The Canadian Electric Vehicle thread

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I'm in my 50s but hoping that I am still quite some time away from an electric bike.

Though our hills aren't like those in Vancouver, either!

It's nice to be able to ride around and not have to sweat it up hills too, even if you're physically capable.

That's what I see as a danger though personally. It's not going to help me burn more calories.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Saudi Arabia is apparently a major investor in Lucid (~62%) and despite being a niche product has agreed to buy 50,000 Lucid cars with option to purchase 50,000 more. While the deliveries will be slow, having the backing of one of the richest oil nations means they may be able to stick it out long term.

Al's definitely gonna blow a gasket on anyone that likewise is entertaining saving the planet with one of these.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I'm in my 50s but hoping that I am still quite some time away from an electric bike.

Though our hills aren't like those in Vancouver, either!

Each to their own, but personally I think it is a mistake to think of it as being a sign of aging or something to be avoided until it is "necessary". We were chatting with a guy on the Sunshine Coast, an avid cyclist who was thrilled with what he was able to do with his ebike. It made it practical for him to get up into the higher elevation trails for more intense rides without having to drive part way. Ebikes are really just another evolution of the bike; what you do with it is up to you, but if it means more people are getting out on bikes instead of driving, that's a positive development.

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

It's nice to be able to ride around and not have to sweat it up hills too, even if you're physically capable. That's what I see as a danger though personally. It's not going to help me burn more calories.

Again, it is all in how you choose to use it. If you just want to motor up hills, sure, there's that, but your range will plummet and you'll probably overheat the motor. On the other hand, if you only use partial assist - and that only on steeper hills - then you're definitely going to be able to work up a good sweat. As much as entirely manual - no, of course not - but more than not biking to begin with.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by travis3000

Me too. They make sexy high quality cars with great range. Id be open to one down the road if they can get that price down a little. I find it very hard to justify spending over 100K on a car.

yeah, Most Canadians would cringe at the thought of spending $50k!
Although cars in 2022 seem pricy AF! even a midrange Accord costs $37-38k (before taxes/fees)

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Vorkuta

Al's definitely gonna blow a gasket on anyone that likewise is entertaining saving the planet with one of these.

BannedSki

[Nouvellecosse]

I've had my ebike for about 4 years now. They have nothing to do with aging although I'm sure they could help older people. The main purpose is that you can travel as fast (or faster) as you could when exerting max effort recreationally but without getting sweaty if you don't want to. Normally if you're going some place of any distance beyond a few km you either have to wear athletic clothes and change once you get there or drive slowly so you don't get too sweaty. Or of course you could drive quickly wearing your normal clothes, arrive hot and sweaty, and have to go into the washroom and try to wipe all the sweat off with paper towels. Kind of negates the time benefit of going faster when you're in a hurry.

You can also wear fully water proof rain clothes in warmer months without getting sweaty and carry more stuff without the weight and aerodynamics slowing you down much.

It's basically like an electric car except you're still getting some exercise rather than just sitting there (similar to a brisk walk) but with almost none of the cost and the ability to bypass traffic during peak periods. I don't know about in other places, but here my ebike is faster than a car at peak periods except in outer suburban areas, and is often equally fast or faster off peak.

It would make a lot more sense to say that using a car instead of an ebike is a sign of aging (or general softness) if you don't need to carry passengers or a lot of cargo.

[Nouvellecosse]

I still remember the time I was late for an exam at Dalhousie and decided to take the car to save time. I got there in only 13 min compared to about 23 for ebike or 30 for regular bike, then spent 10 minute driving around looking for a parking space which i found a 10 minute walk away.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

It's nice to be able to ride around and not have to sweat it up hills too, even if you're physically capable.

That's what I see as a danger though personally. It's not going to help me burn more calories.

It will if you go out far enough that you need to pedal 25km coming back after the battery dies lol.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

It will if you go out far enough that you need to pedal 25km coming back after the battery dies lol.

Yes, pedalling 50-60+ pounds of bike-and-flat-battery will definitely get the sweat going!

[Acajack]

To each his own, as has been said. My dad is almost 80 and still has a regular bike, not an e-bike. Though where he lives and bikes is pretty flat.

[homebucket]

The downside of the e-bike is the weight. With a properly lightweight bike, you might be able to climb a hill on human power alone, but with the battery and motor, it might actually cause you to require to use the electric assist.

But yes, if you're using it for commuting purposes and your workplace does not have showers, it's definitely a useful feature.

[Tvisforme]

It's also relevant to consider the different classes of ebikes. With respect to exercise, I'm thinking of the Class 1 and 2 bikes where the motor size (max 500W) and top speed (max 32 km/h) are limited, and where you have to be pedalling for the motor to operate. For many of these, you're not getting up a steep hill without significant user input; the motors just can't do it. Class 3 are a different matter, with bigger engines, higher speeds and more akin to a scooter/motorbike experience.

[Nouvellecosse]

Generally the biggest factor with energy usage on bikes is aerodynamics, but weight definitely plays a bigger role on hills. Mine is about twice the weight of my lightweight road bike, but it also has fenders, a rear rack, and wider tires so it's more robust as a utilitarian bike regardless of the electric aspect. I wouldn't necessarily want a frail super-light road bike as my main commuter anyway, especially in the winter so anything I'd be driving is going to be heavier.

That being said, the weight of an ebike depends mostly on its power and range. If you have one with a high capacity battery and powerful motor it'll be much heavier than mine which is less than 40lbs. Mine isn't really powerful enough to ride without pedaling if you want to be going at any reasonable pace and the range is only really enough for 30-40km depending on the temperature, wind etc. So enough to go across Hfx and back per charge and nothing more.

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by Acajack

To each his own, as has been said. My dad is almost 80 and still has a regular bike, not an e-bike. Though where he lives and bikes is pretty flat.

Yes for sure. People of varying ages can use either. They're mostly for different purposes rather than different types of people or age groups.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by homebucket

The downside of the e-bike is the weight. With a properly lightweight bike, you might be able to climb a hill on human power alone, but with the battery and motor, it might actually cause you to require to use the electric assist.

But yes, if you're using it for commuting purposes and your workplace does not have showers, it's definitely a useful feature.

I was also wondering about the weight and transportability, as a lot of people don't have bike racks these days and simply take the front wheel off and transport their bikes inside their cars.

[SpongeG]

I saw two Ebikes today, I didn't realize you didn't have to pedal, I was under the impression that you would need to do some peddling at times.

[Innsertnamehere]

In my case my front wheel pops off just as easily as any other bike. It’s a bit heavier than a normal bike for sure, but the battery is detachable as well which is a big contributor of the extra weight. With the front wheel and battery removed it would be fairly easy to lift and put in a car (though I admit I have yet to try it)

[urbandreamer]

Polestar 3 has some cool design details, it's minimalist and reminds me of the best contemporary Scandinavian architecture:
https://youtu.be/R6eqZfO7E9M

[Nouvellecosse]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

I saw two Ebikes today, I didn't realize you didn't have to pedal, I was under the impression that you would need to do some peddling at times.

There are different kinds but there are definitely some that can be throttle operated. Those are very popular with delivery people. On mine, the power doesn't engage without pedaling but if your goal is to avoid effort you could pedal slowly on the easiest gear with the highest level of assist on and your pedaling wouldn't engage any drive-train resistance except for on hills. But you'd be going pretty slow and the range would be short.

[Architype]

Polestar 6 will be a roadster, nice but priced around $200,000!

2026 Polestar 6 Electric Roadster | Polestar 6 Electric Roadster 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb3adC0pieI