The e-bike range – what you need to know!

How much range does your e-bike have? If you want to go on longer tours, this is the crucial question. Because especially with a heavy e-bike or a lot of luggage, you definitely don't want to be stranded with an empty battery! Unfortunately, we can't predict an exact kilometer distance for you here, and the reason is quite simple: Besides the rated power of the battery, many individual factors are responsible for the distance you can cover with one battery charge. You can find out what affects the range of the e-bike and how you can ride as many kilometers as possible here.

When you order or buy an e-bike, there is sometimes information from the bicycle manufacturer about the possible range of the pedelec. If this information is missing, you can easily find out which drive and which battery are installed. The companies that manufacture electric drives for pedelecs today usually provide more or less precise information about the ranges their batteries can achieve. But unfortunately, no one can give you an exact prediction.

Why not? You can find out here!

What is the e-bike range anyway?

The term “e-bike range” refers to the distance you can travel on one battery charge. So it doesn't really depend on the e-bike itself, and the motor has no direct influence on it; it would just keep going and going and going....

What you should know about e-bike batteries – the FAQs

Here are some general pieces of information about e-bike batteries:

What batteries do e-bikes have and where?

An e-bike today typically has a lithium-ion battery. These batteries do not have a memory effect; rather, they are durable and very powerful.

Today, the batteries in most e-bikes are built into the down tube of the frame.

"In the past," the batteries – like in this city bike – were easily visible, today they offer more range and are almost invisible! Image © Creme Cycles

Wh is the unit of measurement for e-bike batteries

The capacity of a battery is measured in watt-hours, abbreviated: Wh.

The larger the number of watt-hours, the greater the capacity of the battery – meaning it potentially lasts longer and thus offers more range.

Since the actual range of an e-bike battery but since it is influenced by many external factors, the number of watt-hours does not allow an exact conclusion about the possible distance.

How many watt-hours (Wh) does an e-bike battery have on average?

There are indeed different manufacturers, but there are not major differences in the capacity of the batteries. Here are a few examples:

• Shimano builds batteries with 418 and 504 Wh
• Bosch offers between 300 and 625 Wh, the DualBattery (a double e-bike battery) reaches 1250 Wh
• Fazua packs 252 Wh into the batteries
• From Panasonic there are capacities between 432 and nearly 650 Wh

It looks similar with all other manufacturers. The DualBattery with 1250Wh is a real exception, but it is not a single battery, it consists of two.

More watt-hours = more e-bike range?

In general, many watt-hours naturally mean large ranges. In fact, it depends on different factors that can greatly extend or limit the range of the e-bike.

Do old e-bikes have less range?

Usually, e-bikes that have been around for a few years need to visit the charging station more often. Modern lithium-ion batteries are very durable, but they do not live forever. Over time and with each charging cycle, the capacity decreases slightly. This also reduces the possible e-bike range. However, this is not a reason to forgo an e-bike. The batteries manage many charging cycles (depending on the manufacturer, about 1000 or approximately 5 years) without a noticeable restriction of the range. And even after this time, the possible distance decreases gradually, not suddenly. With each charging cycle, the range becomes slightly shorter, but the pedelec itself still functions for many years.

So, the fear of an aging battery should not deter you from buying an e-bike!

Below we have some suggestions on how you can extend the lifespan of your e-bike when the ranges decrease!

Does the range depend on the type of bicycle? Images © Liv, Cannondale

Does the range of the e-bike have something to do with the type of bicycle?

A "MTB Hardtail has a range of 250 km", "an e-bike with a range of 200 km" or an "e-bike folding bike has a range of 100 km" ... unfortunately, it does not work like that. The range of an e-bike has nothing to do with whether it is a city e-bike, an e-gravel bike, or an e-trekking bike.

However, there are tendencies: Comfortable (and inexpensive) city e-bikes tend to have smaller batteries with less range on board. Trekking e-bikes, XC hardtails, or e-gravel bikes are intended for long distances, so they get more watt-hours on the way.

⚡Various E-Bikes in the BMO Online Shop ⚡

City E-Bikes | eMTBs | E Gravel Bikes | Trekking E-Bikes | E-Bikes Women | E-Bikes Men

How much range does your e-bike really need?

E-bike drive systems knew only one direction for several years: bigger. The power increased, the battery capacity increased. The weight and size of the components? Also increased.

Nobody wanted to be accused of their e-bike buyers running out of breath regularly. To make sure nothing went wrong, the batteries were made bigger or even installed in pairs. Double battery and range extender came onto the market, significantly increasing the range, but the weight of the e-bikes also skyrocketed, 25 to almost 30kg was not uncommon.

