Fuel Bike Vs Electric Bike: Which One Should You Choose?

Posted on: May 20, 2022 | 3 mins | Written by: HDFC ERGO Team

Fuel Bike Vs Electric Bike: Which One Should You Choose?

Electric bikes are gaining popularity by the hour. With the constant surge in fuel prices and growing concern over the environment, a lot of new buyers are exploring the option to buy electric bikes over fuel bikes. It is inevitable to draw a comparison between electric bikes and fuel bikes. We discuss all the differences between both the bikes and then you can decide which bike works for you. Irrespective of the type of bike you choose, third party bike insurance is a must.

Though electric bikes have been around for a while, why are they gaining popularity only now? Well, the simple answer to the question is the advancement in technology. The earlier iteration of electric bikes wasslow and had a very limited range as well. This led to only a small segment of the customers opting for electric bikes.

Electric bikes have come a long way from the previous generation. The current crop of electric bikes is stunning to look at. The design is no longer compromised. At the same time, the battery packs have improved significantly. You can now ride at much faster speeds along with a healthy range as well. Thus, building a much stronger case for themselves.

Electric bikes still have some way to go and are currently ideal for city commute, with the occasional slightly longer trip.

What is An Electric Motor Bike?

An electric motorbike is a plugin two wheeler electric vehicle. Unlike the conventional bike, energy is stored in a rechargeable battery and they drive the electric motors. Modern electric bikes use Lithium-ion battery packs, as they are more efficient and store more energy than the previous generation batteries. You can use a wall mounted charger to charge the bike and start using them, without ever having to worry about a drop of fuel.Electric bikes have zero emissions, making them environmentally friendly as well.

Fuel Motorbike Vs Electric Motor Bike

Some of the major differences between a fuel bike and an electric bike are outlined below.

● Environmental Impact

Since this is one of the leading differences between both bikes, we will start with it. When you use a fuel bike, you burn the fuel or petrol in most cases, to generate energy. And this burning of fuel results in the generation of CO2 or carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide plays a major role in environmental pollution.

An electric bike, on the other hand, stores energy in battery packs and uses the stored energy to drive the motors. Since there are no fuels being burnt, there aren’t any carbon emissions as well. Thus, an electric bike is much kinder to the environment than a fuel bike. And it is one of the primary reasons for people opting for an electric bike.

● Cost

Petrol bikes have been around for a while now. And the technology has more or less stabilized over the past few decades with minor innovations. This, results in a price point that is much more appealing. People, who are tight on a budget, might find petrol bikes to be the default choice.

Most modern-day electric scooters use Lithium-ion batteries for their operation. Since these batteries are not cheap, it increases the overall cost of buying an electric bike. When you compare an electric bike with a petrol bike, the electric bike would most likely come out as slightly expensive. However, electric bikes qualify for subsidies from the government, which petrol bikes do not. You can receive incentives of up to INR 15,000 per KWh for an electric bike.

● Fuel Expenses

Depending on the capacity of the engine, fuel bikes can return anywhere between 40 to 100 kms per litre. The higher capacity engines would have higher running costs as well.

Electric bikes do not need any fuel for their running. According to estimates, an electric bike would give you a similar mileage at only 15% of the cost that a petrol bike does. In the long run, electric bikes have a much lower running cost.

● Range

Currently the range of electric bikesis one of the Achilles heels. At full capacity, most electric bikes offer a maximum range of 120 to 150 km. Though this is usually enough for city commute, you might find it a bit difficult to take it out for longer trips. As the charging infrastructure strengthens, you will be able to use electric bikes for longer trips. Also, it takes a bit longer to charge electric bikes than it takes to refuel a petrol bike.

A petrol bike does not have any range related issues. There are plenty of petrol stations across the country for you to stop, refuel and hit the road again.

● Maintenance

Petrol bikes need regular servicing and maintenance. Most of the bikes have a service interval of 3 to 6 months. Since there are a lot of mechanical parts in the bike, it needs regular servicing to take care of the wear and tear. Failing to do so can lead to a bad riding experience, or you being stuck in the middle of the road.

Electric bikes require far less maintenance than their petrol counterparts, since there are far fewer mechanical parts on the bike. On the other hand, you need to regularly charge your bike and clean the bike as well.

● Convenience

It is a bit easier to live with a petrol bike than it is with an electric bike. If your bike runs out of juice, you just need to visit a petrol station and within a couple of minutes, you are ready to go out again.

An electric bike needs some time for charging. Depending on the type of charger that you are using, it might take anytime between an hour to a couple of hours for a full charge. A lot of quick charging stations let you charge the bike up to 80% of its capacity in a short span of time. Yet, that also takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

You can use the above parameters to decide, which bike better suits your needs.The cost of the bike, usable range, running costs and maintenance are all important parameters to consider. Though they have a higher upfront cost, electric bikes are ideal for city usage in the longer run.

Irrespective of which type of bike you choose, you must always buy a bike insurance policy. Primarily, abike insurance policy gives you the legal clearance to ride your bike. Also, safeguards you against any financial perils that might come out of an accident. You can even claim damages to your bike with the help of bike insurance.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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