Factsheet: E-bike use and the effects on other transport modes

E-bike use has increased sharply in the Netherlands in recent years. Moreover, a shift in e-bike use is apparent: the proportion of older people (aged 65+) is decreasing, and e-bikes are increasingly used for work-related trips; hence, e-bikes are no longer only popular among seniors. These are the conclusions of the KiM Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis study, 'The e-bike: user groups and effects on travel behaviour', which examined the various user groups and the impact that e-bikes had on people's use of other transport modes.

Five different e-bike user groups

Analysis of Netherlands Travel Survey (OViN) data revealed that e-bike users can be divided into five groups, as based on gender, age, education level, employment status and household composition. These groups range from retired older leisure users to middle-aged full-time working people and a group consisting of students. However, not every user group uses e-bikes for the same purposes: the older aged groups primarily use e-bikes for leisure and shopping trips, while other groups mainly use e-bikes for commuting to work or educational institutions, with this latter group growing the most in recent years.

E-bikes primarily replace regular bicycles

Netherlands Mobility Panel (MPN) data were used to study how e-bike use impacts other transport modes. The research revealed that after purchasing e-bikes, people walked and used regular bicycles less. Moreover, after purchasing e-bikes, people cycled more often and for longer distances (regular bicycles and e-bikes combined). For commuting to work specifically, people use e-bikes as replacements for both regular bicycles and cars. For shopping and leisure trips, e-bikes only replace regular bicycles.

Please note that the full report is only available in Dutch.