Are you considering buying an electric bike? Wonder how much it will cost to charge your battery-powered ride? Read on for some fascinating facts about the cost to charge an electric bike.
An electric bike is a perfectly feasible and much fun substitute for a car or any other vehicle. We can do our daily chores fast as compared to cars which might get stuck in a traffic jam.
Not only this but also we can roam around and just enjoy the ride when we feel like it because there are days when all we want is just fresh air and a cool ride to lift our mood.
Charging an electric bike is not as expensive as you might think. In fact, if you have a solar panel installed on your property, you could charge your bike for free!
Solar panels for electric bikes are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a sustainable and environmentally friendly way to power your bike.
If you’re concerned about the environment, an electric bike is definitely the way to go. Electric bikes produce zero emissions, so they’re much better for the environment than petrol bikes.
There are a few things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint even further. One of these is to make sure that you charge your bike during off-peak times when energy prices are lower.
You can also consider car-sharing or using public transport when possible, to further reduce your reliance on fossil fuels.
Calculating the Cost of Charging an E-Bike
The price for a full charge can range from $0.15-$0.25 per kilowatt-hour. It means that if you have a 12 amp/hour battery pack and are charging at home. It could cost anywhere between $2-$4 to fully charge your e-bike.
If you’re planning on using public outlets or charging stations, though, be prepared to pay up to 25 cents per kWh. It means that topping off your battery will set you back as much as $5!
Most of the electric bike costs are between 4 cents to 12 Cents on average. This cost may increase depending on your bike battery voltage, capacity, and your local electricity rates.
Whenever we plan to buy an electric bike we need to know all about it; its expenses, features, and running costs way before, so we will not be worried later.
As compared to other non-electrical bikes electric bikes are comparatively less expensive and have way less running costs than non-electrical bikes.
Now we must wonder why that is? That the more expensive electrical bike is cheaper in the long run than a non-electrical bike.
Well, yes it might seem a bit confusing in the beginning but you will understand this as we explain the costs further in this article. By saying that electric bikes are cheaper in the long run.
We mean to say that buying an electrical bike is once expensive. But as we have bought the best of bikes now the running costs are comparatively way less than needed to run a non-electrical bike.
“Buy cheap buy twice”
So what we understood by that is buying an expensive but high-quality product might seem a bit confusing for us but once bought it proves to be worth it and it can save money in the long run.
While buying anything just because it’s cheap and not because it’s good is going to cost us in the long run. Low-quality products often don’t last long. We have to replace them by buying a new one.
Instead of choosing wrong again and again. Making the right choice at the start is the need of time.
Now before discussing how much is the running cost of an electrical bike we should know that the running costs among different electric bikes may vary depending on a lot of factors like:
- The voltage of the battery
- The capacity of the battery
- And the price of electricity in your area
All the above factors are variables which means that changing any one of them will eventually lead to a change in the charging cost of the battery.
So if you want to decrease your charging costs then you must look into the best of the above variables.
If we want to have a reasonable charging cost per year plus a long-lasting battery then we should most probably buy an electric bike with good capacity.
A good charger makes you ride a little more before your battery ends and eventually leading to a less amount for charging than the average price.
While the prices might differ for every other battery, the average cost for charging a battery of an electrical bike is between 4 to 12 cents per charge. It depends on how much you travel and what is the rate of electricity in your area.
The average annual cost for charging an electrical bike sums up to $29.38 which is insignificant compared to the annual running costs of other vehicles.
E-Bike Cost per Charge Calculator:
Now for making things easier for you, here is how you can calculate your running costs on an electrical bike. From the below calculator, we may have an estimate of how much does It cost to charge an electric bike?
- Battery Size (kWh): _____
- Local Electricity Rate ($/kWh): _____
- Charger Efficiency (%): _____
Your results will show you how much it will cost to charge your electric bike battery. You can also see how this compares to the cost of charging a petrol bike. With the current price of petrol, it would cost you about $XX to charge your electric bike.
This is a calculator which is going to help find out the cost easily.
https://ecocostsavings.com/electric-bike-electricity-cost-calculator/
Calculate Cost Per Charge:
For calculating the cost per charge we could either use the calculator given above or we can calculate it manually by following the method described below. But for calculating it we must have three values:
- The voltage of the battery.
- Ampoule hour of the battery.
- And our local area electrical rates.
Now the question arises that how are we supposed to find the values of the above three variables.
Well, we can find the voltage and the ampoule hour written on the battery of electrical bike or we can just google it or go to the site or person from where we bought it.
And for the electrical rate, we can either look on the internet for the rates in our areas or we can look into our electrical bills.
Just ask our neighbors if we are not able to find it by the former two ways or we can know by contacting the electrical power supply company in our area.
Now, to calculate cost per charge:
- First, you have to multiply ampoule hours (Ah into voltage (V) to get watt-hour (Wh)
E.g. 40 volts x 10 Amp hour = 400-watt hour.
- Now divide the answer you get in watt-hours by 1000 to get a value in kilowatt-hours.
For e.g. 440watt hour/1000=0.44 kilowatt hours.
- Finally, multiply the kilowatt-hour value above with the local electrical rate per kilowatt-hour
E.g. o.44 kilowatt-hour x 13.19cents/o.1319 USD (2021 average electricity rate for the USA)
= $0.058036 or 5.80 cents.
We can see that the cost per charge as in 2021 is calculated to be 5.80 cents which is not too much as one charge often lasts a day-long or for 15 to 100 miles depending upon the electrical bike.
