E-bikes could slash our reliance on cars – but overpowered illegal models on the roads make us all less safe

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Since the invention of gears, nothing has encouraged more people to get on a bicycle than the introduction of electric motors and batteries.

When people have an e-bike, they drive less and cycle more. A study of frequent car drivers in Sweden found the distance people drove fell close to 40% once they were provided with an e-bike.