Getting an electric bike is the perfect combination of being on a bicycle while running fast, without getting tired. It can be an amazing alternative to regular pedal bikes, even sometimes for cars, if it’s about short rides in the neighborhood.
But the question is, should you get an ebike only to stay away from the tiresome rides on a bicycle? What about the speed? How fast can an electric bike go? Can it truly work as an alternative to 4 wheelers, for short rides at least?
Well, depending on how powerful an ebike you’ve got, it can run at around 15 to 28 miles per hour. As for the maximum mileage, you can expect anywhere between 15 and 80 miles from a single charge.
These forecasts heavily depend on how powerful an ebike we’re talking about and how large a battery it has on board. So, why not go through all different types of power ranges and see how each one of them performs?
Electric Bike Speed by Motor Power
First things first. As mentioned earlier, the speed on an electric bike depends on how powerful it is (i.e: the motor). And there are a wide range of power options you’ve got in the market.
You can find 6 levels of electric bike, depending on the power they produce. They are:
- 250 watt electric bikes
- 350 watt electric bikes
- 500 watt electric bikes
- 750 watt electric bikes
- 1000 watt electric bikes
- 1500 watt electric bikes
Well, you can also find ebikes that have 200 watts, 2500 watts, 3000 watts, even more. However, those large numbers are usually remarked for the motorbike category instead of the bicycle we’re talking about in the first place.
Putting that away, the 6 Ebike categories fall into 3 different classes as the legislative bodies call them. The table below shows 3 different classes of ebikes and which bikes fall under which class, alongside their speed:
| Class of ebike | Motor wattage | Maximum speed | Features |
| Class 1 | 250 watt | 15-20 MPH | Only pedal assist |
| Class 2 | 350-500 watt | 20-28 MPH | Pedal and throttle assist |
| Class 3 | 500-1500 watt | 28 MPH and more | High speed pedelec |
So, you have a brief idea about the speed variations of different power levels of ebikes. Now let’s get into them a little deeper and see which one performs well enough for your particular cause.
How Fast Does a 250 watt Electric Bike Go?
250 is the least amount of power you can have on a regular adult electric bike. As the base version, a 250 watt ebike can run at a speed of up to 20 miles per hour. If you get the bike from a renowned manufacturer, chances are, you’re riding a capable bike already.
Although all manufacturers will state in the spec sheet that they have a 250w motor onboard, not each have the same efficiency. The final output really comes down to the efficiency rather than the numbers. So, make sure you’re getting the right 250w ebike while making a purchase.
How Fast Does a 350 watt electric bike go?
The speed you can expect from a 350 watt ebike depends on a variety of factors, including the weight of the rider, the terrain. While a good 350 watt electric bike offers pedal assist, high speed, and longer range.
However, as a rule of thumb, a 350 watt electric bike can typically travel at speeds of 20 to 25 MPH. This is a great option for commuting, if you need to get to work quickly, or want to enjoy a leisurely bike ride without having to worry about pedaling too hard.
How Fast Does a 500 watt Electric Bike Go?
When you’re bumping the wattage to 500 watt, that’s where the high range comes into play. You can go moderate off roading and mountain e-biking with a 500 watt motor. That’s the reason, we consider a 500w ebike a good threshold to have as a high speed ebike.
So, a 500 watt ebike will run at an average of 25 (40.23 km) miles per hour, but on flat land. With proper Pedal assist, it will run at 20 MPH just fine on hilly terrain too! The speed can also go as high as 28 MPH for the 500w ebikes from excellent brands.
How Fast Can a 750 Watt Bike Go?
With 750 watt ebikes, you enter the realm of real high-speed biking category. You can expect 28 MPH of standard high speed from a 750 watt electric bike. The bike will retain this speed even on light hilly areas.
On high slops and unforgiving hilly areas, the speed may go down to 25 MPH or so. On the contrary, the speed can go beyond 28 MPH on paved city roads. As you will get good PAS mode on good quality 750w bikes, speed will be more stable as well.
How Fast Does a 1000 watt Electric Bike Go?
Now, 1000 watt is a sport ebike rather than usual commuting bikes that people use for casual rides. You can go as fast as 35 MPH with a well structured 1000w bike. Moreover, you’ll start to see high-end mid-drive motors in these bikes.
With more torque generated from the motor and heavier build, the 1000w bikes will give you the best off-roading capabilities. Technically, 1000 watt ebikes are the saturation point where regular ebikes and eMTBs come to their best.
1500-3000 Watt Ebike speed
As mentioned that 1000 watt ebikes are the best for consumer grade usage, there are even higher grade as well. You can find 1500 watt, 2000 watt, even 3000 watt ebikes that have the form factor of bicycles.
After that, you get to see 4000, 4500, even 7000 watt ebikes, but they’re not bicycles, they’re counterparts to motorcycles. The 1500-3000 watt ebikes are used for special purposes like hunting, towing, or even intense jobs.
