Ready to transform your commute? Beat the rat race with this £1.24 a day secret

It’s e-bikes vs. public transport in the Volt Commuter Comparison

Delays. Sweltering carriages. Being squashed into someone else’s armpit. Is there a smarter way to commute in the UK’s cities? Looking at cost, time and wellbeing, we pit e-bikes against buses and trains.

Being part of the rat race in London (or any big city) is no joke. Unless you’re a millionaire with time to sit in traffic, cars are a no-go – so millions of us put up with the capital’s ageing tube and bus network every day. We do it because it’s the quickest – and cheapest – way to get to work and back. Or is it?

If you’re desperate to free yourself from the chains of the Underground, there is another way. Electric bikes are built to get you from A to B faster and cheaper – and they could boost your health and wellbeing to boot. Here’s how:

Save up to £10 a day (no strangers’ armpits needed)

Even if you don’t do it that often, commuting isn’t cheap. A one-day TfL Travelcard for Zones 1-3 will set you back an eye-watering £12.70… And the bus isn’t much better, at £4.50 for a day pass1. But what if we told you that you could take control of your commute and say goodbye to the tube forever – at a fraction of the cost? Enter, the e-bike.
One of the reasons we’ve introduced Volt Bikes’ finance deals is to make electric bikes more cost-effective for city commuters. You can now take home our iconic folding Volt Metro e-bike for just £1.23 a day. That’s more than TEN TIMES less than a TfL Travelcard. If your employer signs up to Cyclescheme (or you live in Scotland and can make use of the Energy Saving Trust’s e-bikes loan scheme) you could save even more.

But what about the running costs? Well, with an e-bike it’s as simple as charging up at home using your normal power supply. For as little as 7p, the folding Metro can travel up to 60 miles – so if your daily journey to work and back is ten miles or less, you’re paying just over 1p a day2!

That means switching from the tube to a Volt e-bike could save you more than £10 a day. That’s enough for a couple of pints, a proper cheeseburger and chips or a decent bottle of wine.

Arrive faster, do more

If the cost savings aren’t enough to convince you, the time savings might be. Unlike public transport, with e-bikes there are no faulty trains, no leaves on the line, and no “The destination of this bus has changed.” You’re commuting on your own terms, with only the open road between you and your desk. Arrive early, sleep in, learn Mandarin – what you do with the extra time is up to you!

What’s more, an e-bike can get you to your destination at up to 15.5 miles per hour, so even compared to walking (or a conventional bike) it’s a no-brainer. And with electric pedal-assist backing you up when you need it, there’s no need for a change of clothes, specialist Lycra or that at-office shower. You can arrive at work fresh and unflustered, even after the hilliest journey and with heavy bags.

Get moving

Swapping a crammed train carriage for some incidental cardio on a Cycle Superhighway means you could have ticked off your day’s workout before you even reach the office. It gets your heart pumping, your legs moving and it does it without the gym fee or the gym kit (win, win!). The World Health Organization recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity a week – so just 30 minutes’ cycling every workday could help improve your fitness and bone health3.

It can also be good for your mental wellbeing. Being active has been shown to help people with mild depression, and to help protect against anxiety and positively change our mood4. And if you’re stuck in an office for most of the day, hitting the road on an electric bike can help you get your recommended two hours a day outside (and do your bit to fight air pollution in the city).

E-bikes: easier than you think

If you’re ready to scrap your Travelcard in favour of a cheaper, quicker and fitter commute, then joining the e-volution is simple. There’s an electric bike to suit all tastes and all budgets. If you’re not sure where to start, the Volt team can help. Call us on 020 7378 4728 or drop in to see us at the Volt showroom, Axe & Bottle Court, 70 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1YT.

1 Source: tfl.gov.uk (April 2019)
2 Based on 4-hour charging time and an electricity tariff of £0.149p/kWh.
3 Source: www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_adults/en/
4 Source: www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-benefits-of-exercise/

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