Ebiking is cheap!

Mike B · Jul 10, 2012

Comes up all the time, ebikes are too expensive. I think they are really cool, but just too expensive.

So, I did a little figuring and it turns out that gas bikes are expensive, ebikes are cheap. Or rather I should say ebiking is cheap.

Lets look at the most expensive part of an ebike, the lithium battery. A 15 AH 48 V unit will set you back $600. But it will take you 30 miles on a charge and you can charge it 1000 times. It will take ~1 KWH of energy to charge the battery and that costs 15 cents here at the most expensive rate.

So lets look at 1 battery's worth of riding, 30,000 miles

EBike
Battery - $600
1000 KWH of electricity - $150
Cost to ride 30,000 miles - $750

Gas bike at 100 miles per gallon
300 gallons of gas at $4/gal - $1,200

How about that?

The_Aleman · Jul 11, 2012

It might be worth more than $450 to someone for the convenience of being able to refuel anywhere, quickly during that 30,000 mile run.

30,000 miles in a year = ~82.2 miles a day. So you'd have to plug that ebike for recharging 3x a day for 365 days. And wait every time.

That $450 difference works out to $1.23 a day. The gas biker only had to refuel once or twice in a day, depending on tank capacity.

BarelyAWake · Jul 11, 2012

Flawed counter example, the point was only that the initial investment in quality battery packs can actually provide a return in fuel savings during equivalent usage.

There's different tools for different jobs, you can't fault a screwdriver for being a lousy hammer. Yes, if you wish to actually ride 100 miles a day then you should most likely stick with gasbikes for their refueling convenience, no one has attempted to state otherwise. However, for the commonplace around town & daily commuting use recharge vs refueling time is often a moot point.

A more appropriate counter would be to ascertain which ICE would be efficient enough to have a lessened cost per mile in fuel consumption vs the cost of replacement battery packs.

The_Aleman · Jul 11, 2012

Ha! If my counter-point is flawed, than the original point is as well. OP said "gas biking is expensive, ebiking is cheap". I was arguing that based on the example he provided.

No need to get so defensive about your ebikes. I have nothing against them, but just because it costs a few cents to recharge doesn't necessarily make it cheaper.

BarelyAWake · Jul 11, 2012

I am not defensive *shakes fist*

TBH I wasn't tho - it's just all too often the CPM, the fuel vs battery discussion gets derailed by other indirect aspects such as individual interests & usage. Mike was simply trying to suggest the initial price, the "sticker shock" associated with batteries isn't as bad as it seems in the long run.

Recharge time vs refuel time doesn't actually factor into cost per mile - that's a classic example of a "straw man" argument. It's a valid concern, but it's a matter of convenience... or inconvenience as the case may be and not directly relevant to fuel costs.

"A more appropriate counter would be to ascertain which ICE would be efficient enough to have a lessened cost per mile in fuel consumption vs the cost of replacement battery packs." As well as the fact that gasoline isn't always "$4/gal" and is actually less than that around here at least... I think (I haven't purchased any for a couple of months lol)... & for now anyway - but that marginal reduction in price per gallon adds up to quite a bit in Mike's 30,000 mile example *shrug*

paul · Jul 11, 2012

wow .15 a kw. we are at .35 to .40. i charge mine in the condo shop and at work so i dont pay to charge my bike lol. however i look at all the time and energy put into my gas bikes compared to an electric one and that is worth its weight in gold to me.

professor · Jul 11, 2012

What about the guy who doesn't ride the 30 thousand miles and only gets 3 or 4 years out of the battery? The math looks real different.
This is wild- I use an industrial ride- on pallet jack at work. The big, thousand pound battery was 16 years old and still worked (lost some zap after that time) when I had it replaced.
I love the electric machine. Here is a win - win application.

