E-bike Costs versus Public Transport - Update

[musicbooks]

Here's a quick comparison of purchase and running costs of e-bike ownership versus public transport over a six year period (not scientific).

E-Bike
Kalkhoff Agattu 2008 - Purchase price = £1400
6 annual services @ £100 = £600
1 rear wheel rebuild = £120
2 New Tyres = 40
Chains x 2 = 30
Brake pads = 50
Brake cable = 40
Battery charge costs * = 7p per mile x 5 miles per day x 5 days per week x 45 weeks x 6 years = £475

Total = £2755

Bus commute
45 weeks @ £16 per week x 6 = £4320

Conclusion: Despite the rapid depreciation in value of the e-bike over the six year period, an e-bike is still better value for money than sharing germs with morning moaners .. in my case.

* I know it's a guesstimate ....... and I know that is a terrible abuse of the English language

 

[Alan Quay]

Your estimate of electricity use is over by a factor of 10. I would estimate closer to 0.7p/mile, bringing your total down to £2327

 

[tillson]

Don't forget the health benefits of cycling too. This must have some worth.

It sounds like you have had good value from your Agattu. Your case is a good illustration of the longer term financial benefits of buying eBikes from the quality end of the market. The higher initial outlay is repaid over the life of the bike.

 

[Alan Quay]

You could also argue that such a well maintained bike has a residual value - perhaps £300? This would bring your total to just over 2k, less than half the price of riding the bus.

However, this brings your cost/mile to 30p/mile. I can run a Ford Focus for that kind of money, with air con, heating, cruise control, roof rack and towbar. And I drive it like I nicked it.

Admittedly I benefit from the economy of scale as I do 25,000 miles a year.

I'll bet Clarkson would like the figures about the bus - That makes the cost over 60p/mile. You'd be better of with a Bentley Continental.

 

[NZgeek]

I would be 1/2 way to work before I could even catch a bus! (Hell... most days I'm half way to work before I even have a car pass me!)

After getting to the bus stop, and catching the first bus stage, I'd have to wait 1 hour before the bus running the second stage starts for the day, just to take me the last 1/4 of the journey.

Also, the bus costs twice as much as I spend on petrol in my 1984 VW Kombi, if I drove every day... Plus the bus would make me 1.5 hours late everyday - I'm a 7AM starter. Going home would eat up another 35 minutes of "family time"

Result: Must show these numbers to Wifey, and explain why I can double my ebike spending budget!

 

[flecc]

Result: Must show these numbers to Wifey, and explain why I can double my ebike spending budget!

Best of luck with that, what makes you think logic will play a part in succeeding!
.

 

[axolotl]

However, this brings your cost/mile to 30p/mile. I can run a Ford Focus for that kind of money

Including fuel, tax, servicing, MOTs, repairs, depreciation and insurance?

The problem with comparing transportation costs is that motorists often neglect many of the costs of motoring because of "having the car already", for whatever reason.

 

[VictoryV]

Here's a quick comparison of purchase and running costs of e-bike ownership versus public transport over a six year period (not scientific).

E-Bike
Kalkhoff Agattu 2008 - Purchase price = £1400
6 annual services @ £100 = £600
1 rear wheel rebuild = £120
2 New Tyres = 40
Chains x 2 = 30
Brake pads = 50
Brake cable = 40
Battery charge costs * = 7p per mile x 5 miles per day x 5 days per week x 45 weeks x 6 years = £475

Total = £2755

Bus commute
45 weeks @ £16 per week x 6 = £4320

Conclusion: Despite the rapid depreciation in value of the e-bike over the six year period, an e-bike is still better value for money than sharing germs with morning moaners .. in my case.

* I know it's a guesstimate ....... and I know that is a terrible abuse of the English language

Sample calculation for battery cost per mile:

Assume 33 volt 10AH battery
Assume perfect performance from the battery for 1 hour, i.e it provides 10 amps with no loss.
So...
33 volts x 10 amps x 1 hour = 330 watt hours
1 unit of electricity is 1000 watt hours

So electricity required to charge battery is 330/1000 (assuming 100% efficiency from the charger) = 0.3 Units

1 Unit costs 15p, so .3 units cost 5p for 1 charge

In 1 hour your legal bike will do 15 miles, which is 0.33p per mile, so much cheaper than you thought

 

[Alan Quay]

Including fuel, tax, servicing, MOTs, repairs, depreciation and insurance?

The problem with comparing transportation costs is that motorists often neglect many of the costs of motoring because of "having the car already", for whatever reason.

Yup, that's all in, over three years, 60k miles. Most sensible cars cost between 28 and 33 p/mile in my experience.

 

[trex]

the average for a Woosh commuter (Woosh Sirocco 2 with 15AH battery, made for commuting) is about 10p/mile.
Typically 80 miles/week, 4,000 miles per annum, average £700 buy price less average resale value £300 = £400 for 4000 miles.