Today, there is both and you can decide: Do you prefer a lighter e-bike with moderate torque and a bit less range? Or do you want massive motor power and plenty of charging capacity - and accept a heavy bike in return?

A range extender increases the range of the e-bike

If you have decided on a smaller drive system or at least a smaller battery, a range extender is a fine thing. Here's how it works:

A range extender (English range: range, extender: extension) is a second battery that you attach to your e-bike drive when needed to extend the range .

You want to ride a lighter e-bike in everyday life, but need more e-bike range on vacation or weekends? Then a range extender is the perfect solution! With the internal battery, you can handle everyday rides, and with the additional battery, you can go on long tours.

Range extenders have another advantage: They not only extend your range, they are also the "retirement plan" for your e-bike. If the e-bike is otherwise still in good condition, owners like to use a range extender to extend the range of their aging e-bike again. In some electric bikes, the battery is permanently installed in the frame and cannot be removed. Especially with these bikes, this solution is very practical because replacement batteries cannot be installed in these pedelecs.

Looks like a beverage can, is also mounted in the area of the bottle holder, but it's a Range Extender! Image © Orbea

These factors affect the E-bike range

Completely independent of the battery capacity, the following individual conditions have an impact on the range of your E-bike:

• The motorization of the E-bike

It's quite simple. The larger the drive, the hungrier it is. Larger means for the E-bike: More torque. This gives the bike more power (but not more speed!), the motor needs more power, and the battery has less range.

• The support level greatly influences the E-bike's range!

One of the most important route factors is the choice of support level. Power consumption can more than double from “Eco” to “Sport”! Conversely, set to “Sport,” the E-bike achieves less than half the distance that would be possible in “Eco” mode.

• Headwind costs E-bike range

When you ride against the wind, the (wind) resistance literally increases. Building up a decent speed with headwind costs your drive power, and then the battery draws a lot of energy accordingly.

• The terrain

The terrain also plays an important role in the possible ranges, and there are two important aspects to consider: On one hand, your E-bike consumes more battery charge on inclines than on flat or downhill.

Also interesting is the nature of the surface. On smooth asphalt, the wheels roll more easily, saving battery. On loose surfaces, the drive consumes more energy. You can even see this! If the tires leave a noticeable track, literally “digging” through mud or sand, the electric bike needs more energy, and the battery provides less range.

• Temperature

E-bike batteries (like all batteries) do not like extreme temperatures, and strong temperature fluctuations are rather suboptimal. It is definitely sensible to protect the battery from frost and extreme heat. You may have also noticed that your phone battery lasts less at freezing temperatures? E-bike batteries behave quite similarly. The range decreases with temperature!

• The speed of the E-bike

The more your drive has to support you, the more energy it consumes. So if you always ride at top speed, the battery will soon be empty. Switch to a lower support level if you want to achieve a lot of range , if you turn off the drive and ride with muscle power, the battery lasts forever!

• The tires affect the range!

The wider the contact area of the tires, the greater the rolling resistance, so wide tires need more energy = battery charge.

• Less weight means more range

The more weight your e-bike has to move, the more power it needs. This includes the total weight of the bike and rider. Luggage, child seats, and trailers also require additional energy.

• Traffic flow counts, avoid stop-and-go!

The more often you have to start moving, the less range your e-bike will have.

What you can do for more range

If you have read the section "These factors affect the range," you already know how to save battery and thereby extend the distance your e-bike can cover . Some of the factors that affect the distance you can control, others not so much.

• The motorization of the e-bike

You can't change the motorization of an existing e-bike, of course. However, you can consider before purchasing how much power you actually need.

• The support level

Do you always need full support? Or is it enough if the motor pushes a little? The smaller the assistance level, the more range! Perhaps you can even turn off the drive completely when going downhill for a long time?

But there is a point to note here: With some e-bikes, the light turns off when you turn off the drive. Riding unlit just to squeeze a few more kilometers out of the battery is dangerous! In case of doubt, being seen is more important than having a lot of range!

• Headwind

There’s not much you can do against headwind, of course. But you can take a cue from road cyclists! Tight clothing that doesn't flap and a low seating position reduce air resistance.

• The terrain

If you turn off the drive completely when going downhill, you won't use any more power.

You may not be able to influence the terrain either. But if you can ride on smooth surfaces , you should do so because it saves power and extends the range of the e-bike.

• Temperature

As far as temperature is concerned, you are powerless. Cold reduces the performance of a battery, and unfortunately, there is little room for maneuver. There are neoprene thermal covers for the e-bike battery. Whether such a cover extends the range is rather questionable.

• The speed

If you ride leisurely, your e-bike uses less power than it would during a hard ride. Occasionally going top-speed is simply fun. But if you pedal yourself during this, ride on a low support level, or choose downhill sections for the speed rush, your e-bike rewards you with more range.

