In the long list of challenges that our cities and their inhabitants face, transportation ranks near the top.
Transportation is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, contributing 14 to 22% of global CO2 emissions, and cars alone account for 40% of that. Project Drawdown estimates that new bicycle infrastructure and electric bikes together could reduce 3.9 to 10.7 GtCO2 between now and 2050. That is a far cry from what must be curbed to reach our climate goals, but cycling stays a powerful and accessible part of the carbon solutions system, potentially 10 to 20% of all alternative transport reductions.
Beyond carbon, the continued dominance of petrol and diesel cars carries serious public health costs. These include air pollution, now the fourth-largest killer in the world, and noise pollution, with 40% of the EU population exposed to road traffic noise above recommended levels, both linked to serious mental health challenges.
The deeper problem is that the car still wins on convenience for most short urban trips. Roughly 60% of car journeys are under five miles, exactly the distance where a bike should win, yet people stay in their cars because cycling feels slower, less safe, or simply less appealing. Closing that gap is less about proving the climate case, which is settled, than about building a ride people actively prefer.
That is where the opportunity sits. A bike that is genuinely faster, safer and more enjoyable than a car for the daily commute does not ask people to sacrifice for the planet; it makes the cleanest option the obvious one. Connected, well-designed electric bikes turn a moral argument into a practical choice, and that is what moves entire cities off four wheels and onto two.
