Energy Consumption and Emission of Pollutants from Electric Bicycles

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Abstract:

Electric bicycles (EBs) are now becoming the main vehicles for short-distance trips because of their speediness, flexibility and convenience in many cities in China. However, these benefits come at a cost. This study analyzed the energy consumption and emission of pollutants at every stage of the EB life cycle (production, use, maintenance and recycling) by using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The environmental impacts and the energy consumption in production and use were quantified and compared with other competing modes of transport, such as bicycles, buses, motorcycles and cars. The results show that the energy consumption and emissions of pollutants by EBs occur mainly in the use stage, and specifically in the process of electricity production and battery change. The emissions of pollutants by EBs per person per kilometer are several times smaller than the values for motorcycles and cars, more or less equivalent to buses and higher than bicycles.

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327-333

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January 2014

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