Itella looks to electric bicycles
More people in Finland are hopping on electric bicycles to help them carry out their job. However, high prices have kept the bikes out of the hands of many.
Last year, hundreds of thousands of bicycles were sold in Finland but just a few thousand were electric. The main reason boils down to cost. Prices can run as high as a couple thousand euros.
Post employees say electric bicycles ease the burden when making deliveries. About 1,500 delivery workers at postal service Itella use a bicycle at work. About one third have switched to electric bikes.
“Older workers can use electric bicycles if they need to. And if the terrain is hilly, an electric bike is made available,” said deliverer Janne Kyttä of Kuopio.
Helkama Velox is Finland’s only electric bike manufacturer. Most of its electric bikes are purchased by customers in Central Europe. Managing Director Jari Elamo says that tourism hotspots have begun buying the bikes for tourists to hire. Some hotels have made them available for guests, and they’re also used in healthcare.
Elamo predicts that someday electric bikes will replace not only regular bicycles, but also cars.
