When someone hears electric bicycle, the first image they imagine may be a scooter or electric motorcycle - but they actually look pretty different. Just picture a regular bicycle, then add several electrical components to it like a motor, a battery, and a controller – all seamlessly integrated into the design. These items make up the fundamentals of all electric bicycles on the market!
Electric bikes pedal and handle just like a regular bicycle. By and large, an electric bike will use the same parts too. The electric component is meant to augment human power, not completely replace it. It makes obstacles like hills and headwind more manageable and allows you to travel further without getting as tired.
See our diagram for a more detailed look at how electric bikes work including the motor, battery, drivetrain, and charging process:
Comfort and quality of the components are still as important on an electric bike as they are on a regular bicycle. But now, there are a few more things you need to consider.
Electric bike motors come in a wide variety of power ratings, from 200W to 1,000W or more. The legal limit in the US is 750W, although different states can set their own limits.
Think of this limit kind of like horsepower. A higher rating means that the bike will be able to pull more weight with greater ease – but at the expense of using more battery capacity while doing so. Consequently, a 750W motor will drain the battery much quicker than a 250W one, but it will be more powerful.
One more factor needs to be considered, however. The design and location of the motor plays an important role in how electric bikes work.
The most common type of motor for electric bikes is called a hub motor. It is generally integrated into the rear or front wheel. When engaged, it pulls or pushes the wheel along. Although this system works well, it has one key disadvantage. Since it is not connected to the bike’s gears, it loses efficiency on hills and varied terrain. Imagine driving a vehicle in just one gear the entire day. It will get you places, but it won’t give you the optimum amount of torque or speed that you get with a full gear range.
At EVELO, we offer a patented mid-drive motor, which is integrated with the crank and the gears. This adds several advantages:
Increased performance while spending less battery energy, since the mid-drive motor uses the bike’s existing gears;
Much better hill climbing power, since you can switch gears depending on the incline; and
Handling is improved, since the motor is positioned closer to the ground, keeping the weight centered and low.
Since the battery affects the weight, style, and range of the bike, its choice is crucial. Batteries play a huge part in how electric bikes work. The majority of the batteries you’ll find offered on the market fall into one of the following two categories:
These batteries were once the standard battery type for most electric scooters and electric bicycles. These days, most electric scooters still use SLA batteries, while electric bikes (which often require human input) have opted for newer battery technologies to keep the bike as lightweight as possible.
Inexpensive
Heavy and bulky
Offer a shorter riding range
Shorter life span of about 100-300 full cycle charges
Require more maintenance, and need to be charged immediately after use
These are the newest technology in batteries. A lithium battery has a lifetime roughly 2-3 times that of an SLA battery. Lithium batteries are much lighter and also are largely maintenance-free.
Lightweight – high-capacity, 36V10Ah Lithium-Polymer batteries can weigh as little as 6 pounds!
Offer a longer riding range – battery can travel up to 40 miles in pedal-assist mode (or 20 miles on throttle-only).
Longer life span of about 800 charges or 3 years of virtually daily use
More expensive – starting at about $1,500 to $3,000 and above
Available in a variety of styles, the controller lets you operate the electric assistance on your electric bike and is an important part in how electric bikes work. The controller is located on the handlebar for ease of use. There are two main styles of controllers – pedal-activated and throttle-based controllers.
Pedal-activated systems offer electric assistance as you press down on the pedals. There is no need to engage a throttle – simple pedaling will do the trick. Electric bikes with pedal-activated systems have a controller mounted on the handlebar that lets you adjust the level of assistance that you receive as you pedal. You can dial in the amount of assistance you want, ranging from no assistance to a great deal of assistance.
Throttle-based controllers work with a simple throttle mechanism. The throttle will either be a twist-grip type or a thumb-press type. With a throttle, you simply pull back or press the throttle to receive the electric assistance. Some electric bikes require nothing more than activating the throttle, allowing you to ride without pedaling.
By and large, electric bikes are simple to use, ride, and maintain. Overall, they require little maintenance beyond that which a standard bike requires.
