pharmacy, doctor, restaurants, library, etc). I ended up using my car so little that I couldn’t justify keeping my car any longer. I was paying to park where I lived and where I worked, paying for gas, insurance, and maintenance bills—I just couldn’t justify those costs any longer. So I sold my car, a fuel efficient 2002 Saturn, in 2008. I bought an electric bicycle with the proceeds and absolutely love the freedoms I have gained by not owning a car. I was car-less in college (because I couldn’t afford one) but I’m car-free now (by choice).
Joel: How do you charge them?
Melissa: Similar to charging your cell phone or laptop, there’s a plug-in port on the bike/scooter that you plug in to the wall outlet.
Joel: How far can they go on a charge?
Melissa: My bike gets up to 40 miles on one charge. My scooter gets a lot less: 5-8 miles. But with my bike, I’m nearly always pedaling, which wears out the battery less. With the scooter, it’s all 100% non-assist power.
Joel: Is the bike heavy to pedal?
Melissa: Some would say so. But when you add the assist, or get to top speed (15mph, like a regular bike), I don’t think so. I do know that with my exercise-induced asthma and mild arthritis I can go a lot further with my e-bike than without electric assist. That was another reason I bought one—to help me with my well-maintained but chronic health conditions.
Joel: Have you calculated your transportation costs savings?
Melissa: I have. According to the driving-cost-calculator at http://www.drivelessconnect.com, yearly costs are $1,244 for me to have a car, which didn’t include costs for parking at my apartment at the time. I own a condo now and have a parking spot, which I rent out for $80 a month. So those costs would nearly double with paying for parking (instead of making money on parking). I estimated these costs based on my 30 mpg car, driving 5 miles a day to work, $3.50 a gallon, $30 to park a month at work.
Joel: What you would tell someone thinking about buying an electric bike or scooter?
Melissa: Test drive one and try to not have a smile on your face afterward! I’ve allowed dozens of people to test drive my bike and scooter and 100% of them always return the vehicle with a huge grin on their face. They ARE so much fun to ride. But they also help me get around town without a car. I am not anti-car, but buying a car is not in my immediate future, not when I have so much fun, get so much exercise, and live so much more locally with my electric bike and scooter.
