How Far Will One Charge Take You?
The sticker range assumes Eco mode on a flat road with no wind. Enter how you actually ride.
Estimated Range
| Assist level | Wh per mile | Miles per charge |
|---|---|---|
| Eco | 9 | 50 |
| Tour / standard | 13 | 35 |
| Sport / high | 18 | 25 |
| Turbo / boost | 24 | 19 |
| Throttle only | 28 | 16 |
Planning estimate, not a promise. Cost per mile at this setting: 0.3 cents. Keep 20% in reserve on a ride you cannot afford to finish on leg power alone.
How It Works
Range is just battery energy divided by energy per mile. Everything else is an adjustment to the second number.
The Formula
Battery (Wh) = volts x amp-hours, when the label gives those instead Usable energy = battery Wh x 0.90 (the controller protects the last 10%) Wh per mile = base consumption for the assist level x weight factor x terrain x stops x wind x cold x tires x motor Range (miles) = usable energy / Wh per mile Charge cost = battery Wh / 1,000 / 0.90 charger efficiency x price per kWhBase consumption is the energy the motor draws per mile for a 180 lb rider on a flat road in mild weather: about 9 Wh per mile in Eco, 13 in Tour, 18 in Sport, 24 in Turbo, and 28 on throttle alone. Those figures sit inside the 6 to 30 Wh per mile that riders report from their bike computers, and bracket the 15 Wh per mile rule of thumb that forums repeat for mixed riding. They are typical values, not test results for your bike.
The Adjustments
| Factor | Multiplier | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rider plus cargo weight | +4% per 18 lb above 180 lb, and the reverse below it | More mass to accelerate and lift up every rise |
| Rolling hills / hilly | 1.2 / 1.5 | Climbing is where the motor works hardest and regen on most bikes is zero |
| City riding, frequent stops | 1.15 | Every restart from a light is an acceleration |
| Headwind | 1.2 | Air drag grows with the square of airspeed |
| Below 40 F | 1.2 | A cold lithium pack delivers less of its capacity and air is denser |
| Knobby / fat tires | 1.1 / 1.25 | Rolling resistance |
| Hub motor | 1.1 | No gearing: less efficient at low speed and on climbs than a mid-drive |
Each factor multiplies the base. A Turbo-mode commute through a hilly city on a cold day with a 220 lb rider needs 24 x 1.09 x 1.5 x 1.15 x 1.2 = 54 Wh per mile, so a 500 Wh pack gives about 8 miles. The same pack in Eco on a flat summer bike path gives about 50. That spread is why the manufacturer's single number means so little.
A Worked Example
A 500 Wh mid-drive commuter in Tour mode, 180 lb rider, flat route, mild day, slick tires: 450 usable Wh at 13 Wh per mile is 35 miles, give or take 20%. A full charge is 0.5 kWh at the plug, 0.56 kWh after charger losses, which at the 2026 average residential price of about 18 cents per kWh (US Energy Information Administration) is 10 cents. Per mile, that is a third of a cent.
Sources: typical consumption ranges from rider-reported bike computer data and the range calculators published by major drive-system makers; electricity price from the EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook, 2026 residential average. Battery figures are what you should insure, too: the pack and the motor count toward the bike's stated value on an e-bike insurance policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I find my e-bike battery's watt-hours?
- Look for "Wh" on the battery label or spec sheet; most packs are between 400 and 800 Wh. If the label lists only volts and amp-hours, multiply them: a 48 V, 14 Ah battery is 672 Wh. The calculator does that math for you when you enter volts and amp-hours instead of watt-hours.
- Why is my real range shorter than the manufacturer's number?
- Manufacturer ranges come from the lightest assist level on flat ground with a light rider and no wind. Turn the assist up, add hills, a headwind, a heavier rider or cargo, frequent stops, or a cold morning and consumption per mile climbs fast. Enter the conditions you actually ride in here and the estimate will land much closer to your bike computer.
- How much does it cost to charge an e-bike?
- Charging a 500 Wh battery from empty costs about 10 cents at the 2026 US average residential electricity price of roughly 18 cents per kilowatt-hour, allowing for charger losses. Even a daily full charge adds under $40 a year to the bill. Enter your own rate from the electric bill for a local figure.
- How can I get more range from the same battery?
- Ride in a lower assist level, keep tire pressure up, and shift to a cadence that lets you contribute more of the power. Keep the battery warm before a winter ride, since a cold pack delivers less of its capacity. Charging to full and avoiding deep discharges keeps the pack healthy, which protects range over the years as well as today.
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The battery is half the bike's value. Insure all of it
E-bikes are insured at stated value with no depreciation, motor and battery included, from $9 a month. Theft, crash, and transit coverage in the core policy.
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