Diffusion of e-bikes in Austria

E-bikes are perceived as zero-emissions vehicles and therefore transport the promise of sustainability and energy efficiency. However, this idea of e-bikes as a green innovation has been contested by several actors. Therefore the question must be raised, under what circumstances can such a technology become sustainable and what do we mean with that term in this context? What are the social dimensions of this seemingly green innovation? E-bikes can have function as enabling devices to foster a different kind mobility, not replacing other means of transportation but changing mobility patterns in urban settings. To understand the diffusion patterns and the integration of e-bikes in daily practices, infrastructural as well as design aspects need to be taken in consideration.
The paper will give a short overview on the discrepancy between the design of e-bikes, the user’s actual practices and values and how these design issues affect the diffusion patterns of this technology in the Austria. In addition we will explore in which ways ebikes are acting as an enabling device offering a wider range of mobility options and foster healthier life styles.
E-Bikes are one of several energy innovations which have been analyzed with regards to diffusion patterns in the research project “EnInnovAT– Diffusion of energy innovations in Austria”, funded by the FFG and the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund.