Driving large four passenger cars, trucks, and mini-vans is not the most economical thing to do while driving around town, especially when you are the only person in the vehicle. These types of vehicles get relatively poor mileage, and if you have to operate one on a regular basis, say for a morning commute, you’re going to spend a lot of money on gasoline and automobile maintenance that you really do not have to.

For quite some time some savvy consumers have ridden gasoline powered scooters to work. These vehicles can get around 75 miles to the gallon and will drive at a speed of about 45 miles per hour. They clearly aren’t appropriate for driving on the freeway or on the nation’s highway system, but for driving around town, they can be a great vehicle for driving around town and running some basic errands. The price you will pay for a scooter will depend on how old the scooter you purchase is and the model you buy. You could pay anywhere from $500 for a used scooter to up to $2000 for a brand new model.

The problem with scooters is that most of them still run on gasoline and with a price tag of $2,000 it takes a while for the cost savings in gasoline to pay for the vehicle. A new option is available for people who would like to have a more economical means of transportation when it comes to driving short term distances. There are a new series of electric bikes available that will drive about 20 miles per hour and have a range of anywhere from 30 to 40 miles. These bikes are nearly pollution free and sell for around $700.00 on the open market.

These bikes have a couple of down-sides to traditional vehicles. The first is that you’re still exposed to the elements. If you don’t live in a temperate climate, one of these vehicles is not going to work for you outside of the summer time. In addition they don’t drive very fast, so you’re not going to want to take them on a distance of anymore than 5 or 10 miles for non-recreational purposes.

If you do have a shorter commute and live in a fairly reasonable climate, an electric bike can be a great way to travel to work and back for far less than you would pay than when driving a scooter or a full-sized vehicle.