E-bike ownership and usage: an analysis of Germany

E-bikes have the potential to promote sustainable mobility by increasing the mode share of cycling. This paper examines their impact on travel behavior in Germany, taking into account socio-demographic groups and attributes, using the 2017 German national travel survey MiD. Two logit models investigate the factors influencing the ownership of different types of bicycles and the influence of bicycle type on mode choice. During the data collection period of 2016/2017, e-bikes were less common than conventional bicycles and were predominantly owned by older age groups. The models indicate that higher household economic status is associated with increased e-bike ownership, while urban residents have lower e-bike ownership and usage rates. E-bike owners cycle longer distances per day and have an increased cycling range because their cycling share is less affected by distance. However, e-bikes do not appear to substitute car ownership, and their use depends more on the season compared to conventional bicycles. Our results support findings from other countries, indicating partial cross-national transferability. Conflicting findings, such as e-bikes increasing cycling among young owners to a lesser extent and advanced age not reducing e-bike use, indicate a need to examine how national framework conditions influence the adoption and use of e-bikes.