 

[Alan Quay]

the average for a Woosh commuter (Woosh Sirocco 2 with 15AH battery, made for commuting) is about 10p/mile.
Typically 80 miles/week, 4,000 miles per annum, average £700 buy price less average resale value £300 = £400 for 4000 miles.

...but you are not including servicing, and the inevitable repairs that come with doing 4000 miles on a bike. I would want to budget at least £200 for tyres, cables, lube, wheels, clothing etc. In OP's example, his maintenance costs were £880 - which would make the Whoosh somewhere between 15-32p/mile, depending (largely) on whether you can DIY service.

 

[axolotl]

Yup, that's all in, over three years, 60k miles. Most sensible cars cost between 28 and 33 p/mile in my experience.

Ahh, I see, you're basing it on huge mileage - far more than most people ever do. You've got to compare like with like if you're going to make a meaningful comparison.

There's also the fact that when you've got a car, you're more likely to make longer journeys and more journeys than are strictly necessary, because you've already forked out for all the static costs.

For me, swapping my car for a bike is saving me loads, but my annual mileage is less than 6k.

 

[Alan Quay]

Ahh, I see, you're basing it on huge mileage - far more than most people ever do. You've got to compare like with like if you're going to make a meaningful comparison.

There's also the fact that when you've got a car, you're more likely to make longer journeys and more journeys than are strictly necessary, because you've already forked out for all the static costs.

For me, swapping my car for a bike is saving me loads, but my annual mileage is less than 6k.

I didn't say that YOU could run a car for 30 p/mile, I said that I can.


Its interesting to see the cost saving that can be made if you do your own bike servicing. In the examples above, you could save 50%.

 

[trex]

...but you are not including servicing, and the inevitable repairs that come with doing 4000 miles on a bike. I would want to budget at least £200 for tyres, cables, lube, wheels, clothing etc. In OP's example, his maintenance costs were £880 - which would make the Whoosh somewhere between 15-32p/mile, depending (largely) on whether you can DIY service.

he spent £880 over 6 years.
in the Woosh Sirocco 2 case, over one year, the tyres are heavy duty knobblies, Kevlar puncture resist, they'll last a year, lube is only a toothbrush, a small can 3-in-1 oil and a small tube of Lithium grease, the rest is under warranty (wheels, chain, bottom bracket, cranks, pedals, freewheel, cables, brakes, bell, lights). Hi-vis jacket, gloves and glasses are clothing and should not be counted.

 

[Cyclezee]

Result: Must show these numbers to Wifey, and explain why I can double my ebike spending budget!

Be careful what you say to Wifey, she may look at it another way and assume that she can spend it on something frivolous like clothes, furniture and food

 

[Alan Quay]

the tyres are heavy duty knobblies, Kevlar puncture resist, they last a long time, lube is only a toothbrush, a small can 3-in-1 oil and a small tube of Lithium grease, the rest is under warranty (wheels, chain, bottom bracket, cranks, pedals, freewheel, cables, brakes, bell, lights). Hi-vis jacket, gloves and glasses are clothing and should not be counted.

Blimey, that's an awesome warranty if brake pads are included!

But if you send the bike back to whoosh (presumably they are paying?) every time you need a new part, how are you going to get to work?

You cannot seriously expect to ride an electric bike 4000 miles and spend nothing on it. Even if you could, it would not be worth £300 at the end.

 

[trex]

you don't have to say how many miles you're doing, just say your pads are worn. They'll believe you. You still have to learn to look after the bike yourself. The bike may not be worth much after 4000 miles, it's still cost effective against public transport.

 

[Gubbins]

I get public transport for free! Trouble is you have to go where they take you..

 

[103Alex1]

I'll bet Clarkson would like the figures about the bus - That makes the cost over 60p/mile. You'd be better of with a Bentley Continental.

Pretty much sums up the cost of public transport now ... the more important ones being your sanity, happiness and health !

I'm self-employed again and public transport would never work ... thing is, after a year without a car I'm still out going to all the places and doing all the things not having one made me pass up on .. was great for a good few months & got to find some great places nearer home(s) but still too young to be limited to that extent !! Now I just need a car-friendly bike .

Unless you use an eBike for commuting / in town to save parking costs, or else clock up some regular daily miles on it, then it's an expensive leisure toy. Like most things put to irregular use !

 

[Alan Quay]

Coincidently, I found the spreadsheet that I use to calculate TCO on my cars. In a pathetic attempt to justify my bike(s) to the wife, I added a section that calculates the saving/mile of using the bike, assuming that you keep the car, leaving it at home on the drive. My figures include tyre wear and servicing cost reductions, but by far the biggest element is fuel cost. I don't include car parking charges, as they rarely affect me.

The results are:

30mpg vehicle = 22p/mile saved
40mpg vehicle = 18p/mile saved
50mpg vehicle = 14p/mile saved

So, in my case (30mpg) I had to complete 2700 miles to justify £600 spend.

Of course by the time I built my 4th bike I'd discovered a simpler way - don't tell 'er and hide it my workshop.