Electric bicycles are designed to be very easy to operate. As a rider, you have three modes of operation available to you:
At any time, you can pedal an electric bicycle just as you would with a regular one. There is no extra resistance created by the motor, so it will feel exactly as a regular bicycle would. Depending on the model you purchase, your bicycle will come either with a 3 gears or 8 gears or a special NuVinci® N360™ internal drivetrain that provides you with unlimited gears.
In this mode, you can take advantage of combined human plus electric power. Once you turn on this mode via the on/off button on the handlebars, the motor will gently provide electric power as you pedal. You can still switch gears as the terrain changes to take advantage of more torque or faster speed. It’s an amazing feeling to use pedal-assist mode, as it makes cycling effortless, flattens out the hills, and frees you to just enjoy yourself and the scenery.
Pedal-assist mode provides three levels of assistance: Low (30%), Medium (60%) and High (100%). The percentage simply indicates how much additional power the motor will provide to complement your pedaling. The low setting adds an additional 30% of power to your pedaling, while High essentially doubles it. A simple press of a button switches you through the different levels.
This mode of operation allows you to sit back and take a break, as you let the motor do the work. To use “electric only” mode, simply twist the throttle located on the left handlebar and you’ll feel the motor kick in and propel you forward. Keep the throttle turned to continue along or let go if you’re ready to start pedaling or wish to come to a stop. Please note that due to Federal regulations, the top speed in electric-only mode is limited to 20 miles per hour.
Electric bikes are still a fairly new concept in the US, so there is a lot of confusion about how the law views them. Federal law considers electric bicycles in the class as regular bicycles, provided they meet two conditions: (1) the top speed in “electric only” mode is 20 miles per hour; and (2) the motor power must be no more than 750W.
EVELO electric bicycles meet both of the federal requirements. We cap the top speed in “electric only” mode at 20 miles per hour, although you can of course go faster on your bike with pedal power if you wish. Our motors are rated at 250W, which is well within federal limits.
Consequently, electric bikes do not need a special registration, license, or insurance to operate. Moreover, they enjoy the same privileges as regular bicycles, such as being allowed to travel in available bike lanes.
However, different states have their own special requirements regarding electric bike use. While most follow the federal lead, some do vary. If you have questions about how electric bikes work in your state, you can get in touch with us and we’ll point you in the direction to find out additional information for your state. For your own personal safety, we recommend helmet use and lights and reflecting gear, even if the law does not specifically require them.
What powers an electric bike motor, and how does that power translate to speed? What types of motors are there? Why are there different placements for motors on different e-bikes — on the wheels or by the pedals?
Here’s what you need to know about how e-bike motors work.
Looking for something in particular? Jump ahead to the section you want to check out:
How Does The Motor Work On An E-Bike?
Hub Motors vs. Mid-Drive Motors For Electric Bikes
E-Bike Motor Placement: Rear, Mid-Drive, Or Front
What About Motor Wattage?
The motor is an important part of your e-bike’s electrical system — but it doesn’t work alone!
When you engage your e-bike’s throttle — or pedal with your pedal assist system activated — those components first send a signal to your e-bike’s controller.
Wait — what’s a controller?
Think of the controller like your e-bike’s brain: it receives instructions from the rider via the display or throttle, figures out what needs to be done, and sends commands to the battery and motor to carry out those instructions.
When the controller signals the battery, the battery sends an appropriate amount of power to the motor.
That amount is determined by the amount the rider engages the throttle, the speed at which they’re pedaling, and/or the level of pedal assistance they’ve selected.
Additionally, for e-bikes with a torque sensor, the amount of force with which the rider pedals also helps regulate the amount of power sent to the motor!
There are 3 main types of motors available for electric bikes. Two of them fall into the category of “hub motors” while the other — “mid-drive” — stands alone. Let’s take a look at each type.
Based on the name, you might think that geared hub motors leverage the mechanical gears on your bike for power — but that’s actually not the case!
