Selling bicycles on the Auto Trader website might seem strange, but considering that these battery-powered machines can sell for several thousand pounds, and that the government is pushing hard to get more people onto two wheels (with pedals), it makes a lot of sense.
Auto Trader’s research shows keen interest for e-bikes from its existing audience, with nearly a quarter (24%) of visitors to the marketplace saying they were interested in buying an e-bike, with another 30% of respondents reporting they already own one.
Which is why the car, van, bike and truck selling site has set up a new online platform catering to the burgeoning market in battery-assisted bicycles. It offers more than 1500 e-bikes from 45 manufacturers, including British brands such as Raleigh and Brompton.
Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said: “We are focused on helping consumers make more environmentally friendly vehicle choices so they can make more environmentally-friendly journey choices. This might be walking or using a bike instead of using a car for a short journey, or perhaps an e-bike could be used to travel to a train station.
“Cars clearly are very important for most people and will undoubtedly remain the primary mobility solution here in the UK, but as we all try to make more positive changes to help combat climate change, other mobility options such as bikes can be a complementary solution. E-bikes, electric cars, e-cargo bikes and battery-powered vans, are increasingly being used for shorter journeys or even for different parts of one journey, where appropriate.”