How e-bike loan schemes win hearts and save car miles

Thinking of going electric? Two initiatives that offered Oxford residents the free loan of an e-bike or e-cargo bike show that ‘try before you buy’ schemes can build confidence and cut car use. By joining a one-month trial, residents could see how these vehicles fit into their lives and weigh up the benefits. An entry level e-bike typically costs £500 to £1,000, while a family e-cargo bike can set you back £3,000 - £5,000. But by the end of each trial many of those taking part were ready to buy or lease. Read more about the schemes below.

School staff swap four wheels for two in free e-bike trial

Back in November, Oxford City Council released the results of a new scheme to help school staff get to work by bike, rather than taking the car. Between April and August 2025, 25 teachers, caretakers, sports coaches, and other school staff tried out an e-bike thanks to a free 30-day loan, as part of the trial.

The scheme, called ‘Power Pedals’, was commissioned by Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership (ZCOP) and delivered by the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. It aimed to investigate how e-bikes could quicken the journey towards going car-free full-time. And the results are in!

Of the 117 staff members that registered their interest in taking part, 25 were accepted for the loan, and racked-up a combined 1,059 miles pedalled. Of the 24 that responded after the trial, 22 said they had replaced car trips to and from school and over half said they cycled rather than drove more than four days a week. Over 90% said that their experience of the scheme was positive or very positive. By the end of the 30 days, 10 people planned to buy or lease an e-bike while another 12 were considering it.

One participant said after the trial: “I started using the bike six times a week and basically abandoned my car. Now the hire is complete, the aim is to purchase a bike and get rid of one of the family cars.”

During the trial, bikes were provided by local business Bainton Bikes. Participants were offered support with route planning, cycling confidence building, and advice on safe riding and storage.

Dylan, a teacher at Cheney School, said exercise and feeling good were the biggest benefits of his time on the trial. He added that the bike was helping him get around quicker: “it's encouraging me to do other activities.”

You can watch Cllr Anna Railton catch up with Dylan after the trial in the video on the above.

Due to the success of the project, ZCOP and its partners are now looking at how the scheme can be repeated and expanded, subject to funding.

Philip Sharman, Chair of the Zero Carbon Oxfordshire Partnership, said: “Supporting people to shift to low-carbon travel is essential to reaching a Zero Carbon Oxfordshire, and we’re so pleased to have developed a programme to help make that transition easier.”

Study highlights e-cargo bikes as game changer for suburban travel

In recent years e-cargo bikes, carrying children or shopping, have become an everyday sight in Oxford streets. Surveys run by the ELEVATE project show that, here especially, cargo bikes are on the rise. In 2023 4% of people in Oxford owned one – double the numbers nationally. What’s more, a fifth of Oxford non-users said they could see themselves as someone who might regularly ride an e-cargo bike - suggesting plenty more will follow.

ELEVATE’s study, led by the University of Leeds, examined how e-cargo bikes change everyday life in suburban areas, where car use is typically high. The researchers trialled a month-long loan scheme in three parts of England, including Kennington on the edge of Oxford where 16 households signed up to borrow a bike.

The project’s most striking finding is how directly e-cargo bikes substitute for driving. In ELEVATE’s real-world trials, more than half of all distance travelled by e-cargo bike replaced journeys that households would otherwise make by car. Trial participants reported using the bikes for routine activities like the school run, commuting to work, picking up groceries, and taking children to activities – trips that regularly clog Oxford’s narrow medieval streets with traffic at peak times. In interviews, the participants mentioned multiple benefits: having a cargo bike helped them to be more active, enjoy more family time and reach new destinations. In the words of one Oxford participant: “It’s allowed us to do more things outdoors than … we would have done previously and to go to places that we wouldn’t have gone to together”.

The researchers conclude that in suburban areas especially, the help of electric power is a game-changer. E-cargo bikes remove the slog of carrying a week’s shopping or two young children on a standard bike. In the study, more than half of trips involved carrying passengers, usually children, allowing parents to combine journeys, much as they would with a car – a perk that had people ready to make the switch. After the trial, a fifth of participants went on to buy an e-cargo bike, while many others said they were more likely to consider one in future.

Tips for trying an e-bike or e-cargo bike

If you’re looking to get started with using an e-bike or e-cargo bike, there are many options around Oxford that can give you the chance to try before you buy. OxfordCargoBike offers short term rentals ready to be picked up from Rose Hill Community Centre for as little as £1 per hour. Our travel information pages have advice on e-bikes and cycle hire.  You can also check out our Travelling for Work section or Cycling UK’s guide to find more tips on buying or hiring a cargo bike and ways of getting around while carrying your cargo.