• The weight

Many e-bikers tend not to limit their luggage too strictly, after all, the drive helps with transport. But if you want the largest possible range, for example, when bikepacking, you should still carefully consider what you really need. The weight saved increases the possible distance.

• The Tires

As wide as necessary, but no more – more rubber on the road needs more battery. You should also regularly inflate the tires, flat tires need more energy. If you want more information on the perfect tire size, you should visit the article "Find the right tire width"!

• The Traffic Flow

Can you maybe avoid rush hours? Or is there possibly a less frequented bike path? If you can avoid stop-and-go traffic, you will be rewarded with greater range.

What really needs to go on the bike tour? The less weight, the more range your e-bike has! Image © SKS

Is the range indicated by e-bike manufacturers accurate?

You saw it in the last section – the range figures are guidelines, which are heavily influenced by the test conditions. For this reason, there is either an indication that contains approx. , a more or less large range, or no statement at all.

Some major manufacturers, Bosch or Shimano, have now tested their e-bike batteries under various conditions and offer online range calculators or can at least provide various guideline values for battery range under different conditions.

"With Battery XY you will go exactly ...km far!", unfortunately, does not work.

Which is the "best" e-bike battery?

While we cannot make reliable statements about the range of the e-bike (as you now know), we can tell you one thing for sure:

The best battery for you is the one that fits your cycling plans.

If you consider what you plan to do with your pedelec before buying, you can purchase a battery with the appropriate range. This way, you won't run out of power on the go, but you also won't pay for watt-hours you don't need!

Here are a few example scenarios that could influence the purchase decision:

• You only ride short distances, and you don't mind that your e-bike needs to be charged more often?
• You want to transport your bike often, so take it on the car rack. Or does it need to go down into the subway with you? Or does it park in the bike cellar and needs to go down and up a few steps? Then a light e-bike with a small motor and battery is easier to handle.
• Do you fall into the category of "small, light rider"?
• Are you looking for a cheap e-bike?
• If the range is too small for you, would you consider a Buy Range Extender?

→ Then a smaller, cheaper battery with less range is sufficient for you

• You want to do full-day tours or even multi-day tours are on the agenda?
• You live in the mountains or want to go on a cycling holiday there, so your e-bike covers significantly more elevation gain than it would in flat terrain?
• You ride a cargo bike or an MTB fully with lots of torque?
• Your bike, you, and the luggage weigh a bit more together?
• You want not to recharge constantly?

→ Then a pedelec with a large battery with a lot of capacity and range is certainly a good purchase, you might even need to pack a range extender and/or the charger.

If the battery can be removed, there may be a replacement battery if the range of your e-bike decreases. Image © Trek

What range can an e-bike really achieve?

Now you know that it is practically impossible to provide reliable numbers for the range here. Between 40 and 120 kilometers ... is not really helpful, but the common average that is often given by manufacturers and in the bike press. Some research when buying an e-bike will, however, give you an idea of the possible range of a single model.

What can you do if the range of the e-bike battery shrinks over time?

You read it above, a battery loses capacity over time even with good care and eventually only manages shorter distances.

But that doesn't mean your e-bike is scrap, there are various solutions.

• With a range extender your e-bike can achieve greater ranges again
• Many e-bikes offer the option to attach a second battery (called DualBattery, Double Battery, or similar depending on the manufacturer)
• There are replacement batteries; if the battery is removable and the manufacturer offers replacement batteries, this is a good solution.

The replacement battery is also a good extension for a bikepacking tour! If there are no range extenders available for your e-bike drive, you can simply charge a second battery, pack it, and swap it if necessary.

Two good tips to conclude…

Our first tip… before you go on larger bike tours, you should do a small “dry run ” Insert – drive the battery almost empty and charge it completely. Then you can go for a test ride. When the battery is almost empty again, you can roughly estimate the distance your bike can achieve on one charge. The more accurately you mimic the tour (i.e., weight of luggage, terrain, support level, etc.), the more accurately you can determine the range you can achieve.

Tip number 2: If you would like to buy a smaller, lighter, and cheaper battery but still want to ride your e-bike more frequently, you should pay attention to the charging times . Most manufacturers that build e-bike drives specify how long it takes for their batteries to be half or fully charged. The faster it goes, the quicker your bike is back on the road. Maybe the manufacturer also offers a Speed-Charger . With such a faster charger , your pedelec is ready for use again in no time.

We have many interesting pieces of information about bicycles and e-bikes for you, and more are coming! So far, you can find the following posts on the bike blog:

• E-Bike Tires – useful or useless?
• Storing the E-Bike Battery – but correctly!
• Charging the E-Bike Battery – here's how
  
• E-Bike Guide 2026

Title image: Trek