According to ELV Motors, a company that has been on the forefront of electric vehicle development and recently introduced a line of electric scooters and bikes for fleet use by police and security departments, the sale of electric bicycles and scooters in the U.S. is increasing by 50% every year for several years now. China already has 25 million electric bikes (called ‘ebikes’) on the road. “The thing that’s really changed electric bikes and scooters is the battery technology,” says ELV CEO Doug Schwartz, “the fact that you can now get a lithium-ion battery that’s small, it’s lightweight.”

Many electric scooters can hit top speeds of 60 MPH and can go for 90 miles before needing a recharge. A typical electric bike runs between $1,000 and $3,000. An electric scooter will run closer to $3,000 or $4,000. Hybrid bikes and scooters are also available. Unlike hybrid cars, there is no regenerative braking, but the hybrid scooters are so lightweight that they don’t need constant on the road recharging.

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