#Urbanism tooters, what's your take on electric mopeds?
In the same way that e-bikes are better suited for higher speeds and longer distances than electric scooters, electric mopeds seem like they could fill a currently empty niche, but I've never actually seen one here in Seattle
Of course they require a license and insurance to drive, so that ups the cost, but are they something that we should push for?
@jenbanim So honestly, if I had my choice here for a "city car" for Seattle, I'd probably not opt for a bike of any kind. I'd want at least a 3-wheeler, so that I can have a covered cabin and a windscreen. There are a few companies that make those, but they're very pricey due to small volume. But perhaps they (or at least speed-governed ones?) should have less licensing requirements due to their lower weight (and thus danger). Be a way to get your kid mobile earlier, like a bike.
@jenbanim I think they're great! With that said I probably wouldn't support promoting that was oriented around dedicated infrastructure or spending. I think we need to focus on things with top speeds limited to class 2 ebikes.
@owen Totally agreed! I probably should've made this more clear but I was imagining these as on-road car replacements for people who need to travel a bit farther and faster than what e-bikes can provide. Not something that requires new infrastructure, but something that can use our existing car infrastructure in better ways
And yeah I'm concerned about e-bike speed as well. Going over 520 when no one is around I push it to 25mph, but on the Burke or other bike lanes I try to stay under 15
@jenbanim Like e-bikes, I think they'd be more of a "cool" factor than a benefit for the environment.
Active transportation or public transit (for those physically able) are always better than any personal electric vehicle because of the social-justice issues around extracting the minerals for the batteries, and the toxic environmental issues of disposing of them after they're done.
And many disabled people will still need fully-enclosed, 3- or 4-wheel vehicles of some kind for accessibility.
@david_megginson Lithium mining is obviously not great, but it's far less of a problem than climate change. We have to stop relying on fossil fuels for transit, both public and private, and electric batteries are currently the only viable option. They can also be recycled and of course it's a not a solution for everyone everywhere - nothing is
I highly recommend this video looking at the lifecycle environmental costs of e-bikes
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