Want to See the Future of Transportation? Look Around You

Welcome to the second edition of Rev, Lyft’s guide to the ideas, people, and technologies that are driving the transportation revolution. The new year marks the perfect occasion to look ahead and anticipate how this industry is changing, and evidence from the past 12 months shows significant reasons for optimism.?

To those working in the industry, two developments are clear: The U.S. transportation mix will be a lot more electric and bicycle-friendly — and sooner than you think.?

In this issue:

• The uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in the U.S. has been slow and steady so far, but it’s about to make a massive jump. Find out why.?
• The greenest EV has two wheels, not four.
• The weather's getting gnarly but that doesn't mean you need to put the bike away.

The EV tipping point is almost here

While electric vehicles are gaining market share, they still only represent about 5% of new car sales in the U.S. In order for EVs to come close to denting the dominance of fueled cars, they’ll need to see a tremendous jump in popularity — and quickly, if we are to meet the White House’s aggressive goal of reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2030.?

Fortunately, the U.S. may be about to experience such a jump. As Paul Augustine, Lyft’s director of sustainability, explains:

“Successful technology adoption doesn’t always happen in a straight line. It often looks more like a hockey stick, growing slowly until it hits an inflection point and suddenly takes off.We’ve seen this again and again — from personal computers to smartphones to the internet itself. And from everything I’ve observed over the past year, including important investments from government and private industry, EVs are on the cusp of the same kind of massive growth.”?

According to Augustine, these key trends will help speed EV adoption in the U.S.:

• Lithium-ion battery packs have fallen in price nearly 89% over the past decade
• Drivers finally have options, including 34 different EV models from Audi, Hyundai, Volvo, Ford, and General Motors, and more. (There were two in 2010.)?
• Governments and private companies are investing in fast-charging infrastructure for EV drivers, reducing concerns over range anxiety?

Read more here.

E-bikes vs. regular bikes: which are better for the environment?

The most affordable and available electric vehicle for most Americans has two wheels instead of four.?

E-bikes are growing rapidly in popularity, offering riders a motorized boost to climb hills, get where they’re going faster, and address accessibility needs. Of course, these improvements come with environmental costs: e-bikes contain batteries and motors and need to be charged with electricity from a grid powered largely by fossil fuels. This makes them more resource-intensive than traditional bikes. But does that make them less sustainable than their pedal-powered cousins?

In some ways, yes, but e-bikes actually outperform regular bikes in a few key environmental metrics. Looking across its fleet of micromobility vehicles —? which includes 32,000 e-bikes, 52,000 pedal-powered bikes, and 13,000 powered scooters — Lyft tallied the energy used and emissions produced at each phase of the vehicle’s life.?

The takeaway: The new generation of e-bikes use less fossil fuel per mile than a traditional bike, despite having a battery and additional electronic components. How is this possible? Riders travel twice as far per trip, on average, as those on a traditional bike. By traveling further, riders move the new e-bikes between docking stations more than pedal-powered cycles, which means there’s less need for operators to shuffle them around using higher-emissions vans and trucks. Also, Lyft’s data conclusively shows that e-bikes are acting as a more effective replacement for cars than regular bikes, which takes even more emissions off the roads.?

Read more about Lyft’s full micromobility life cycle assessment.

Bike-commute all winter long with the right gear

While some cyclists stow their bikes for the winter, others pedal all year long — through rain, sleet, snow, and slush. Whether riding their own personal bikes or taking advantage of a bike-share program, committed cyclists need to be prepared to handle the elements.?

The right gear can make all the difference. From lobster gloves to shoe covers to weatherproof bags, check out our top winter cycling kit ideas.?

That’s all for this week. Thanks for riding with us! Until next time,

— Rev staff