Buying your first two-wheeler, or even replacing an older bike, can lead you down a rabbit-hole of researching what kind of bike you want. However, one thing you may want to consider is the possibility of getting an electric two-wheeler, instead of a standard petrol bike.

Electric two-wheelers are becoming increasingly popular across the world, and India too has joined in towards this growing trend. One of the reasons for their popularity is its ability in reducing vehicle pollution. However, apart from being more environmentally friendly, they are also low maintenance and easy to use, making them an excellent investment for you.

So, if you’re wondering whether you should get an Electric or Petrol two-wheeler; read on to learn more about the benefits of an electric two-wheeler over a petrol two-wheeler:

1. You can save a lot of money with an electric bike 

These days, electric two-wheelers cost a little bit more (or about the same) than regular fuel-powered ones, especially those that run on lithium-ion batteries. However, if you consider the long-term expenses, like the costs of fuel and maintenance, it turns out that electric bikes will save you a lot more money.  

Electric bikes are extremely low maintenance, even after many years of use. Petrol engines need considerably higher maintenance as they have a lot more moving parts (2,000 moving parts, compared to 20-25 moving parts in an electric two-wheeler), and need to be checked every 5000 km to 15000 km. You also won’t have to pay expensive petrol charges, which will significantly reduce all of your long-term costs.

In India, the government also offers a lot incentives to buy an environmentally friendly electric vehicle, such as reducing the GST on a Li-ion electric battery from 28% to 18%

1. They are super convenient to charge

Like petrol bikes get their power from an internal combustion engine that requires petrol as fuel, electric bike has an electric motor get power from Li-Ion or Lead- Acid batteries or a fuel cell that is pre-installed. Their capacity can be from 20AH to 40AH and need to be charged with electricity (like you would charge your laptop or your phone). After charging fully for 6-10 hours, most electric bikes can be ridden for about 75 to 150 kilometers before their batteries run out. The batteries usually come with a 3-year warranty and up to 6 years of life with proper usage.

Charging a bike can cost as little as Rs 30-35 per charge, as most electric scooters, for example, use up 1 to 3 units of electricity per charge (and it costs approximately Rs 10 per unit of electricity). Even high-end two-wheelers don’t consume more than 3.5 units per charge. With a regular internal combustion engine, this cost will change with the price of petrol. Currently, to fill a 11L fuel tank, it would cost you about Rs 850.* So this means that you can get a full charge for less than the cost of one-liter of petrol!

Additionally, electric two-wheelers are extremely convenient to charge up. You never even have to wait in line at the petrol station ever again – all you need to do is charge it during the day or overnight either at your office or residence, and within a few hours, your vehicle will be fully charged.

*This is based on the price of petrol in Bangalore (Karnataka) in November 2020 which is Rs. 83.69 per Liter

1. Electric motorcycles are also very comfortable to ride

While this could be subjective based on your own personal preferences, in general electric vehicles are said to be a lot more comfortable in many ways. 

To start with, the electric motors run very quietly, meaning that you can ride around as early in the morning or late at night as you want without bothering your neighbors! And there is also almost no exhaust noise so that there is even less noise pollution. 

On top of this, electric engines don’t vibrate as much as petrol engines (even those with counter-balancers to reduce vibrations), either while you’re riding or when you have to stop at a red light. You don’t even have to worry about burning yourself (or a pillion rider) on a hot exhaust pipe!

 And if you’re riding out in heavy traffic, there are usually no clutch or gears to worry about, and you can enjoy a seamless ride.

1. Zero emissions are much better for the environment

Electric motors are far more environmentally efficient than petrol-based ones. They emit 50% less carbon dioxide than a regular oil guzzling petrol engine when you use electric grid charging and can (this means that you might not even need to have a PUC certificate for the vehicle). 

They also generate little to no air pollution. When you charge the electric two-wheeler battery on the electricity grid, it releases greenhouse gases that are equivalent to about 150 kilometers per four liters!  However, when charged with renewable electricity sources like solar and wind energy, an electric vehicle releases zero emissions! 😊 

The motors are also a lot more energy efficient than fuel, as they covert over 77% of the electrical energy they get, compared to petrol motors which only convert about 12%–30% of their energy. So, getting an electric bike can really help in reducing your toxic emissions and carbon footprint, making sure you do a little bit more to save our environment! 😊 

1. They generally have instant torque and amazing power

If you’re looking for performance, don’t be put off by people who talk about the slower speeds of electric two-wheelers. In reality, unlike sluggish petrol-powered engines which can take longer to build up peak power and torque, and require the engine to be spinning at high RPMs, electric motors can reach peak power and torque instantly from 0-200 RPM. They can even maintain more consistent power and torque through the entire RPM range too.

This means that you can get the same kind of performance as a petrol-based motorcycle even with a much lighter and smaller electric motorcycle.

With a growing need for alternate fuels to use in vehicles to help us reduce vehicle pollution, electric vehicles are an excellent low maintenance, economical and pollution-free option if you’re looking to make a difference. If you’re still unsure why not go take one out for a trial and get ready to be blown away by their fast performance? 

From having lower operating, and maintenance costs to protecting the environment from harmful emissions, there are lots of reasons why your next two-wheeler should be an electric one! 😊