An increasing number of Australians are opting for electric solutions to the fuel crisis, as e-bike sellers report a surge in trade while drivers are slugged at the bowser.
Unprecedented fuel insecurity driven by war in the Middle East has prompted a “massive” surge in e-bike interest, according to Bicycle Industries Australia general manager Peter Bourke, leading individual and family users to search for alternative transport modes as the conflict drags into its sixth week.
Conrad Pattinson, co-founder of Vamos Electric Bikes in Marrickville, noticed e-bike sales steadily rise over the course of the conflict, as customers homed in on a purchase while petrol prices skyrocketed.
“We’ve definitely copped a surge in demand,” said Pattinson, who found March sales were the best all year but not yet reaching the boom trade during COVID.
“We’re moving more of the bikes that are better for carrying families … those bikes have been going up in sales since the price of petrol rose.”
Lime bike usage in Sydney’s CBD, eastern suburbs and inner west saw a 10 per cent week-on-week increase across the first fortnight in March. Asia Pacific Head Will Peters found the rental e-bikes made a “real difference” for those looking for an affordable and accessible mode of transport.
Trek Bicycles Sydney sales lead Edreece Derwash observed an “interesting” rise in demand for e-bikes in the past month, though noted customers were also incentivised by a sale that ran as fuel pressures intensified.
Bourke said sales accelerated as it became clear price shocks spurred by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz would remain beyond the short term.
“It took a few weeks for people to understand the price rise wasn’t going to be a one- or two-week thing,” he said. “That’s when shops began to see a lot more foot traffic.”
One such retailer is bike store 99 Bikes South Melbourne, where e-bike sales have roughly quadrupled in recent weeks, manager Jake Shaw said.
“When (petrol) prices hit $2.50 (per litre), instantly we had a jump in sales,” Shaw said.
The proliferation of high-powered e-bikes has heaped pressure on governments to crack down on mass rideouts staged by young riders. The NSW government will ban children as old as 16 from e-bikes, and has joined Victoria in pushing for a national e-bike safety standards.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said on Wednesday that he expects fuel imports to remain stable “well into” next month, as the Albanese government offers financial support for private companies to boost fuel imports and seeks agreements with Asian nations to preserve fuel supply contracts.
The 32¢ a litre fuel saving delivered by the federal, state and territory governments has provided some relief at the pump, where prices have eased in the past week. The average price of regular unleaded was $2.25 a litre in NSW on Wednesday, down 26¢ from last week.
About 3 per cent of Australian service stations remain without diesel on Wednesday. There are 124 retailers in NSW without diesel, while 27 have no fuel at all.
Australia’s fuel industry has warned motorists of a prolonged period of high petrol prices.
With AAP
Daniel Lo Surdo is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He previously helmed the national news live blog for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.