In fact, for short trips, an electric bike or moped might be better for you—and for the planet. That’s because these forms of transport—collectively known as electric micromobility—are cheaper to buy and run.
Ok, so this article is actually combining e-bike numbers with electric mopeds, and while you might be able to argue that e-bikes somehow aren’t electric vehicles because they’re partially human-powered, anyone who thinks a moped isn’t one can sod off. They are fully motor-driven. They require a license. They have the same road-legal requirements as any other “electric vehicle”: turn signals, head and brake-lights, license plate, etc.
they are actually displacing four times as much demand for oil as all the world’s electric cars at present
Yeah, show me those 2 broken out individually, because I bet you it’s far more about mopeds than e-bikes, but of course the article title doesn’t even mention mopeds at all.