Technology adoption of electric bicycles: A survey among early adopters

Abstract

Electric bicycles (e-bikes) may reduce energy use, air pollution and noise for private transportation through a modal shift from fossil-fuel powered vehicles to e-bikes on short distance trips. However, designing effective promotion campaigns for the adoption of e-bikes requires detailed knowledge on user characteristics and motivations. In order to explain e-bike use on work, shopping and leisure trips, the present study combines concepts from technology adoption with factors derived from research on mobility behaviour. The study employs structural equation modeling to survey data from 1398 Austrian early adopters who purchased an e-bike between 2009 and 2011.Results show that early adopters are predominantly comprised of persons aged 60years or older who mainly use the e-bike for leisure trips. Carbon-intensive travel modes on commuting trips are barely substituted. Early adopters typically hold pro-environmental and technophile attitudes. E-bike use is most driven by perceived usefulness, which in turn depends on an easy use, appropriate infrastructure, also user’s norms and attitudes towards environment and physical activity. Comparison by trip purpose shows that a supportive social environment and personal ecological norms influence e-bike use on work and shopping trips, whereas leisure use of e-bikes is driven by attitudes towards physical activity. Comparison by age groups underlines that older e-bike users are more dependent on practical usefulness of the technology and facilitating road infrastructure. Therefore, e-bike promotion strategies should differentiate between trip purpose and age segments when selecting target groups.