E-cycles are powering women’s mobility in Indian cities
This article is authored by Tushar Choudhary, founder & CEO, Motovolt Mobility.
Indian society is seeing a clear gender shift, driven by improvements in education, health care, economic participation, and social initiatives that are giving women more opportunities than before. Over the last two decades, government campaigns like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, rising female literacy rates, targeted health care programmes, and women-focused economic schemes have created a more inclusive environment. These initiatives have given women the tools to challenge traditional norms, step out of their homes, and demand equal access to opportunities. The growing independence of women naturally extends to mobility, where two-wheelers, especially e-cycles, are becoming a symbol of freedom and empowerment in cities.
Mobility has been one of the most critical enablers of women’s empowerment over the past two decades, allowing ease of access to education, employment, and social participation. In the early 2000s, many women relied heavily on buses, shared autos, or lifts from family members. These options were affordable but often unreliable, time-consuming, and not always safe. The spread of scooters and microfinance schemes for vehicle ownership gave women more independence, but rising fuel costs and maintenance often made them less sustainable over time. More recently, the rise of electric two-wheelers and e-bikes has opened up an affordable and viable option.
Unlike petrol scooters, which cost upwards of ₹80,000 and demand high fuel and maintenance expenses, e-bikes are priced between ₹25,000- ₹40,000 with running costs of less than ₹0.20 per km. They are lightweight, require no licence, and include pedal-assist features that take care of range anxiety issues and allow the rider to continue, even when batteries run out of charge. Across India, cargo-enabled e-bikes are being used by women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for delivery services, local business logistics, and daily commutes, making mobility both practical and income-generating. This progression shows how mobility has acted as both a barrier and a breakthrough.
When women lacked independent transport, their choices were restricted--jobs further from home, evening classes, or self-employment opportunities--were often out of reach. As mobility options improved, women gained not only physical access but also greater control over their time and decisions. The current shift toward affordable electric two-wheelers builds on this narrative, including the transition witnessed by Indian mobility over the past two decades, giving women practical solutions to match their expanding roles in work and society at an affordable cost. That is why the gender shift we see in Indian cities today is happening on two wheels. E-cycles are making movement affordable and safe, which in turn is opening the door for more women to participate in the workforce, education, and community life – aiding their journey of self-sufficiency and financial freedom.
E-cycles are becoming a meaningful enabler of women’s empowerment in India, thanks to a convergence of industry innovation, government support, and community-driven initiatives. Across the mobility sector, manufacturers and service providers are collaborating with women’s groups to make e-cycles accessible not only through distribution but also by offering training and awareness programmes that build confidence in adopting new technology. At the same time, state-level policies and financial support mechanisms such as subsidies, affordable loans, and insurance are lowering the barriers to ownership and making green mobility viable for women across socio-economic segments.
These measures simply go beyond providing a vehicle; they create opportunities for women to take part in part-time work, small-scale entrepreneurship, and participate in the local economy while also improving their independence in daily life. By reducing the high upfront and recurring costs associated with petrol scooters and by offering a safer, more flexible option than public transport, e-cycles are enabling women to strengthen household economies and promote their well-being.
As India moves towards the vision of Viksit Bharat, two-wheeler mobility will be central to sustaining and accelerating women’s empowerment. Two-wheeler mobility, particularly electric, is already lowering costs, reducing dependence, and widening reach. What matters now is scaling adoption through supportive policies, better financing, and safer infrastructure so that these benefits touch more women across urban and semi-urban India. As more women enter the workforce and take on entrepreneurial roles, mobility will shift from being a convenience to a necessity. E-cycles are uniquely positioned to meet this demand because they balance cost, practicality, and sustainability in ways other transport modes cannot. Looking ahead to Viksit Bharat, the measure of progress will not just be economic growth but also how equally that growth is shared. Electric two-wheeler mobility solutions will be a factor in ensuring women are primary contributors in the process of India’s continuing development.
This article is authored by Tushar Choudhary, founder & CEO, Motovolt Mobility.
