Electric bikes (e-bikes) have come a long way in recent years. There are now many options that include everything from foldable utilitarian commuters to powerful off-roaders. E-bikes are the fastest-growing two-wheeled vehicle segment in the world today. They are an efficient way to get around in urban environments and they are emissions-free so they don’t contribute to the pollution that so often plagues big cities. They also offer a great way to circumnavigate the gridlock that has become commonplace in metropolitan centers. Below you will find a representative suite of 18 e-bikes from basic models to futuristic designs. This list includes a wide assortment of offerings from bikes that are already on the market to crowd-funded innovative designs that have yet to be released to the general public. Prices range from less than $1,000 to over $10,000.
Stromer ST3 E-bike: Thomas Binggeli founded Stromer in 2009, and opened the company’s solar-powered, state-of-the-art factory near Bern in 2013. This Swiss-made commuter is a luxurious and sophisticated bike that was built for the road but can handle dirt and gravel. This elegant, customizable e-bike has a great range and can maintain its top speed of 28 mph for extended periods. It stands out for its craftsmanship and engineering. It has three different assist modes. The Stromer’s 600 watts hub motor offers 44Nm of torque and comes with custom tires made by Pirelli, Shimano XT shifter and derailleur, hydraulic disc brakes from TRP, Ergon grips and saddle as well as an integrated headlight and taillight. You can even charge your phone while pedaling. It also has a regeneration mode that transfers energy from breaking back into the battery, its three ride modes can be adjusted with a phone app named “Zero”. The color display allows you to adjust everything from braking power to the integrated smart lock. If it is stolen users are alerted through an email and the bike is tracked through GPS. At 65 pounds it is relatively heavy compared to some other e-bikes. The ST3 starts at $7,500.
Gocycle GX Folding E-Bike: This modern and sophisticated commuter bike was founded in England in 2002. This bike easily folds down into 33x15x30 inch bundle. It hails from a racing pedigree as it was designed by former McLaren Automotive engineer Jeff Allen. The 500W motor has a proprietary front hub gear drive, and patented low maintenance magnesium “Pitstopwheels”. It can achieve a top speed of 20 mph. The bike’s 22V lithium-ion battery provides 300Wh and a range of up to 40 miles. There is no display screen and an LED light in the handlebar assembly indicates battery life, all other data can be accessed by a smartphone app. This 39-pound bike has four ride modes, a mechanical three-speed Shimano Nexus gear hub, and hydraulic disc brakes. The theft protection features such as a built-in physical lock or electronic lock-out option—and Gocycle’s aftermarket lock are optional and cost $170. The Gocycle GX starts at $3,299.
Propella E-Bike: This no-frills 7-speed e-bike offers a minimalist design accentuated by narrow blue rims and 700c x 35 road tires (CST Xpedium puncture-resistant). The 37-pound bike has Shimano TX-805 mechanical disc brakes and a 250-watt average, 400-watt peak Bafang rear geared hub motor that can power the bike to a top speed of 18 mph. The battery is a 36 volt, 250 Wh built with Panasonic / Sanyo cells offering a range of 20-40 miles. The cost is $1,299.
Nireeka Prime: This is only the second e-bike from the Dubai-based company Nireeka. This fast, futuristic cruiser was designed by Max Shojaie and it is at home on pavement, grass, gravel, or dirt. It has a carbon fiber frame, full-length air-cushioned dual suspension, and Schwalbe 26 x 4-inch Jumbo Jim fat tires. It has carbon handlebars and a full-color dash, Shimano’s Deore brake levers, Deore XT thumb/trigger shifter, Shimano XT rear derailleur, a thumb throttle, and 203mm brake disc breaks. The stylish Prime is powered by a 1,000W, 160 Nm Bafang G510 motor (M620) and an 840 Wh pack full of LG lithium-ion cells giving it a range of 62 miles. Despite its hefty 61.7 lb. At 33 mph it is one of the faster bikes on the road. In some places where 1,000W motor is not street legal, there is a standard motor that is 750W and can achieve speeds of around 28 mph. The base price for the Prime is $2,499.
Greyp G6.1: This Croatian-made off-road e-bike is made by Greyp, a sister company to electric hypercar manufacturer Rimac. The Greyp G6.1 is a technological marvel with AI and interactivity sewn into its DNA. With the help of a smartphone riders have access to lots of data. It can count calories and even interface with your heart rate monitor and adjust the assistance power to keep your heart rate in your desired cardio training zone. It boasts 4G internet connectivity, gyroscopes, barometric pressure sensors, accelerometers, GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a small processor running a custom Linux operating system. A pair of lighting modules with integrated wide-angle 1080p/30fps video cameras at the headstock and under the back of the seat serve as dash cams. These cams and remote lock capabilities also serve as anti-theft devices. The G6.1 has a carbon composite frame, EX1 components, including an 8-speed trigger shift, a dual RockShox air suspension at both ends, 27.5-inch Blackjacks rims, Schwalbe Nobby Nics tires, and Formula Cura disc brakes. The 700 watt-hour battery provides the power for the motor which is supplied by Taiwan’s MPF (460-watt version, or 250-watt unit 90 Nm which offers 66 lb. ft of torque). The 6.1 is capable of reaching a top speed of 20 mph (the 6.3 model is capable of speeds up to 28 mph). The cost of the G6.1 is $6,999.