NormO · Jul 11, 2012

You also can't really put a price on reliability. When i was using MBs as a cheap means of transportation. Electric always got me to where i was going and back home again. No breakdowns no problems. Can't say that about gas bikes. Plus there was no tingling hands and numb butt. I didn't get to where i was going as fast as if i was using a gas bike. but it was constant motion. Sometimes sitting on the side of the road figuring out what happened took up more time anyway.

Mike B · Jul 11, 2012

The cost becomes the same at 30 cents a KWH and $3 / gallon.

Yes, if you want to ride a hundred miles, that's going to be tough on an ebike.

But if say your work is within 30 miles, ebikeing would be perfect cause you could charge at work.

paul · Jul 11, 2012

also trips to store and everything else. i have not had one person know that thier is a motor on my e-bike unless they see me moving. they walk by and say good looking bicycle and have no idea it is motorized. i use it for going everywhere. i havnt put gas in car in over 2 weeks. range is not a problem for me and i don't think it would be in the states either. i just don't go that far but i sure am racking up the miles

george_n_texas · Jul 11, 2012

If you live in an rv and pay rent in an rv park then the fuel is FREE cause most rv parks don't even meter the electric. Pretty cool if you are living on a fixed income!

NormO · Jul 11, 2012

Mike B said:
ebikeing would be perfect cause you could charge at work.

Depends on where you work. There is no electrical outlets available back in the woods that i'm aware of.

george_n_texas · Jul 11, 2012

Well depends on what work you do if you are a trucker you clould easily charge up off an inverter if not a small generator for like $100 would charge it. Then again you could catch a squirell & put him in a wheel run connected to a generator LOL

<<<<watched too much Gilligan's Island

MotorBicycleRacing · Jul 11, 2012

george_n_texas said:
Well depends on what work you do if you are a trucker you clould easily charge up off an inverter if not a small generator for like $100 would charge it.

So using an eBike needs a $100 gas motor kind of like the motors we use on our gas powered motorized bikes?

It never fails to amuse me when the ebike racers show up with huge gas powered generators.

NormO · Jul 11, 2012

Personally i find nothing wrong with planning ahead a little bit. What is wrong with carrying a fully charged battery or two with you ? Charge them up whenever you can. I don't think it's any worse than carrying extra fuel. May actually be a little less hazardous.

MotorBicycleRacing · Jul 11, 2012

NormO said:
Personally i find nothing wrong with planning ahead a little bit. What is wrong with carrying a fully charged battery or two with you ? Charge them up whenever you can. I don't think it's any worse than carrying extra fuel. May actually be a little less hazardous.

Lets look at the most expensive part of an ebike, the lithium battery. A 15 AH 48 V unit will set you back $600

So the original post should have said:
Two 15 AH 48 V units will set you back $1200

Then you will have a 60 mile range.

NormO · Jul 11, 2012

Where is it written that you must have lithium batteries ?

Mike B · Jul 11, 2012

The lithium battery is really what makes the ebike viable.

george_n_texas · Jul 11, 2012

IDK you troll all over a lake with a deep cycle battery I know they are heavy but pullin batteries on a trailer I would think would work long as you don't have steep hills maybe but on the flat...

NormO · Jul 11, 2012

Nimh believe it or not, is also a decent alternative to lead acid. I've had great luck with them.

Ibedayank · Jul 11, 2012

george_n_texas said:
IDK you troll all over a lake with a deep cycle battery I know they are heavy but pullin batteries on a trailer I would think would work long as you don't have steep hills maybe but on the flat...

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=02827494000

Height (In.): 9.5
Item Weight (lbs.): 46
Length (in.): 11
Width (in.): 6.875
Battery Type:
Group Size: 24m
Power Ratings:
Amp Hours at 20 Hour Rate: 80
24 volt system=92 pounds
36 volt system =138 pounds
48 volt system = 184 pounds
60 volt system = 232 pounds
72 volt system = 278 pounds
Now its just me but I do not see a regular Bicycle trailer being able to haul this much weight or a hub motor being able to pull it
not all that much power compared to the weight

Ebiking is cheap!

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