As of the day I wrote this blog post the average car payment in the United States is $738 bucks.
Car insurance is averaging $102 dollars per month.
The average gasoline bill is a whopping $175 per vehicle, per month.
Let us not forget the intangible, and fixed cost of owning a vehicle. Oil changes, service center charges every 3000 miles. All the way down to how often you swap out the Pine Cone tree air freshner hanging from the rear view mirror. Leaving out the "soft costs". We are at $1009 per month to own, fuel, and insure a car. How many days of the week does it cost you to make that? It is borderline insane.
Here is some good news. For between $1000-$2000 bucks. You can get yourself a highly capable E-Bike. That's it. One time fee. I dug into how much it cost to charge a average 11 to 17 amp battery on a Ebike. Which translates to about 30-40 miles of range. At the national average of 10 CENTS per kw/hr. You are going to spend .60 cents to "refill" that ebike. That can't buy you 1/4 a cup of coffee in today's dollar for 60 cents.
Before going into full tilt into the Ebike industry. I was a standard, two car household. Which meant. Those two cars put together. Cost around what a mortgage would be on a $300,000 home. While we are comparing the two. Your home is likely to appreciate over time. If things are going good. You may be building equity in that home. The cars. Not so much.
I increasingly speak to customers who are stretched so thin. They feel like they stopped treading water, and are now taking water on. If you take a moment and examine how often that second car is used. You may find, like I did. The second car was almost a "back up" car.
We often used the SUV for weekends, and extended travel. With a little bit of calendar coordination, and foresight. It became evident. We could pull off being a one car family. Presto. After the cost of the Ebike is subtracted. We just added about $10,000 grand a year to our bottom line.
I will concede this scenario is not going to be true for the vast majority of you folks. In which case. Given this is a blog post about money, and not about fun. Just do the math on the gasoline. In under a year, the ebike has paid for itself.
Plus, you now have a 3rd. More nimble form of transportation. Best part. Uncle Sam has nothing to do with you and your bike. No license, No registration, No insurance.
I will close this out with the hybrid model. If you live in a temperate area. When your car lease comes up for renewal. Consider saving a few thousands of dollars. Get a ultra low mileage lease. Then get a class 2 ebike. In the end you will still saved money, and wound up with a 3rd transportation option.
Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings. Happy Riding.