TrolleyEbike
I wish that Trolley E-bikes were a thing. It's just a push bike with an electric motor, a trolley pole to receive 120v power, and a twist power switch.
No battery. No power conditioning electronics. No chain or gears.
Very cheap. Very little maintenance.
I imagine a TrolleyEbike could cost around $100, making it a truly affordable commuting option.
The power lines aren't all that different from 120v power cords - just with two exposed grooves for the contacts. Use of 120v power hardware should hopefully keep infrastructure costs reasonable. Electrical power consumption is low, so the increased power demand should be minimal. I'd think that any electricity costs to a city would be overwhelmingly compensated for by reduced car traffic, pollution, parking, etc.
