Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.

Electrical bicycle ownership rates are growing rapidly. Despite differences to conventional cycling, the two types of bicycles are generally not differentiated in travel demand modelling practice. This article analyses the choices to own electric and conventional bicycles in Germany at the personal...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Leonard Arning, Heather Kaths
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322291
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849328742713786368
author Leonard Arning
Heather Kaths
author_facet Leonard Arning
Heather Kaths
author_sort Leonard Arning
collection DOAJ
description Electrical bicycle ownership rates are growing rapidly. Despite differences to conventional cycling, the two types of bicycles are generally not differentiated in travel demand modelling practice. This article analyses the choices to own electric and conventional bicycles in Germany at the personal level. We use data from the "Mobility in Germany" survey and other sources and estimate both a nested logit model and a multivariate probit model. While the average gradient of terrain near the residence has an expected, strong negative influence on the ownership of conventional bicycles, electric bicycle ownership is much less negatively affected. The effect of socio-demographic variables is largely in line with that of the existing literature. A negative correlation of the error terms in the probit model indicates a substitutive relationship between the two ownership decisions. The high nest parameter value in the nested logit model indicates that the decision to own a conventional bicycle is secondary to the decision to own an electric bicycle. The results contribute to a better understanding of the motivations for or against bicycle ownership and create a basis for better consideration of electrical bicycle traffic in transport models.
format Article
id doaj-art-a0f95b950a7a4d7ab3dfae833e2c2b50
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-a0f95b950a7a4d7ab3dfae833e2c2b502025-08-20T03:47:28ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032229110.1371/journal.pone.0322291Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.Leonard ArningHeather KathsElectrical bicycle ownership rates are growing rapidly. Despite differences to conventional cycling, the two types of bicycles are generally not differentiated in travel demand modelling practice. This article analyses the choices to own electric and conventional bicycles in Germany at the personal level. We use data from the "Mobility in Germany" survey and other sources and estimate both a nested logit model and a multivariate probit model. While the average gradient of terrain near the residence has an expected, strong negative influence on the ownership of conventional bicycles, electric bicycle ownership is much less negatively affected. The effect of socio-demographic variables is largely in line with that of the existing literature. A negative correlation of the error terms in the probit model indicates a substitutive relationship between the two ownership decisions. The high nest parameter value in the nested logit model indicates that the decision to own a conventional bicycle is secondary to the decision to own an electric bicycle. The results contribute to a better understanding of the motivations for or against bicycle ownership and create a basis for better consideration of electrical bicycle traffic in transport models.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322291
spellingShingle Leonard Arning
Heather Kaths
Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
PLoS ONE
title Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
title_full Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
title_fullStr Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
title_full_unstemmed Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
title_short Just another bike? Modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large-scale travel survey data from Germany.
title_sort just another bike modelling the interdependence of conventional and electric bicycle ownership and the influence of topography using large scale travel survey data from germany
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322291
work_keys_str_mv AT leonardarning justanotherbikemodellingtheinterdependenceofconventionalandelectricbicycleownershipandtheinfluenceoftopographyusinglargescaletravelsurveydatafromgermany
AT heatherkaths justanotherbikemodellingtheinterdependenceofconventionalandelectricbicycleownershipandtheinfluenceoftopographyusinglargescaletravelsurveydatafromgermany