This paper examines the characteristics of urban environments that contribute to modal shifts away from cars and towards active modes of transportation, specifically e-bikes. Given the push towards sustainable transportation, much of the roadmap in the United States is still focused on electric vehicles. However, e-bikes offer an alternate solution as a healthier and more environmentally friendly mode of active transport.
Incorporating best practices from successful bicycle-friendly cities, and insights about San Francisco as a case study of a city, this study demonstrates that San Francisco is making appreciable strides towards sustainable transportation, but progress in limited primarily by political will. The research was carried out by performing literature review around e-bikes in cities and San Francisco, as well as through semi-structured interviews with stakeholders local to the San Francisco Bay Area. The data then was mapped to the Functions of Innovation Systems framework (FIS) in order to characterize the inner workings of the mobility ecosystem in San Francisco.
This study purports that political will, the natural and built environment, and human characteristics are the core pillars that influence a modal shift within a mobility ecosystem. Of these pillars, and in San Francisco specifically, it is shown that political will ultimately influences policies directing infrastructure, public outreach, and equity for all residents within a city. Without the political will to influence projects, funding, and accessibility, continued adoption of e-bikes and other modes of sustainable mobility is unlikely to reach an appreciable scale.
This approach and research could be replicated for other cities, in order to assess the proclivity for a modal shift towards more sustainable transportation. Additionally, future results can compare the pros and cons of various mobility ecosystems in order to assess the characteristics most favorable for a modal shift towards e-bikes and other forms of active transportation.