Evaluating the impact of e-bikes on accessibility and spatial equity in Brazilian cities.

This project addresses how e-bikes can impact urban accessibility and spatial equity in São Paulo, Brazil. Accessibility studies in the literature have primarily focused on cars and public transport, paying less attention to bicycles. One largely underexplored area is the impact of e-bikes on accessibility and spatial equity. Given their higher speeds and increased comfort for cyclists, the effect of e-bikes on accessibility and spatial equity certainly merits further exploration. This project seeks to fill this gap.

The initial phase of the research involves a comprehensive review of existing literature to establish a theoretical basis for understanding cycling accessibility and equity. Following this foundation, the project will develop and refine speed models for both conventional bicycles and e-bikes, using data supplied by Tembici, a bikesharing operator in Brazil. The subsequent phase involves a detailed analysis of job accessibility for users of both private and shared e-bikes, incorporating various factors such as travel time, physical exertion, and the financial costs associated with shared e-bike schemes. The next, and final, phase revolves around the evaluation of e-bikes as a complementary mode for metro systems, exploring their role in the first and last mile of commuter journeys. This includes an examination of e-bikes' capacity to augment job accessibility, particularly when used in conjunction with São Paulo's metro services.