Factoring in Battery Cost:
When we charge an electrical bike it takes usually very little money but if we divide the battery by the number of cycles the price will be different.
Electrical bike batteries once bought hey my last up to 2 to 10 years depending upon the type of battery and how many cycles it provides us with plus how much we travel and how many times we charge a battery. So to factor in battery cost, we are going to need two values:
- The cost of the battery
- And the average number of cycles a battery has.
For e. let’s take a newly bought battery with a price of $400 with 800 cycles in total.
Now, to factor in battery cost: take the value of your battery price and divide it by the number of average cycles of that battery.
I.e. $400 / 800 = $0.5
Compared to the above value of charging our battery this seems a little bit more expensive. But again it all depends on what type of battery we have purchased and how many times we charge our battery.
Even after that if we compare the cost per mile with other vehicles it is a lot cheaper than them.
Calculate Cost per Mile/Kilometer:
Calculating cost per mile or kilometer is a bit difficult as the range differs with every electrical bike. For calculating it we should take a value of the average range expected within one charge. Or you can even save yourself from misery calculate by using the lowest possible range one can think of.
To calculate it we are going to need two values:
- The average range expected within one charge
- And the charging cost (calculated before)
Now, to calculate cost per mile/km:
Take the charging cost and now divide it with the range (the expected miles)
For e.g. $0.058 / 20 miles = $0.0029 or 0.29 cents per mile.
Do you want to know how many miles per cent an electric bike travel?
For this take 1 mile and divide it by the cost per mile
For e.g. 1/0.29 = 3.44 miles per cent.
Which is a cool value.
Types of Electric Bikes
The two main types of electric bikes are pedal-assist and throttle-only.
Pedal-assist bikes have a motor that helps you to pedal when you need it. This is a great option if you want to get some exercise while still being able to ride an electric bike.
Throttle-only bikes have a motor that you can use without pedaling. This is a good option if you want to ride an electric bike without getting any exercise.
Read our comparison of Pedego VS Trek electric bikes, as they’re both good reliable brands that will last.
There are also two different types of batteries that are used in electric bikes: lead-acid and lithium-ion. Lead-acid batteries are cheaper but they are also heavier and have a shorter lifespan than lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are more expensive but they are lighter, last longer, and can be charged more times than lead-acid batteries.
The type of battery that you choose will affect the cost of charging an electric bike. Lithium-ion batteries are more expensive to charge than lead-acid batteries, but they will last longer and can be charged more times.
Maintenance And Lifespan
Electric bikes require very little maintenance and they have a long lifespan. The average lifespan of an electric bike is about 15,000 miles. This means that you can ride your electric bike for about 12 years before it needs to be replaced.
The cost of charging an electric bike is cheaper than the cost of maintaining a petrol bike. For example, the cost of charging an electric bike is about $0.02 per mile while the cost of maintaining a petrol bike is about $0.14 per mile.
This means that you can save a lot of money by riding an electric bike instead of a petrol bike. Not only will you save money on charging, but you will also save money on maintenance.
How To Choose The Right Electric Bike For You
Now that you know the benefits of owning an electric bike, you might be wondering how to choose the right one for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Think About How You’ll Use It: Are you looking for a leisurely ride around town, or do you need something that can help you commute? Consider what you’ll use it for before making a purchase.
- Get The Right Size: Just like traditional bikes, electric bikes come in different sizes. Make sure to get one that’s the right fit for you and pay attention to the weight limit – otherwise, you might be uncomfortable or even unsafe.
- Choose Your Features: Electric bikes come with a variety of features, from motor size to battery type. Decide which features are important to you and look for a bike that has them.
- Do Your Research: Not all electric bikes are created equal. Take the time to read reviews and compare products before making a purchase.
With these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to find the perfect electric bike for you.
Top 5 Benefits Of Owning An E-Bike
There are plenty of reasons to own an electric bike. Here are the top five benefits:
- You’ll save money on gas and maintenance: Electric bikes cost a fraction of what it costs to operate a car, so you’ll save money on gas and oil changes. You can also say goodbye to tune-ups and expensive repairs!
- You’ll Get More Exercise: Electric bikes are great for people who want to get a little bit of exercise but don’t want to deal with the hassle of a traditional bike. You can still pedal if you want to, but you can also let the motor do the work for you.
- You’ll Help The Environment: Electric bikes don’t emit any pollutants, so you can feel good about riding one knowing that you’re not harming the environment.
- You’ll Have More Fun: Let’s face it – electric bikes are just plain fun to ride! You can zip around town errands or cruise down a bike path without breaking a sweat.
- You’ll Be Able To Go Further And Faster: With an electric bike, you can go much further than you could on a traditional bike. And if you get tired, you can always switch to the motor and let it do the work for you.
Conclusion:
So now after knowing all the price tags for an electric bike, you can an idea about how much does it cost to charge an electric bike? I would still stay they are way more cheaper and reasonable than other alternate modes of transport.
In addition to that electric bikes are a source of real fun, happiness, and comfort. And you can do your day-to-day works at a much faster and less expensive rate. With this, the electric bike saves us from the turmoil of traffic jams and its frustration.
Electric bikes are environmentally friendly but you must tune your electric bike on time.
It is estimated that even if 1 percent of electric bikes replace other modes of vehicles then there will be a lot less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere making our environment much cleaner and fresher.
These eco-friendly electric bikes are gaining popularity with every passing day because they are not only a feasible mode of transportation but also are a source of enjoyment and joy.
Electric bikes not only save our money but also our time as well, and as we have all heard is that time is money.