Eidolon BR-RTS: Manufactured by Australian company Ryuger, this mostly carbon e-bike is a full-suspension commuter that can also do some light off-roading. Riders have the choice between 29-inch street rims or a set of 26-inch 630 fat rims for sand or snow. At 42 lb it is lighter than many similar e-bikes. It has twin-disc hydraulic brakes and Creek DB Coil shocks at either end. The 504 Wh battery and 250W Shimano motor generate 70 Nm (52 lb-ft) of torque and is capable of propelling the bike to speeds of 15.5 mph. The price is not yet been announced.
Grizzly: Ariel Rider is behind this dual-motor, dual-battery, “motocross level” off-road e-bike. Two Samsung-celled 52-V battery packs power two 750W, 80 Nm (59 lb-ft) motors enabling the Grizzly to reach a top speed of over 30 mph and giving it a range of 75 miles without peddle-assist. The Grizzly has hydraulic Tektro disc brakes with motor cutoff switches, and front and rear rebound damping adjustment suspension, fat 20×4-inch puncture-resistant tires, front and rear fenders, motorcycle-style headlight and brake lights, a kickstand, a USB charging port and a color LED screen and fold-out passenger footpegs. The cost is $2,799.
RDR E-bike: Trefecta is the Dutch company behind the RDR and they are known for their military e-bikes. The RDR has a huge 1,480 Watt-hour battery pack that affords an incredible 124-mile range. The motor is a 120 Nm (88.5 lb-ft) mid-drive built by Germany’s TQ is capable of powering the e-bike to a top speed of 28 mph. Power runs via a Gates carbon belt drive to an Enviolo Sport 360 internally geared rear hub. The massive aluminum frame, Magura Boltron suspension, Magura MT hydraulics floating disc brakes, and BluBrake eBike ABS system are all high end. However, the robust frame and components make the bike heavy at 75 lbs. The price is $9,360
Oyo E-Bike: Designed by electric mobility startup BC Bikes, this aluminum-framed e-bike has internally routed cables, a smartphone-activated anti-theft system, and Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. What makes this bike unique is its drive train. Instead of a chain or belt, this low maintenance system uses pedal power to pump hydraulic fluid as part of an auto-shifting hydraulic drivetrain. There are five levels of electric assistance and a 250-watt bottom bracket electric motor that enable this bike to achieve a top speed of 16 mph. Integrated sensors continuously monitor speed, cadence, and torque, automatically adjusting the gearing accordingly. The planned retail price is $3,599.
Hubless Reevo: Designed by Seattle’s Beno, this low-cost, single-speed, spoke-free e-bike offers a novel drive system that gets power from both the pedal crank and 750W electric motor,. The 500 watt-hour battery gives the Reevo a range of around 37 miles. What makes this e-bike truly unique is that it does not have conventional tires, instead, it has kenda hoops and rim-mounted brakes. The bike has a built-in wheel lock that is unlocked with a fingerprint sensor. There are anti-theft sensors and GPS tracking. The Reevo also has a retractable, hidden kickstand and a phone cradle that turns your smartphone into the dash. Lighting is supplied by “autonomous” LED lighting to the front and rear wheels in the form of a low-slung headlight, brake lights and rear indicators that turn themselves on automatically in low light conditions. The cost is $1,999.
Fiido D11: This attractive foldable Chinese electric bike is both compact and affordable. It is somewhat under-powered and on the small side but it is nonetheless ideal for urban commutes and it boasts a range of 62 miles due to a large seat post that houses a 418Wh (36V 11.6A)battery . However, there is no easy way to lock the battery, but at a price of $999, the Fiido D11 is among the least expensive e-bikes on the market.
