Features
Friday, 20 November 2009 02:11
Written by Ate Hoekstra

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Your alternative guide to getting around the streets of Shanghai, without losing your breath

They’re good for the environment, cheap as chips to run, and might just save you from that traffic jam every morning. More than one million e-bikes are used in Shanghai everyday, according to The Traffic Police Brigade from the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. This, of course, is not because they look cool, but could save you a packet and lots of valuable time.

The cost to run an e-bike is silly money. With an initially outlay of as little as RMB1,099 you’ll find yourself cruising on a vehicle that beats bicycle speed.

Yes Shanghai traffic is hazardous (though this is true even as a pedestrian), but you’ll probably save time and money sitting in taxis stuck in traffic jams. WaiWon Ching of e-bike manufacturer eZeebikes explains: “The e-bike is much faster during peak hours in a city where heavy traffic congestion is the order of the day. Besides that, you don’t have the cost of parking a car or finding a space. The running costs are low; the energy you use to cook food is more expensive than charging your bike from the socket.”Yes, a normal pedal bike is good for the heart, but let’s face it when you turn up sweaty to work it’s not too professional. Windy day? Pah! That’s no match for an e-bike, which cruises along without getting exhausted.

“Generally the e-bikes in Shanghai are equipped with 48V10Ah lead acid batteries,” says WaiWon Ching. And, the technology is evolving FAST, agrees Nils Niederheide of JD Components [an international manufacturer of batteries and e-bikes]. “In a few years the battery range has been doubled while the size of the battery has gotten smaller,” he says. “One of our batteries delivers a capacity for up to 100 kilometers.” To recharge once the battery is empty, most will remove from the bike and plug into your charger and wall socket.Besides the convenience and cost there is one colossal benefit for all of us – they’re good for the environment. Shanghai’s air pollution is shockingly one of the highest in the world.

“At this moment the e-bike is the most energy efficient vehicle. It does not directly emit toxic pollutants like cars do,” says WaiWon Ching. “E-bikes certainly reduce ground-level emissions and can help to make the urban air cleaner and healthier”, tells Alex Wang, member of Greenlaw, a joint service of the Natural Resource Defense Council China Project and the China Environmental Culture Promotion Association. “If e-bikes are being used instead of car driving, they can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s important that we all do the little things to make the planet greener. Changing into greener transportation can make a big difference. The other thing is that they are incredibly fun to ride.”

Where to start:
There’s a decade of brands and hundreds of different models on the market but the most common e-bikes fall into four groups:

1.The regular e-bike. This is the most common electric bicycle in Shanghai. A small bike with the engine locked on the frame. With pedals, it’s a combination between a bicycle and a scooter.

2. The electric scooter. This looks like a regular scooter, but it’s electric and humms along unnoticed, more like flicking a hairdryer on. These scooters go much faster, but require a license plate.

3. The e-bike that looks like a normal bicycle. Yes, it has an engine, but where is it? You can hardly see it, because it’s hidden in the frame. The pedals on this e-bike look like the pedals on a normal bicycle.

4. The folding e-bike. This looks like a normal folding bike, but it’s electric, and you can conveniently take it on the metro or stick it in the back of a taxi, if you’ve been to the bar.

What’s the maximum speed?
Ebikes can go as fast as 50km/h but over 20km/h you'll need a licence plate. See here http://www.computersolutions.cn/blog/2009/10/electric-bikebicyclemopedscooter-licence-laws-in-shanghai-china/ for more info on how to obtain a licence.  The shop-assistant where you bought the e-bike should also help you through the process.

Handy tips:
These desirable pieces of kit often get stolen. It’s a good idea to buy a good lock. Try the classic light and portable d-lock. You can buy a decent one at the Giant store for RMB158. Parking your e-bike in Shanghai is often not free. Downtown you normally pay RMB0.5 to RMB1.0, but the attendant will make sure your bike isn’t pinched.

Where to buy them:

Lv Liang
923 Zhongshan Nan Lu near South Wanping Lu. Metro: Dong’an Lu.
They sell regular bikes, e-bikes and do repairs. The staff is friendly but there are no English speakers. E-bike prices start at RMB1499, most cost between RMB1900 and RMB3500. Take a look at the JIEBAO King bikes. They look flashy, are available in different metallic colors and are reasonably priced. Other brands sold include Volto, Shanghai Kaishur, Palla, Ambition, Luben, Doctor Power E-bike, Otang Power, Yilaida, Xindazhou and Philips.

Giant
743, West Jianguo Lu near Hengshan Lu. Metro: Hengshan Lu
They do repairs and sell giant bikes. They specialize in e-bikes. The staff is helpful and they speak basic English. Prices start at RMB1998 and go up to RMB6998. The models differ from small e-bikes to big electric scooters.

Carrefour
All over the city, see www.carrefour.com.cn for locations
This supermarket sells bikes and accessories, but don’t expect too much advice from the staff. If you’re looking to buy the cheapest e-bike possible this is the place to go. The low-end models are a bargain at RMB1099 and the most expensive RMB1799. There are no exciting models here, expect basic small regular e-bikes, e-bikes that look like bicycles with big engines and electric scooters.

Top 5 E-bikes
1. Yilaida electric bicycle (RMB2,580)
2. Philips bicycle (RMB1,6803)
3. Xindazhuo electric bike (RMB2,4804)
4. Jiebao King electric bicycle ‘Little fish’ (RMB 1,799)
5. Giant Hybrid 960 (RMB5,698)

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