What do you think about electric bikes? It is cute, trendy, eco-friendly, and money-saving. All those adjectives can be used to describe them. And if you haven’t been sold on the indisputable benefits of electric bikes, after you find out what it costs to charge an electric bike, you will.
It’s pretty incredible. The majority of people don’t realize how much cheaper it is to ride an electric bike than to use other means of transportation.
So, how much does it cost to charge an ebike?
The answer is mind-boggling: a full charge of an electric bike battery costs you on average $0.05 (batteries have different capacities, so this number will vary a little). And this first incredible revelation leads us to the next one, not less astounding: it costs you less than $30.00 to charge an electric bike for a whole year.
And now think about the difference between those meager $30.00 and the money you spend on gas every day. Truly incredible distinction.
Next in the article, we’re going to show you how we derived those numbers, so you can make your accurate calculations using the information about your electric bike.
As electric bikes are becoming more and more trendy, different countries did their research and came up with estimations of what it costs to charge an electric bike. Although variable, the costs are still infinitely lower than standard car expenses.
For example, France has a little higher cost than the US with the equivalent of $0.07 to charge an electric bike and the unbelievable $26 per year charging electricity costs.
Belgium is the most expensive among the represented countries, with $0.1 spent to charge an electric bike once and still below $40 ($39 to be precise) for one year of electricity costs.
Moving from the European continent to Asia, we get to the low-cost heaven: in China, a single charge amounts to $0.03 bringing the annual cost up to $13; in India, the costs are identical to the Chinese ones.
The cost to charge an electric bike: formulas and calculations
Reading the above data, you could get suspicious. It sounds too good to be true. So we brought you all the ‘receipts’ or calculations to be exact, and you will see for yourself that it’s all credible, valid data.
A little physics
Showing you the main formula and explaining its meaning is the best way to prove the reliability of the information about the cost to charge an electric bike and educate you on how to substitute our numbers with yours. You’ll be able to calculate the charging costs for your electric bike without an issue.
We could skip this step and refer you to the online calculator, but we’re going to be thorough and engage you in the exciting process.
To perform our calculations, we’ll need some figures. Some of them are specified on the electric bike batteries (or can be found on the manufacturer’s website):
- Battery current (Ah) and voltage (V). Others can be searched online:
- Cost of electricity in your region. Such data are always published online.
Battery current (or amperage) and battery voltage are required for determining the battery capacity measured in watt hours (Wh).
Wh = V x Ah = 40V х 10Ah = 400
Transferring the watt hours into kilowatt hours brings us to the same unit of measure that is used in the electricity cost rates. To do that, we need to divide the battery capacity in Wh by 1000.
kWh = Wh / 1000 = 400/100 = 0.40
Now, when we bring all units of measure into compliance (kilowatt hours), we are ready for the last calculation.
The cost to charge an electric bike is obtained by multiplication the capacity of the electric bike battery and the electricity rate applicable for your region.
We’re operating here with the US rate (average): $0.13 per 1 kWh (rate).
Cost = kWh х Rate = 0.40 х 0.13 = $0.05
Now you have a confirmation of the information we provided you at the beginning of the article, stated by the dry and dispassionate language of the formulas.
A single charge lets you ride for about 60 miles or more depending on the capacity of your electric bike battery.
Other expenses
We want to be meticulous and consider other direct costs of your bike, because obviously, charging costs are not the only expenses the electric bike owner has to endure.
Electric bike batteries
Purchasing an efficient battery for the electric bike is an important acquisition. Its life cycle can vary from three to ten years, a huge gap. Thus the prices for electric bike batteries vary significantly as well. From $400.00 to $1000.00 depending on the manufacturer, capacity, or type (li-ion or lead acid).
Although it seems quite costly, even with the price in mind, it’s still ridiculously cheap to ride an electric bike instead of a car operating on gas.
For example, if the battery you purchased is supposed to last 800 cycles, and you paid $500.00 for the item, it still costs you 500/800 = $0.63 per cycle.
Adding $0.63 to $0.05 (charging costs), you still end up with a ridiculously low $0.68. This way, you added the battery depreciation cost and the feasibility remains indisputable.
