OWENSBORO, Ky. (WEHT) With gas prices approaching, or passing $4 a gallon throughout the Tri-State, some Tri-Staters could also be looking at different methods to get round city. One of these strategies getting a re-assessment from some are electric vehicles and bicycles.
“I love riding my bike, and I can get exercise,” mentioned Dan Ray, who purchased his electric bike about two months in the past.
“I can go for a couple of days without even driving my car. I got this little tote basket in front. I can go to the grocery store, and I save money when gas is five, six dollars a gallon,” he mentioned.
While he saves cash at the pump, he’s nonetheless damage seeing $4 for a gallon of gas.
“It hurts me because i am a retired energy professional, to see gas prices going so high,” Ray mentioned.
While Ray says persons are extra these days in shopping for e-bikes, some bike retailer managers in Owensboro and Evansville say gross sales have been up for the reason that pandemic began, but it surely’s too early to inform if the gas value will increase are a motive for elevated gross sales.
“With gas costs going up, it is a factor that people are thinking about,” mentioned David Moore of Moore Automotive Group. He additionally says whereas electric vehicles have gotten extra accepted, extra consumers are looking in the direction of hybrid vehicles and SUVs, since gas stations are extra accessible than electric charging stations.
“We know if we travel, my car could charge itself, I can still get gas, and so, there are several of those things that are reassuring to people in the way they think about gas,” mentioned Moore.
Moore additionally says drivers received’t utterly go away from common vehicles and vans simply but. Ray says the infrastructure to deal with extra electric vehicles wants to enhance nationwide to satisfy potential demand.
“It takes years, decades to build up that infrastructure, and we’re not there yet,” says Ray.
(This story was initially printed on March 11, 2022)