Electric bikes are a cheap and convenient way to travel. Due to its electric battery and need for charging, you may have asked yourself this question several times: How much does it cost to charge an electric bike? To get the right answer to that question, you have to take into account other factors. Since electric bike batteries won't last forever, it's important to factor in the cost of replacement.

In this article, I'll break down all the numbers for you. The US has an electricity cost of $21.17 per year and a charge of 5 cents per charge. It costs more to keep an electric bike charged over the course of a year in the United States than in China or India, where it costs just 3 cents per charge.

There were, however, a lot of other factors to consider when estimating the cost. The cost varies depending on the battery capacity, voltage, and the local electricity rate. Charging batteries with a higher voltage and capacity is more expensive.

Are Electric Bike Batteries Expensive?

Knowing the cost of a new battery is important when purchasing an electric bicycle or replacing an old electric bike battery in an existing bicycle.  How much are they? Let's find out.

A new high-quality electric bike battery can cost anywhere from $500 to $900+, depending on the brand and capacity. A 400-700Wh battery would fit the bill. The following electric bike, for example, would cost you around $800, of which a significant portion goes to the battery.

Name-brand batteries are significantly more expensive per Wh than high-quality off-brand batteries.

How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Bike?

To find out how much does it cost to charge an electric bike, you'll need three pieces of information. You can calculate the charging cost of your battery manually as well:

• The battery voltage
• The amp hour of the battery
• Your local electrical rates

You should know the voltage and amp hour rating of your battery. If it isn't listed, try searching online, in the manual, or by contacting the manufacturer.

Check online to find your local electrical rates. If you are having trouble finding it, contact your local power company or check your electric bill.

The cost per charge is calculated as follows:

1.Multiply voltage (V) by ampere-hours (Ah) to get watt-hours (Wh).
For example, 48V x 8.8Ah = 422.4Wh.
2.Divide the Wh (from step 1) by 1000 to calculate Kilowatt Hours.
As an example, 422.4 watts divided by 1000 equals 0.4224 watts
3.Multiply the KWh (from step 2) by your local electric rate per KWh
For example, 0.4224 KWh x $0.1284 (2019 USA average) equals 0.05423616 or approximately 5.4 cents.

How Much Electricity Does It Take to Charge an Electric Bike?

A battery generally takes 500-800 watt-hours (equivalent to 0.4 - 0.8 kilowatt-hours) to get charged, depending on its capacity. According to a $0.10/kWh rate (in the US), a charge that lasts 20-80 miles will cost you 5-8 cents.

How to Reduce Electric Bike Battery Cost?

If possible, get a more efficient battery. If this is relevant, consider switching to a lithium-ion battery instead of a lead-acid battery. Don't buy a new battery and discard the old one, just to get a few more miles from one charge. This would be more expensive in the long run, and it would also negatively impact the environment. If you own an electric bike, you probably know how discarded batteries affect the environment.

What if you aren't particularly eco-conscious, and you are merely interested in saving money at all costs? Why not use someone else's electricity? Bring your battery to work and have it charged there. Tell your boss that you can get the job done for less than 5 cents.

What would be the best way to implement regenerative breaking into your electric bike setup? Reducing electricity consumption may result in short-term savings, but they will not be enough to support your children through college or provide a good return on investment. However, it may lower your overall charging costs. Several sources claim that regenerative braking can increase the range of your electric bike by 5-10%. You can save money on your electric bill.

Don't take so many showers! Before you dismiss my explanation as flimsy, please listen to me out. Electric bikes require less effort than gas-powered ones, so you're likely to sweat less. Electric bikes are inexpensive, and showers consume a lot of energy. Showers typically consume 8-10 kWh, which is 21 to 27 times as much energy as the battery in our example. Thus, a 3-minute shower could cost more than a full electric bike charge.

Shopping around will help you find better deals. The fastest way to reduce your electricity bills is to switch providers. Charging your battery at a higher rate per unit (kWh) will reduce your overall cost.

If you can, charge during off-peak hours. Energy providers usually offer discounts during peak times to encourage customers to use less energy during off-peak hours (approx. 9 pm to 7 am). Charging your battery would be a good idea right now.

Finally, it goes without saying that you should use renewable energy when possible to charge your battery. With renewable energy devices, more and more households are taking advantage of the long-term environmental and energy savings they provide. The fact that you're minimizing your carbon footprint will give you peace of mind, even if the savings aren't substantial for a single battery charge for an electric bike.

conclusion

Following this write-up, I hope you are no longer scratching your head wondering how much does it cost to charge an electric bike. Electric bikes are some of the cheapest modes of transportation, as you clearly understand. You should also factor in the cost of tires and inner tubes. By using your electric bike at the lowest power level, you can extend the range of your electric bike and even ride it without a battery.

Electric bikes are extremely inexpensive to charge when compared to other forms of powered transportation, no matter where you live. You can keep your electric bike charged and moving for a year or more for the cost of a tank of gas.