Taking electric bikes for a spin with the RAC WA eBike TrialAITPM National ConferenceSydney, 26-29 July 2016

Content• Overview

• Trial design• Operational aspects• Participant recruitment• Data collection & evaluation

• Trial outcomes• Commuting behaviours• Impacts on cycling and driving• Reported benefits• Increased awareness and appeal of eBikes

• Moving forward• Promoting uptake of eBikes• Lessons learned from the trial

Overview

About electric bikes (eBikes)• What are eBikes?

• Bicycles with an electric motor, and rechargeable battery, that provides assistance to the rider.

• Two categories in WA – those with a max. power output of 200 watts and ‘Pedalecs’ which have a max. power output of 250 watts.

• Rapidly expanding global market.

Source: Navigant Research, 2016.

About Perth’s mobility challenges

By 2031, seven of the nation’s ten most congested road corridors, including the top

four, will be in Perth and the cost of congestion will reach almost $16 billion.

Source: Infrastructure Australia, 2015.

About the trial• The RAC eBike Trial

• Four workplaces – 40 participants.• Participants had exclusive access to an eBike for 10 weeks

(31 August to 6 November 2015).

• Purpose• Gain insight into user experiences.• Better understand the potential of eBikes to unlock more

demand for cycling.• Showcase the growing importance of personal mobility

options, and the broader benefits of cycling.

The Trial was supported by the City of Perth, City of Wanneroo, North Metropolitan Area Health Service through QEII Medical Centre Trust, University of Western Australia, and the WA Department’s of Transport and Sport and Recreation through the Your Move program.

Trial design

Operational aspects• Workplace “lease” system

• eBike loaned for storage at place of work and home.

• Risk management• Robust risk assessment to identify and manage health,

safety and legal risks.• Mitigating controls:

• Induction process – cycle training, eBike demonstration, personalised journey planning, induction booklet.

• Crash and breakdown procedures.• Insurances and participation T&Cs.

• eBike selection and procurement• Choice of bike was important.• Negotiation of supplier agreement to include service

standards and transference of warranty.

Participant recruitment• Recruitment process

• Expressions of interest.• Eligibility criteria:

• All: be fit and healthy to ride a bike, willing / able to commute by bike twice a week, and happy to share experiences.

• Wanneroo participants: live within Council area and be a Your Move participant.

• Other participants: live within 20km of work. • 110 applicants from the four organisations!

Data collection & evaluation• Surveys

• “Before” and “after” surveys capturing participants’ travel behaviours and perceptions to understand the impacts of the trial.

• Weekly travel diaries• Record of eBike trips (for commuting and other purposes) and

experiences (like / dislikes, issues encountered with the eBike or during their journeys) throughout the trial.

• Unable to skip weeks.• Flexibility to complete daily, every couple of days or once a

week.

Timely completion of travel diaries and the after survey was incentivised through prize draws but eBike usage was not.

Trial outcomes

Commuting behaviours

Before

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

After

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

56%

23%

26%

26%

23%

27%

31%

35%

34%

39%

36%

46%

5%

4%

0%

2%

3%

1%

4%

1%

1%

1%

2%

0%

11%

15%

55%

57%

57%

59%

65%

55%

56%

55%

50%

48%

26% Car as driver

Car as passenger

Park & ride

Kiss & ride

Walk & public transport

Bicycle & public transport

e-Bike & public transport

Bicycle

e-Bike

Motorbike / scooter

Walk all the way

Taxi

OtherPercentage of total trips to and from work

Average:Car = 32%

eBike = 55%

Mode of travel for trips to and from work

Impacts on cycling

Before[1] Before (adjusted)[2]

After

Never 5 4 2Less than once a month 8 7 0Once a month 1 1 6Once a fortnight or less but more than once a month 1 1 0Less than once a week but more than once a fortnight 6 3 21-3 days per week 13 13 134-5 days per week 4 3 76-7 days per week 1 0 2 Total number of respondents 39 32 32

[1] All “before” data excludes responses from the participant that departed the trial during Week One.[2] To allow a direct comparison, data from those participants that did not complete the after survey has been discounted.

Cycling frequency for any purpose

Amount of cycling

Confidence while cycling

Enjoyment of cycling

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

5

6

10

10

5

9

3

7

3

9

4

6

5

10

4

A great dealA lotA moderate amountA littleNot at all

Number of participants

Extent to which trialling an eBike has increased:

Impacts on cycling and driving

8

10

14Likely to drive a lot less oftenLikely to drive less oftenLikely to drive the same amountLikely to drive more often

Anticipated impact on driving frequency

11

84

81

Extremely likelyLikelyNeither likely nor unlikelySomewhat LikelyUnlikely

Likelihood of cycling more than before the trial

Reported benefits

• 24 out of 32 respondents made financial savings.• Ranging from $6 to $300 per week.• Collectively saving $1,672.30 per week (or more than $16,000 over the 10 weeks).

• 7 reported time savings associated with their commute.• Ranging from 15 minutes to over 3 hours per week.• Collectively saving seven hours per week (or over 70 hours during the trial).

• 23 experienced a range of health / wellbeing and / or fitness benefits.

Increased awareness and appeal of eBikes

“It has renewed my love of cycling, and now it is the only way I will commute to work”

– a City of Perth participant.

• Satisfaction with eBike• 29 out of 32 “satisfied” with their eBike.• Participants liked the “freedom and

enjoyment” of an eBike.• 31 out of 32 would recommend eBikes to

others for commuting.• 17 participants (plus one partner

organisation) purchased their bikes.

• Extensive media and industry interest• Media coverage reached a total audience

of 548,026 people (to 29/12/2016).

Moving forward

Promoting uptake of eBikes

• Consideration needs to be given to facilitating and encouraging usage.• The trial has demonstrated the potential of eBikes to

make cycling more attractive.• eBikes are a real alternative to the private car for

some trips!

• The implications of increasing uptake need to be managed, including:• Increased prevalence of faster moving cyclists and

inexperienced eBike riders (riding an eBike takes a bit of getting used to).

• Availability and quality of infrastructure, for all cyclists.

• End of Trip (EoT) facility requirements.

88% of respondents said they would consider using an eBike to replace some journeys they currently

make in their car.

Source: RAC eBike Poll, 2015

Investment in on and off-road infrastructure, and EoT

facilities, were viewed by trial participants as top

priorities to encourage more people to cycle.

Lessons learned from the trial

• Trial development• Early engagement with potential partners /

stakeholders.• Understand and appropriately manage risks.• Address other operational considerations.

During the trial• Create interest in the trial through the media.• Develop a “sense of community” to engage and

inspire participants.

• After the trial• Keep the momentum going….

Where has your eBike taken you?

“Hanging out with my crew”

“Oh I do like to be beside the seaside”

“A ride through Kings Park on a sunny 200c lunch break”

AcknowledgementsThe RAC eBike Trial was supported by:

Special thanks go to the Trial Coordinators from each organisation and, of course, the 40 participants!

Thank you! Any questions?Sarah Macaulay,Manager, Transport PlanningRAC, Advocacy and Members sarah.macaulay@rac.com.au