Advertisement

Is the electric bicycle Denmark’s new car?

Ritzau/The Local
Ritzau/The Local - [email protected]
Is the electric bicycle Denmark’s new car?
File photo: Henning Bagger/Ritzau Scanpix

An increasing number of electric bicycles can be found in Danish car parks, garages, sheds and basements.

Advertisement

376,000 people in Denmark -- equivalent to 8 percent of the country – currently own an electric bicycle, according to a new survey conducted by Kantar for the Danish Road Directorate (Vejdirektoratet).

The machines are used for various purposes including as a means of transport for work, errands and leisure activities.

Many people see the electric bike as an alternative to the car, according to the study, which is based on interviews with 1,500 people.

47 percent said their electric bike had completely or partially replaced their car.

“It’s really good that the electric bicycle has managed to get so many road users out of their cars and onto cycle lanes,” Minister for Transport and Housing Benny Engelbrecht said in a press statement.

There is still room for improvement on electric bicycle usage, however, despite their apparent increase in popularity.

Almost half of respondents to the survey -- 47 percent – said they think bicycle lanes in cities are too narrow, resulting in dangerous situations for cyclists.

As many as 67 percent felt that cycle lanes are poorly maintained.

Those figures show that there is plenty of work to do, said Klaus Bondam, director of the Danish Cyclists' Federation (Cyklistforbundet)

“I hope that the study promotes more thought going into cycling infrastructure and good conditions for bicycles within work to reduce the increasing congestion on our roads,” Bondam said in a statement.

The study also shows that the potential for electric bicycles dwarfs their current usage.

According to the survey, 432,000 Danes are considering purchasing an electric bicycle.

READ ALSO: Electric scooters a danger to users when driven legally: Danish police

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also