Electric bikes are a better and cheaper alternative to other transportation options like cars or buses. An electric bike grants you the opportunity to explore the town, go to work with ease, avoid traffic jams, and exercise.
But, how much does it cost to charge an e bike?
It is quite cheap to charge an electric bike. The average cost to charge an electric bike is between 4-12 cents per charge. Nevertheless, the charging cost is also dependent on your battery voltage, capacity, and local electrical rates.
The Charging Costs of an Electric Bike in Different Countries
The cost to charge an e-bike varies among countries. For example, to charge an electric bike in China or India costs 3 cents per charge with a yearly cost of $13.03.
It costs 5 cents per charge in the US with a yearly cost of $21.17 to charge an electric bike.
The UK keeps its charging costs at the higher end of the scale by charging an electric bike 8 cents per charge with a yearly cost of $35.83.
Germany has the highest cost to charge an electric bike with 12 cents per charge and a yearly cost of $53.75.
Also is no specific amount of time to charge your e-bike per month/week/year. You can charge it whenever the electric bike indicates it. Most electric bikes usually have indicators for the charge of the battery. It is advisable to get those kinds of electric bikes.
How To Calculate the Cost per Charge of Electric Bikes
Cost per charge simply means the overall cost you need to pay for a single charge of your e-bike. It is important to know the cost per charge because it will give you an estimated amount you will spend on charging your bike.
There are 3 factors you need to know before calculating the cost per charge. They are:
- The voltage of the battery
- The amp hours of the battery
- The local electrical rate
Please note that batteries with higher voltage and capacity will cost more to charge.
The next possible question is how we will find the value of these factors.
The voltage and amp hour rating can be found on the battery’s body. If you can not find it there, you can try Googling it or simply reach out to the manufacturer.
The local electrical rate can be easily found online, and if you can not find it there, check your local electric bill or contact your electricity providers/power supply company.
Follow these 3 steps to calculate the cost per charge of an electric bike:
- Multiply the voltage (V) and amp-hour (Ah) to get watt-hours (Wh)
- Divide the watt-hours (Wh) from step 1 by 1000 to get kilowatt-hours (KWh)
- Multiply the KWh from step 2 by your local electrical rates per kilowatt-hours (KWh)
That is how to calculate the cost per charge of an electric bike.
Example:
Calculate the cost per charge of an electric bike with a battery capacity of 30 volts and 10 Amp-hours with a US electrical rate of 13.72 cents.
Solution:
By using the steps above:
- 30 V x 1o Ah = 300 Wh
- 300 Wh/1000 = 0.3 KWh
- 0.3 x 13.72 = 4.116 cents.
Factoring in the Battery Cost of an Electric Bike
Although it is inexpensive to charge electric bike batteries, there is a cost that should not be overlooked. Once bought, an electric bike battery may last up to 2-10 years depending on the type, the cycles it provides us, how far we travel, and how often we charge it.
Electric bike batteries can only be charged so many cycles before they need to be replaced. Therefore, to factor in battery cost, we will need:
- The cost of your battery
- The average number of cycles a battery has
For example, a newly bought battery with a price of $200 with 400 cycles in total. To factor in the battery cost, you will take the value of your battery price and divide it by the number of average cycles of that battery.
I.e. $200/400 cycles = $0.5.
It may seem a bit more expensive than the value of charging an e-bike, but it still depends on what type of battery we have purchased and how many times we charge our battery.
How To Reduce the Cost To Charge an Electric Bike Battery
Even if the charging cost of electronic bikes is minimum, there are some ways you can reduce electricity costs and energy consumption. Here are some ways you can save money:
1. Buy a More Efficient Battery
One way to reduce the charging cost is by getting a high-efficiency battery with low resistance. If it is relevant, you can decide to upgrade from lead-acid to a lithium-ion battery. This will give you lesser power loss and more miles per charge.
2. Always Charge at Off Peak Hours
Electricity provider charges cheaper rates during off-peak hours (approx. 9 pm to 7 am) to encourage reduced electricity consumption during peak times. Hence, charging your battery during this period will cost less and save more
3. Get Renewable Energy Devices
Buying renewable energy devices like solar systems or panels is one great way to save costs. These devices are getting cheaper and more popular. It is good to make use of this long-term electrical cost savings.
4. Implement Regenerative Braking
Regenerative braking is a way of recovering waste energy from slowing down a vehicle and using the recovered energy to charge its battery. This is effective in reducing energy usage in e-bikes.
Conclusion
To sum it up, owning an electric bicycle is of great significance because it is one of the cheapest modes of transportation and its maintenance is relatively inexpensive.
Besides the charging cost, you should also consider other important cost factors, like the replacement cost, tires, and inner tube costs.
The battery is the heart and power source of the controller. Therefore, if it is not fully charged, the bike will not be able to give its best performance. It is important to know how to calculate the cost per charge and the ways to reduce the cost of charging an e-bike.
Lastly, you can significantly extend your range by using electric bicycles at the lowest power.
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