Are Electric Motorbikes the Future of Clean Urban Transport?

The debate over whether electric cars are truly more environmentally friendly than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts is ongoing. However, have you ever considered the transformative impact of electric motorbikes? Not only are they an eco-friendly alternative, but they also offer significant relief from traffic congestion in busy cities and towns across New Zealand and Australia.

Recent reports on the life cycle emissions of electric cars versus ICE vehicles helps shed light on the environmental benefits of electric transport. By applying similar analysis to electric motorbikes, factoring in weight and energy efficiency, we can gain a clearer understanding of how electric motorbikes measure up. While life cycle analysis isn’t flawless, it offers valuable insights into the potential impact of switching four wheels for two.

Manufacturing Emissions

The manufacturing phase of a vehicle includes raw material extraction, component production, and assembly. Electric vehicles (EVs) typically have a higher carbon footprint during production than ICE vehicles, largely due to the energy-intensive battery manufacturing process. McKinsey & Company reports that battery production accounts for up to 60% of emissions in EV manufacturing.

Another study of car emissions in China estimates that the manufacturing emissions for an ICE car are around 10.5 tonnes of CO2 per vehicle, while an electric car’s emissions, including battery production, are around 13 tonnes.

Let’s scale this to the Streetdog, a lightweight electric motorbike, and use a Tesla Model 3 for comparison. The Streetdog weighs just 82 kg—significantly less than a Tesla Model 3, which weighs 1,760 kg. Assuming a correlation between material weight and manufacturing emissions, one can roughly estimate the Streetdog’s manufacturing emissions to be about 0.61 tonnes of CO2—95.3% lower than the emissions of a full-size electric car like the Tesla Model 3.

The Streetdog’s battery also contains just 160 cells, compared to the Tesla Model 3’s 2,976 cells—representing a 94.62% reduction in the number of cells, and consequently, resource extraction and associated emissions.

Use Phase Emissions

During the use phase, the emissions of electric motorbikes and cars depend largely on the source of the electricity used for charging. While EVs only have upstream emissions (the emissions associated with electricity generation), ICE vehicles produce both upstream and tailpipe emissions.

In 2018, Australia’s share of renewable electricity was around 21%, rising to about 40% today. In New Zealand, renewables made up around 84% of the electricity mix in 2018, and this figure has remained stable. Using these figures, a 2018 report estimates that electric cars in Australia emit around 170 g of CO2 per km due to upstream emissions, compared to just 25 g per km in New Zealand.

For comparison, an ICE vehicle in Australia emits about 251 g of CO2 per km, meaning electric cars have about 81 g/km lower emissions than their fossil-fuel counterparts in Australia—and even greater reductions in New Zealand.

Now, let’s consider the Streetdog, which is much lighter and more energy-efficient than a car. The Streetdog requires 60-70% less energy than a Tesla Model 3 to travel the same distance. As a result, the Streetdog’s upstream emissions are estimated to be about 51-86 g of CO2 per km in Australia, and just 7.5-10 g of CO2 per km in New Zealand.

 

Recycling Emissions

The recycling phase involves dismantling vehicles, recovering materials, and recycling batteries. A study in China estimates that the emissions from recycling an ICE vehicle are about 1.8 tonnes of CO2, while the emissions for an electric vehicle (including battery recycling) are around 2.4 tonnes. The difference primarily comes from the emissions associated with recycling EV batteries, which accounts for about 0.7 tonnes.

Applying this to the Streetdog, assuming emissions scale with weight, we estimate its recycling emissions at around 0.11 tonnes of CO2—significantly lower than both ICE and electric cars.

Life Cycle Emissions Summary

Australia
Assuming a 150,000 km lifespan, the estimated total life cycle emissions for each vehicle type in Australia are as follows:

• Fossil-fueled car: 333 g of CO2 per km
• Electric car: 273 g of CO2 per km
• Streetdog: 91 g of CO2 per km

This means an electric car has 18% lower emissions than a fossil-fuel car, and a Streetdog delivers 73% lower emissions.

New Zealand
In New Zealand, where the electricity grid is greener, the estimated life cycle emissions for each vehicle type are:

• Fossil-fueled car: 333 g of CO2 per km
• Electric car: 128 g of CO2 per km
• Streetdog: 15 g of CO2 per km

Here, electric cars have 62% lower emissions than fossil-fuel vehicles, and the Streetdog offers a remarkable 95% reduction.

The Bottom Line

While most people will reach 150,000 km on a car more quickly than on an urban motorbike, it’s important to note that the Streetdog is designed specifically for urban commuting, where shorter trips are the norm. This analysis isn’t meant to provide precise numbers, but to emphasise the significant environmental benefits of switching to an electric motorbike like the Streetdog for your commute. It paints a rough picture.

In summary, adopting electric motorbikes could make a major contribution to reducing carbon emissions in New Zealand and Australia, especially in urban areas where traffic congestion is a major issue. The numbers speak for themselves: electric motorbikes like the Streetdog are not only more environmentally friendly than cars but also a practical solution for clean, fast and fun urban transport.