Cupertino city employees soon could be pedaling to meetings and other events if the city decides to expand a trial program using electric bicycles as alternative transportation.
The city recently purchased an EZip electric bicycle for $750 from Los Gatos-based Mader Technologies, and city leaders said they hope the bike, which is a hybrid of a standard mountain bike and a low-speed electric motorcycle, will be an eco-friendly alternative that will save the city fuel money in the long run.
The city could purchase as many as four more bikes, said Erin Cooke, environmental affairs coordinator if city staff finds the bike practical. From the Bay Area Air Quality Management District,the city also has applied for transportation funding grants. Bikes typically cost between 0 and ,000.
The city will start testing the new bike after it completes legal, safety and staff training requirements.
Cooke said approximately 16 percent to 18 percent of emissions come from the city’s vehicle fleet and the city ecently completed a greenhouse gas emission inventory.
Rick Kitson, city and environmental affairs spokesperson, says the bicycle is ideal for a small city like Cupertino, which is 11 square miles.
Employees could use the bicycles to get to meetings across town, he said.
“A lot of our local trips are no more than three to five miles,” Cooke added.
The bike can reach speeds up and has a 450-watt motor
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to 15 miles per hour, and comes with a battery pack and control system on the handlebars, which powers the back wheel. The battery pack takes about six hours to fully charge, according to local electric bikes dealer Thomas Mader.
The battery power for the bike lasts for about 10 to 15 miles before it needs a charge if there is a mix of human and electric power. The battery lasts about seven to 10 miles if there is no pedaling, according to Mader.
“We really like this over a more traditional electric bike because once those run out of power, there really is no other option for getting back,” Cooke said.
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