Electric bikes are taking off in New Zealand

Sales of e-bikes are soaring as people cotton to the benefits they bring – including cycling fitness and an easy commute.

Jace Hobbs calls them “micro EVs” and says they’re helping revolutionise transport here.

Originally from America’s mid-west, Hobbs has been living in Nelson for nine years and has run his Electric Bike Hub business based there and in Auckland for about 14 years. It now has retail/service centres in 25 bike shops around the country.

He owned a sports training company in Hawaii teaching windsurfing and beach volleyball, and he enjoys mountain biking and croquet.

So it’s been a natural progression to e-bikes.

He’s fired-up about their future, saying e-bikes are practical and comfortable solutions to personal transport.

“There’s no parking fees, they require little servicing and you can take them on the train.”

Hobbs says while they’re great for exercise you can also arrive at meetings without being in a sweat.

When not pedalling his e-bikes, Hobbs is peddling them to local authorities and other organisations for inclusion in their vehicle fleets. “Seven council fleets now include them, such as the Auckland Council, along with the NZ Transport Agency and others.”

Hobbs has quickly become a sought-after authority on electric powered transport and sustainability.

He served on the Auckland Council’s EV advisory board, was a regional representative of the Association for the Promotion of Electric Vehicles (APEV), is a Sustainable Business Network board member and tours New Zealand (not always on his e-bike) to give talks on the subject “Your Future is Electric” at clubs and other organisations.

Hobbs also publishes an EZoomers

newsletter for more than 600 subscribers, is a much-published author on e-bikes, and has displays related to energy efficiency at events throughout the nation.

He practices what he preaches, using his e-bike whenever possible.

Hobbs is even considering tackling Mt Kilimanjaro via e-bike in September with eZee Kinetic electric bikes president Wai Won Ching, who’s ridden them across Africa, Australia, the Silk Road and on treks throughout Europe.

Maurice Wells runs the Auckland Electric Bike Hub in East Street, Newton, and says although it’s only been open a year the shop is already selling far more than his two Sydney bike shops which he started about seven years ago.

He was selling e-bikes at his Auckland home about a year prior to the Newton shop opening.

From a background of bicycle advocacy, Wells says he became interested in e-bikes while doing an engineering degree, and made e-bikes his thesis topic.

“I gave one to my mum and she now rides every day to work. It’s a way to get people riding.

“There’s no transport stress and you save money on public transport, taxi fares and fuel costs.”

Wells says interest in e-bikes is growing rapidly. “It took a long time for them to get established in New Zealand and so a lot are doing a leapfrog in the technology.

“Eight years ago you would be lucky if anyone in a group of people knew what they were. But that’s changing.”

An e-bike can cost from $2500 to about $5000, with Wells saying the average is around $3500.

Servicing is usually about twice annually, although the shop services the 11 Auckland Council staff e-bikes every month.

People can hire e-bikes and trial them.

“Worldwide, e-bikes are outselling electric cars by about 100 to one.”

Caption: Maurice Wells with an e-bike on Auckland’s pink path cycleway. He didn’t need a helmet as he was stationary rather than riding it.