AUTHOR=Plazier Paul A. , Weitkamp Gerd , Berg Agnes E. Van Den TITLE=Exploring the Adoption of E-Bikes by Different User Groups JOURNAL=Frontiers in Built Environment VOLUME=4 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/built-environment/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2018.00047 DOI=10.3389/fbuil.2018.00047 ISSN=2297-3362 ABSTRACT=

Increased e-bike use can potentially support a shift toward more sustainable and active transport systems. This paper outlines the potential of e-bikes for three user groups that have as yet not fully adopted this mode of transportation: commuters, rural residents and students. For each group, some group-specific advantages and limitations are identified that are likely to shape future e-bike mobility. Then, theoretical and methodological advances in transport geography, mobilities studies and environmental psychology are discussed that may form a backdrop for the empirical study of these groups. Based on this analysis, the use of integrative, mixed-methods research approaches is proposed, which consider potential e-bike mobility as the result of individual decision-making and shaped by social and spatial contexts. This approach may provide a base for the development of effective strategies for promoting the adoption of e-bikes among more diverse user groups.