Cowboy 3: This good looking third-generation city commuter from Belgium has a range of safety features including automatic crash detection (an industry first}, puncture-resistant tires and built in brake lights. Insurance is available for a monthly fee and comes with theft detection notification and anti-theft protection, however the find my bike feature is free. Cowboy 3, has a 250W single-speed rear-hub motor and 360Wh 21700 lithium-ion battery cells that offer a 43 mile range The top speed is 15.5mph and it has hydraulic disc brakes and robust tires. It weighs in at 37 pounds, 4 ounces and offers excellent natural pedal assist and free Cowboy Mobil Service during the first two years. It can also route you around areas with poor air quality. The cost of the Cowboy 3 is $2,665
Freicycle Ebike: Germany’s Dr. Dennis Freiburg is the mechanical engineer behind the Freicycle, the world’s lightest electric bike which weighs only 15 lb. This e-bike has a carbon frame, crank and rims. It also has 3D printed pedals and brake calipers and is powered by a 600-watt friction drive motor mounted against the real wheel that was originally designed for a model helicopter. When unlocked the 137-Wh battery can propel this e-bike to speeds up to 30 mph and it has a range between 12-22 miles. The project as a whole costs $23,790 to realize.
Revonte E-bike: This powerful Finnish prototype is described as the next generation of e-bikes. It has integrated electronics, motor and automatic stepless transmission into a new compact drive system with open control software. It’s rated at 250 watts nominal, but makes 90 Nm (66 lb-ft) of torque and can peak at 1,500 watts. It also has an onboard computer, GPS chip, Bluetooth comms, secure APIs and customizable plug-in pre-written modules. Revonte is primarily a drivetrain supplier so it is teaming up with bike manufacturers Tunturi (Finland) and Lavelle Bikes (UK). There is as yet no publicly available pricing information.
Byar Volta: This urban commuter is a Dutch e-bike with a luxurious flair. It is chainless and shaft driven and includes internal hub gearing and an integrated anti-theft features that enables the bike to be remotely disabled and tracked. It has an oversized rear hub that incorporates a 250W motor; (made by Zehus), controller, Bluetooth, GPS; sensors (to measure torque, slope, and cadence); and an automatically recharging 160Wh battery. One of the advantages of this design is that it does not require much maintenance. The battery is recharged when you back peddle and through regenerative braking associated. With full time peddle assist the bike has a range of 22 miles but with more peddling that range can be extended to 100 miles and in what is called the Bike+ mode the battery can be fully recharged (however you can feel resistance in this mode). The top speed is 25 km/h (16 mph).The aluminum-framed Volta weighs in at 50 lb and the cost is around $4000.
Furosystems Aventa: This London based no-frills commuter e-bike has three versions. The entry level Aventa Pure has mechanical disc brakes, a 7.8Ah 281Wh battery, and a miniature LCD display. The standard Aventa has a 10.4Ah 375Wh battery, hydraulic disc brakes, and full-sized LCD display The longer range Aventa Max is the same as the standard with the exception of its 14Ah 504Wh battery. All three come with mudguards, bell, luggage rack, kickstand, and front and rear lights. According to Furosystems the 281Wh battery is capable of more than 25 miles of range. The Bafang motor fitted to the rear wheel hub can generate 500W of peak power so while the top speed is limited to16 mph it can be overridden. The Avanta lacks integrated security but it is also less expensive than many of its rivals with a price that ranges between $2,147 and $2,753.
Lekker X E-Bike This stylish Dutch-inspired Australian commuter has a hydroformed 6061 aluminum step-thru chassis and smoothed over welds. Features include front and rear racks, front and rear mudguards, and a kickstand. The Lekker X makes use of a 250 watt Bafang hub drive motor mounted to the front wheel (the maximum torque output is 42Nm) and a 36v / 11.6Ah Samsung semi-integrated battery system that gives it a range of 37-50 miles per battery cycle (but it can go well over 60 miles when used at lower assistance levels). It has Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal geared hub mated to a single 42T chainring upfront and the hydraulic E-350 electric cut-off brakes are made by Tektro. It also has a handlebar-mounted LCD screen, Kenda tires and weighs in at 50 lb. The cost is $1,657
Calamus One: This prototype bike has three proposed models – the One-25, One-50 and One-75 which come with a 250-, 500- or 750-watt Bafang mid-drive motor, respectively. Power is provided by a removable lithium battery, that offers a range of either 50 or 60 miles. The top assisted speed ranges from 15.5 to 20 mph. It has a unibody anodized aircraft aluminum frame and a weight from 46 to 52 lb. The smart features, include a weatherproof touchscreen control panel with built-in Google Maps navigation; turn indicators at the ends of the handlebars; a fingerprint scanner for locking and unlocking the drive system; a GPS chip that allows the bike to be tracked if stolen; and a security system that both sounds an alarm and notifies the rider via an app. The Calamus One: has a suspension system (fork head and seat post), Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, internal cable routing, a Gates carbon belt drive, and an automatic 500-lumen lighting system. Electronic gear-shifting is supplied by either a Shimano Nexus 8 or Rohloff e-14 rear hub transmission. If it reaches production the planned retail prices are $3,220 to $3,820.