Speaking about the batteries, it’s worth noting that li-ion batteries are preferable due to their less impact on the environment. For most ebike riders, it’s a compelling argument.
Buying an electric bike
Several factors influence the cost to charge an electric bike. The type of bike you have purchased is one of them. And here the saying ‘Buy cheap, buy twice’ proves its wisdom.
How much does it cost to buy an ebike?
We are not saying that buying the most expensive electric bike is the best option. It’s more complex than that.
Buying the cheapest option on the market put you at risk of having to get your electric bike repaired regularly and ending up spending much more than intended.
The price range for electric bikes is wide. You can do your research and find an electric bike featuring all the qualities essential for you, including the battery, which secures the optimum cost to charge an electric bike.
There are 3 major classes of electric bikes depending on the engine capacity and thus the top speed. The prices can vary on average from $600.00 to $4,000.00 although you can find the models for $7,000.00 and higher. But there’s no necessity to splurge. You can find the best electric bike for you in the average range.
Electric bikes can also be classified according to their intended applications into many types. Just to name a few: commuter bikes, cruisers, performance road bikes, and others.
Buying an electric bicycle with the best value for money lets you purchase a high-quality product and save money in the long run.
Saving options
If you are thinking of purchasing an electric bike, our wild guess is that you are conscious about your spending and consider saving money a wise choice, no matter your income level. You are probably a responsible and environmentally conscious individual caring about carbon footprint and renewable energy implementation. Good for you.
Let us arm you with some money-saving tips in terms of lowering the numbers on electricity bills.
Go renewable
Speaking about carbon footprint: if you are using renewable energy devices like solar power systems, your cost to charge an electric bike plummets exponentially. Using renewable energy is not only beneficial for saving money and optimizing electricity bills, but it’s also your contribution to saving the planet.
Regenerative braking
According to multiple studies, implementing an energy recovery mechanism called regenerative braking can be useful.
The mechanism converts the kinetic energy of the bicycle into another form that can be stored and used later. If you install regenerative brakes on your bike, you’ll be able to save 8% on average.
Perfect battery
We’ve already mentioned the importance of an efficient battery. Find the best option: the battery cost is critical, but take into account how many cycles it is capable of operating. The perfect ratio of the price and the number of cycles saves you money and optimizes the consumption of electricity.
Off-peak hours: perfect timing
The cost to charge a bike gets lower if you make an effort to charge it at off-peak hours. At those times, energy companies often offer discounted rates to obtain a more evenly distributed electricity consumption, so you’ll be able to lower the charging costs with the electric bike charged at off-peak hours — at night, for example.
Best offer
Ebike charging costs can be lowered if you succeed in finding the energy company with the best offer on the market.
Final thoughts
A lot of folks ask a question: How much does it cost to charge an ebike? And the majority of them have no idea how inexpensive it is. The idea that you can ride for 40 miles for the price of 5 cents seems unbelievable and enticing.
In our article, we told you how to calculate the cost to charge an ebike so you can do it yourself using your figures.
We showed you how to find out how much electricity your battery needs and gave our recommendations on the battery type.
We pointed out that using renewable energy devices will not only save you money but also make you a responsible human being who cares about the planet.
Frequently asked questions
Does charging an ebike use a lot of electricity?
An electric bike charged using renewable power is unbelievably inexpensive. However, even if you don’t use one of these sources, the cost of charging an ebike is extremely low. The price differs from country to country because the electricity rates are not the same.
Using the US average rates, the cost for a single charge is about 5 cents which amounts to less than thirty US dollars for a year of operating the bike as a transportation means.
How much does an ebike cost per mile?
The average cost per mile in terms of electricity consumption is about $0.0018 in the US. However, if you use your solar system or another renewable source, the price is even lower than that.
How much power does an electric bike use?
The amount of power used by the ebike depends on the type of bike, the speed you are riding with, and the indicator on the electric assist. On average, it’s 10-20 Wh per mile.
How often do you have to charge an electric bike?
With an average 500 W battery, you’ll have to charge your bike every 60 miles. Depending on the bike you have and on the capacity of your battery among some other minor factors, this number can increase or decrease. But in any case, we’d encourage you to charge the e-bike after every ride. This way, you’ll always be prepared for the longest ride possible.