The hub is a cylindrical case located on an e-bike’s wheel (usually the rear wheel), and the “geared” part refers to a set of gears within the hub. These gears regulate the speed at which the motor turns, which ensures that the motor delivers the correct amount of torque needed to power your e-bike. That amount of power can be anything from just a little boost up to your e-bike’s maximum assisted speed.
Geared hub motors are usually found on Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes, which cap out at 20mph with motor assistance. That’s because these motors are well suited to provide lots of torque (force), but aren’t as impressive at the Class 3 e-bike’s faster speeds of up to 28mph.
Geared hub motors are an excellent choice for:
Just note that, like your e-bike’s mechanical gears, the gears inside a hub motor do require maintenance and eventual replacement. This can happen more quickly if you engage in high-torque rides often.
Direct-drive hub motors do not feature any gears within the hub. Instead, the hub itself is the motor that turns the wheel using electromagnetic force.
One half of the hub contains magnets; the other contains wires that transmit power from the battery. The electric current coming through the wires activates movement thanks to the magnets, causing the hub to turn.
They’re a great choice for…
Be aware that direct-drive hub motors are heavier than geared hub motors, which adds some weight to your bike. They’re also less energy-efficient overall.
Mid-drive motors are the only e-bike motor style that doesn’t feature a hub.
Instead, the motor is integrated into the pedals and crankset. It turns the chain, rather than the wheel.
Like a geared-hub motor, the mid-drive motor regulates the speed at which the motor turns. The difference is that a mid-drive motor uses the e-bike’s mechanical gears to do so, whereas a geared hub motor uses a unique set of gears integrated into the hub itself, separate from the e-bike’s mechanical gears.
It’s said that out of all motor types, e-bikes with mid-drive motors offer the best balance. That’s due to the fact that a motor is among the heavier components of an e-bike, which means that placing it on the front or rear of the bike can shift the bike’s center of gravity forward or back.
Instead, the mid-drive motor’s low central location between the pedals of a bike offers better balance and a feel more akin to riding a traditional bike.
Mid-drive motors are ideal for…
Most Magnum Bikes feature either geared-hub or direct-drive hub motors. But in 2023, Magnum launched its first models with mid-drive motors
Our mid-drive models stand out from the pack in a few key ways:
They feature both pedal-assist systems and throttles — throttles aren’t often seen on e-bikes with mid-drive motors
They are truly high-torque motors — while other e-bikes claim high levels of torque at 90Nm (Newton-meters), ours give a whopping 130Nm of torque!
About half of our models feature direct-drive hub motors, including:
The rest are geared hub motors, including:
There are 3 different placements for the motor on an e-bike, and each comes with unique features.
Front-motor e-bikes are located on the front wheel and are always direct-drive motors. Their placement on the front wheel means the motor turns the wheel itself. They’re also usually lower in wattage than mid-drive or rear motors — typically 350W or below.
Mid-drive motors are integrated into the e-bike’s crankset. Mid motors are typically direct-drive and power the crankset instead of the wheel.
A unique feature of mid-drive motors is that the motor and battery are placed right next to each other. This proximity translates all power coming from the battery directly to the motor with virtually no loss of power through the electrical system.
Rear-motor hub e-bikes may be either geared or direct-drive. While servicing rear motors can be a bit complex due to their integration with the rear wheel, brakes, etc., they provide excellent power with higher wattage levels compared to front-motor and some mid-motor bikes.
Rear-motor placement also makes e-bikes appear the most similar to traditional bikes, though battery placement also influences this.
When it comes to our geared hub and direct-drive motors, Magnum exclusively offers rear-wheel hub placement. But we’ve also introduced 2 powerful mid-drive motors to our line-up, prioritizing power and balance.
A Bafang rear-mounted gear hub motor on our Magnum Cosmo.
Wattage plays a big role in your motor’s characteristics and performance — too big of a role to fit here! So check out our post, E-Bike Motors: 350W vs. 500W vs. 750W, to learn more about the role wattage plays in your ride.
If you have any more questions about your e-bike motor, we’re here for you! Check out our support articles on Motor Mechanics or contact our support team.