How does an electric bicycle work? (2025)

An electric bicycle: it is A normal bicycle, but with an engine on it! There are enough moving pieces on these vehicles for personal mobility to make the purchase of a confused one. Even if you are quite sure you know what an electric bicycle AND“And you are not guiding, let’s say, an electric motorcycle from a dealership – technology changes almost every day.

Over the past 10 years, the battery capacity has increased by about 50 percent, according to Joe Buckley, the product manager for E-Montain electronic bikes at Specialized. In addition to the energy of the monster battery, the engines are also becoming more robust. “Motor Power is a great topic right now and is seen by many cyclists as one of the most important features when considering their purchase,” says Buckley.

The exciting developments are on the horizon, but it doesn’t matter how Ebike evolves, a rule remains firm: buy a bike from a manufacturer that offers good customer support. “At one point your bike will need a service,” says Buckley, “and the lack of support from the brand means more money from the pilot and less time by bike”.

Here are the five main parts of the power supply system of an electric bicycle: battery, sensor, engine, display and remote. For more information, take a look at how to buy an electric bike or how to rent an electric bike.

The battery powers the bike

Photography: Adrienne SO

The battery is the proverbial gas bike gas: it powers the engine and auxiliary components such as lights. Most ebikes use rechargeable lithium -ion batteries (lithium). The best lithium -ion batteries are characterized by their long duration, lighter weight and greater energy density. The worst are scarcely made, not tested and can be a danger of fire, then check the United States Commission for the safety of consumer products Recent security calls and battery practices page before buying an EBIKE.

For an excellent detailed explanation on how a lithium -ion battery works, visit the Department of Energy of the United States. The important takeaway on lithium ion batteries for electric bicycles is that they are measured by both their energy density and by the power density. THE energy densityor the amount of energy that a battery can archive is measured in watt-hour per kilogram (WH/kg).

Power density It is the amount of energy that can be generated by the battery and is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg). A good way to view the difference between the two is the use of the analogy of draining a swimming pool: the energy density is equivalent to the size of the swimming pool, while the power density measures the speed with which the swimming pool can download.