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Electric bikes are transforming urban mobility with their eco-friendliness and cost-efficiency. Electric bikes offer convenience and lower running costs, but have limitations such as battery range and higher upfront costs. Here's a quick look at the pros and cons to help you decide if an e-bike suits your lifestyle.
Electric bikes have distinct advantages and disadvantages based on their design and usage. This section examines the specific advantages and disadvantages associated with electric bikes, providing information for understanding their features.
The e-bike industry is changing urban transport by releasing more efficient and powerful electric vehicles each year. Electric scooters offer several benefits based on their performance and features. Here are a few of them:
Environment-friendly
E-scooters neither burn fossil fuels nor produce smoke, thereby curbing the air pollution in the process. However, this is debated because most electricity for charging comes from coal, the largest electricity source in India. Unless the government comes up with cleaner sources of electricity, this may not be the best eco-friendly alternative. Still, electric vehicles are much more environment-friendly than fuel-powered ones.
Lower Running Cost
Electric bikes and scooters cost more upfront than regular two-wheelers, but fuel savings make them economical over time. With the rising fuel costs, more and more people are turning to electric vehicles for lower running costs.
Maintenance
One key advantage of electric scooters is the absence of complex mechanical parts. As a result of this, the maintenance cost of such bikes is much lower in comparison to that of the regular vehicles.
Storage Space
Electric scooters have fewer mechanical parts than regular bikes, allowing for larger storage space. Therefore, they have a large storage space that can be used to transport a variety of objects.
Low Noise
Most vehicles produce a lot of noise while being driven. When you step out on a busy street, you can hear dozens of vehicles contributing to noise pollution. Electric bikes produce very little noise, reducing noise pollution.
Lightweight
Electric scooters are relatively simpler and have fewer mechanical parts as compared to the regular bikes. This makes them compact and easy to park. Being lightweight makes electric scooters easier to handle. Their compact, lightweight design lets you easily store them indoors during rain.
Every coin has two sides to it. Along with a list of advantages, e-bikes have certain disadvantages to offer. Some of them are as follows:
Battery Life
Electric bike batteries must be replaced when damaged or if their range significantly decreases. Batteries usually last for a year, and cost between the range of Rs. 13,000 - Rs. 20,000, depending on the rating, brand, quality, and warranties.
Range of the E-bike
The range of an electric scooter is the distance that it covers in a single charge. The average range of the top electric scooter models in India is usually about 100 km. The range decreases as the battery ages. It takes about 5 hours to recharge the battery, so it might not be a great option for long-distance travel.
Repair and Maintenance
Repairs of the e-bike can be a matter of concern as very few repair centres or spare parts dealers are available for this new mode of transport. However, since the popularity of e-bikes has been rising, the number of repair centres will also increase and shall become easily accessible.
Lack of Infrastructure
In many developed countries where electric vehicles are mainstream, charging stations are available every few kilometres. People can stop and charge their e-cars or e-bikes at the charging stations. India has limited charging infrastructure, making long rides difficult.
Power
When electric vehicles were first introduced in India, they had very low power and could not be driven at high speeds. Eventually, faster e-bikes and e-scooters have been introduced but their speeds still can’t compete with that offered by the fuel-powered two-wheelers. Low driving speed is one of the major disadvantages of an electric scooter.
Now that you are aware of the pros and cons of electric bikes, you should consider a two-wheeler insurance policy for your vehicle. As per the updated Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, all the vehicle owners must have third-party insurance for their vehicle, including electric vehicles. However, with a plethora of insurance policies in the market, finding the right one for an electric vehicle can get a little difficult. Fortunately, many insurance companies have started offering specific insurance plans for electric vehicles.
If you are looking to buy insurance for your electric bike or scooter, you can take a look at the various electric two-wheeler insurance plans available at Bajaj Markets and choose the one that best suits your needs. Insurance plans on Bajaj Markets come with benefits such as cashless service at over 4,000 garages across India. They also offer round the clock bike roadside assistance for your bike.
E-bike insurance is essential for mitigating financial risks related to the vehicle and its owner.
As of 2025, electric scooters are comparatively cheaper than e-bikes and start at an amount ranging from Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 85,000 depending on the brand. Electric bikes, on the other hand, start at Rs. 1,00,000 and above.
Yes, electric bikes have become a popular alternative due to the lower cost of running and environment- friendliness.
The electric bikes/scooters require much lower and infrequent maintenance as compared to regular bikes and scooters.
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