What is the Future of E-Bicycles in India?: An Exploratory Study in Delhi

What are the primary policy and economic barriers to e-bicycle adoption in Delhi, India? In cities in India, individual private mobility is dominated by motorized two-wheelers, with a policy push towards large shifts to electric mobility and, therefore, a sustainable shift in transportation. E-bicycles are at the margins of electric mobility policy and have an ambiguous presence in the policy documents. This paper explores the unique possibilities and challenges that e-bicycles pose in urban India through exploratory qualitative research interviews with current e-bicycle users and retailers in Delhi and other stakeholders such as manufacturers and a policy analyst in Delhi, India.We begin the paper by describing how e-bicycles are defined in the Indian scenario and their place within a spectrum of two-wheelers. Following a description of the research methodology, the paper explores the affordability of e-bicycles, how current taxation and subsidy regimes shape e-bicycle retail, the interviewee’s reflections regarding the safety concerns of using e-bicycles on the city’s roads, its physical health and accessibility benefits, and convenience of charging and repair. We conclude with a discussion on the need for a targeted policy to encourage the adoption of e-bicycles for gains toward reduction in speeds and emissions.