A 1500 watt ebike will run at a speed of 28 MPH to 45 MPH where you’ll see similar speed for 2000 to 3000 watts. The extra power does nothing but providing the extra juice needed for the special purpose.
Electric Bike Speed Comparison by Battery
When it comes to speed comparison by the battery, there are a few variables that come into play. The voltage, Amps, Watts, Watt per hour, Amps per hour, and sure enough, the Capacity!
Let’s say you have a lithium ion battery, which is the standard these days. With that in mind, the higher the power of your motor, the higher the power (typically measured in amps and watt) will be in the battery.
So, the question you’ll be asking here is, how fast a typical 48V battery will go? And what would be the range?
Well, a 48V battery can come in a range of watts from 250 to 5000. With a standard 500watt 48V battery, you can expect a speed of 20 mph whereas a 750 watt one will offer 28 mph, leaving 1000 and 1500 watts for 30 and 35 mph.
You can also see some heavy duty ebikes that offer 72V batteries. If you ask, how fast is a 72V motor, you can get around 45 mph of speed with much higher range.
Lead Acid vs Lithium: Which One to Choose?
You’ll commonly find two types of ebike batteries in the market: Lithium-ion and Lead acid. Lithium-ion will give you more efficiency as well as more backup compared to lead acid.
Although lead acid batteries are not as expensive as Li-poly but they’re significantly heavier and less efficient. To be equally powerful as a standard 6 lbs lithium ion battery, a lead acid one has to weigh at least 30 lbs.
Here’s a comparison between them, especially with a goal of achieving the same range:
| Batter type | Capacity | Weight | Expected range |
| Lithium Ion | 9 Ah | 6 Lbs | 32 kilometer |
| Lead acid | 15 Ah | 30 Lbs | 32 Kilometer |
This is the reason latest ebikes don’t come with lead acid batteries. We have a detailed guideline on choosing the right battery for your ebike. This is especially necessary if you’re thinking about an ebike conversion as your next target.
How Can I Make My eBike Go Faster?
First off, you need to know that the speed you’re getting, or trying to get, should be compliant with the local law. In some areas, don’t be surprised if your manufacturer has restricted the speed to only 15 mph! That’s because they have to comply with the law.
Nevertheless, let’s give you some tips to increase the speed of your bike without tricking the electronics of any kind:
- First, keep it fully charged to get a higher voltage off of it.
- You can also bump up the battery while keeping within the maximum power limitation of the controller you have. That means, if you can try swapping out a 48V battery for a 52V one if the controller supports that.
- A tricky way to increase speed is by using smoother drifting tires with less on-road resistance.
- Stay low and crouch your head and use a windshield on your bike for less air resistance.
- As the last option, you can go for a higher Kw battery, but that’s an expensive option.
For a true makeshift from a speed structure to another though, you’ll have to tweak the sensors. That includes getting your hands dirty! Well, we’ve talked about all that, alongside the tricks in our detailed guide on how to lift the speed limit in an ebike.
If you’re up for a higher range though, here’s the obvious method: use the pedal assist more often so that your motor and battery has less stress down the line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some most common questions about ebike speed and rages you might be interested in:
Is 20 Mph on a Bike Fast Enough?
In most countries and states here in the US, 20 mph of speed in an ebike is just enough for a regular person. However, if you’re more into tours and off-roading, you might want to go for an ebike that offers 25 to 28 mph of speed.
Can Ebikes be used Without Pedaling?
Technically, yes, you can use an ebike without pedaling it, as the motor and battery are there to help the wheels to turn. However, since there are laws regarding ebike speed and pedal assistance, don’t be surprised if you can’t ride the bike without pedaling. If you’re riding a class-3 ebike, you should be able to ride your bike without necessarily pedaling it though.
How Fast Does a 1200W Electric Bike Go?
A 1200W ebike motor doesn’t do a significantly better job compared to a 1000W one. You can get 25-30 mph of speed from a 1200W ebike motor. A 1000W one offers almost similar results whereas you get to see significant increase with 1500W at around 35 mph of speed.
Can I Use a 72V Battery on a 48v Motor?
Practically, putting in a 72V battery won’t be compatible with a 48V motor since the controller on the bike is for 48V only. If you really want to use the 72V battery with your 48V motor, you’ll have to get a new controller. You can buy one, or build one. Once you have the controller right, that will supply just the right amount of power to the motor.
Final Note
So, there you have it! Now you know how fast an electric bike can go, and how much of the range you can expect for. Depending on the battery and the motor power, your ebike can give you a range of speed options.
Plus, every aspect from battery type, power, and efficiency, to motor power, placement, and type, everything plays a role in the output. Decide on what you prioritize the most, and you’ll be able to pick an ebike that meets your desired output just fine.