Power to the pedal
Zero30 E-bike Financing Program helps Saint John Energy customers go green
By Andrew Macdonald, April 12, 2024
E-bikes are exploding in popularity, as battery-powered electric motors make biking more fun and accessible for all kinds of cyclists.
Local bike shop owners are seeing the increase.
Kevin Hayward, of Hayward’s Bike Shop on Saint John’s east side, says that, ten years ago, “there were zero e-bikes in the woods with us. Now, in my personal riding group of 15 to 20 people, three guys ride e-bikes. Two have health reasons, and one of them has time constraints.”
Kevin estimates that one or two of every ten bikes his shop sells today is an e-bike.
John McNair, the owner of Outdoor Elements, a beloved bike, ski, and outdoor gear shop, is seeing a similar increase.
He recalls his first e-bike customer, a man who lived off the grid near Sussex, biked year-round and used the electrified model to get around in the summer.
That was ten years ago. In the decade since, e-bikes have come a long way, with lighter frames and better designs helping to drive the two-wheeled green transportation revolution.
“The interest is way up, and it spans the whole spectrum of customers,” John says.
E-bikes for all kinds of cyclists
Today, there’s an e-bike for almost everyone: commuters looking for a green alternative to gas-powered vehicles or for an active, non-polluting, less expensive second set of wheels; local leisure riders who want a little assistance on hills, into the wind, or for distance; mountain bikers who love the power to rip up steep hills or skip the chairlift line at local hills; and even travellers who use them for road tripping.
And why not? We’ve got gorgeous rural and coastal routes, relatively easy commutes, and endless kilometres of back roads and dirt roads.
Kevin recalls the first time he tried an electric mountain bike.
“I was blown away,” he says. “E-bikes make it an equal playground for everybody. No matter what your fitness level, you can play, too.”
Putting e-bikes in reach
While the interest and demand are growing, price can be a barrier.
“They're an investment,” John says. Depending on the make and model, the price ranges from around $2,500 to over $10,000.
Just as e-bikes give their riders assistance pedalling, Saint John Energy wants to help our customers make the purchase.
“This is a neat opportunity for customers who have been thinking about buying a bike to get into one in a more affordable way.”
Our new E-Bike Financing Program is an easy way to spread out the cost of an e-bike on your monthly utility bill. It offers Saint John Energy customers financing of $2,000-$5,000 for a maximum of five years at 10% interest. The program is for pedal-assist bikes with a maximum assisted speed of 32 km/hour, a minimum drive size of 250W, and a minimum battery size of 400Wh.
Here’s how it works: you choose the bike you’d like to buy at a participating retailer (check out the list of partners below) and then fill out an application form for financing. If you’re approved, we pay the bike shop directly, and your first e-bike financing payment will appear on your next monthly electricity bill.
“It's an intriguing initiative on Saint John Energy’s part because there are a lot of people who are interested in e-bikes, but the price tags are up there,” John says. “Any incentives you can find to make it even easier to purchase are advantageous. This is a neat opportunity for customers who have been thinking about buying a bike to get into one in a more affordable way.”
Empowering the green-energy shift
Along with putting e-bikes in reach for more customers, our E-Bike Financing Program is an integral part of Zero30, our action plan to reach zero emissions by 2030.
As a leading Canadian utility in the green energy transition, we are innovating like never before. Our team is excited to think beyond utilities' traditional roles and offer our customers products and services, like e-bike financing, that invite them to join the shift.
A growing cycling community
During the pandemic, cycling spiked as more locals began to explore our beautiful backyard on two wheels. And why not? We’ve got gorgeous rural and coastal routes, relatively easy commutes, and endless kilometres of back roads and dirt roads.
Source: Public Facebook Page for Saint John Cycling, a local group that “promotes and encourages cycling in Southern New Brunswick.”
As the number of bikers increases, there has been a corresponding increase in overall driver awareness, caution, and care in sharing the road. The day we spoke to John was the anniversary of the death of Ellen Watters, a prominent New Brunswick cyclist whose legacy is Ellen’s Law, passed in 2017, mandating drivers to leave at least a metre of space around cyclists.
There’s also been an explosion in trail building for off-road biking and more infrastructure, such as more and broader bike lanes for on-road cycling. It all adds up to more bike-friendly communities.
Kevin and John are excited about the overall growth in biking and the expanding e-bike market.
“In any industry, it's neat when there's new innovation,” John says. “E-biking has definitely added a level of excitement and interest in the sport again for a lot of people.”
Participating Bike Shops
Bikes and Beans
https://bikesandbeans.ca
3 Landing Court, Quispamsis
(506) 849-2453
Bikeworks
https://www.bikeworksnb.com
178 Thorne Ave., Saint John
(506) 652-2453
Hayward’s Bike Shop
https://haywardsbikeshop.ca
243 Loch Lomond Road, Saint John
(506) 696-7433
Millenium Cycle and Sport
https://www.mcsnb.com
28 Millennium Dr, Quispamsis
(506) 849-7433
Outdoor Elements
https://outdoorelements.ca
597 Main Street, Sussex
(506) 433-3060
Andrew Macdonald is Manager, Electrification for Saint John Energy.