Exploring e-bikes as a mode of sustainable transport: A temporal qualitative study of the perspectives of a sample of novice riders in a Canadian city

Automobile dependency is widely regarded as unsustainable and non-conducive to the newer Smart Growth planning paradigm. The need for reform in transportation behaviour, policy, and infrastructure is topping urban political agendas globally. E-bikes are one emerging technology with promise for advancing sustainability agendas. E-bikes are revolutionizing transportation in China and parts of Europe, yet little is known about user patterns in North America, particularly Canadian cities where uptake tends to lag. Through longitudinal focus groups and interviews we explore the changing behaviours, experiences, and perceptions of a group of novice e-bike riders over a three-year period in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario in order to expand upon the limited knowledge base on urban e-bike usage, impacts, and challenges. Prevailing themes discussed include the types of trips e-bikes are typically used for, implications for physical activity, prospects for enabling a modal shift away from cars and encouraging multi-modal transit, and limitations (e.g., battery restrictions, heavy weight, lack of infrastructure, fear of theft, winter weather, etc.). Further research is needed to better understand how e-bikes influence physical activity, social determinants of health, and safety; how demographic and physical environmental factors influence individual decisions around modal shift; and differences in use patterns between avid and novice cyclists.