While the electric bike market is booming, prices vary greatly, ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. Many people who do not have specific requirements for electric bikes may wonder why some electric bike cost over $3000 or more. In fact, the principle of "you get what you pay for" has always existed in the bike industry, and the higher the price of that, the more expensive the cost of the components such as the motor, battery, and other parts (such as transmission system components and frame materials) that make the electric bike an entirely different experience.

If we were to explain the high cost of an electric bike, the motor, battery, and other components would all contribute to the high price.

 

Motor:

It is the main factor that makes the electric bike expensive. Generally, modern motors are becoming smaller, lighter, and more powerful. For example, after years of development, the Bafang motor can now produce a motor that weighs less than 3kg, such as the M510 motor. This also means that motor manufacturers need to use better high-performance materials, such as rare-earth permanent magnet materials, to ensure that the motor can operate efficiently and quietly.

 

Battery:

Nowadays, electric bike batteries usually use lithium-ion batteries. As mentioned in the "The History of Electric Bikes," the invention of lithium-ion batteries has made electric assistance a part of daily life, as these batteries have excellent power generation efficiency, are safe and lightweight, and have a small size. This allows many batteries to be built into the downtube of the frame, completely integrated with the electric bike, and designed into a more comfortable geometry for riding. In addition, the lifelong of the battery is also crucial, and a high-quality lithium-ion battery can last for 800-2000 cycles of use. The better the maintenance is, the longer the battery life is.

 

Transmission and brake systems:

(SRAM NX on the Frey Evolve)

In addition to the battery and motor, a good transmission and brake system can also cause the price of electric bikes to rise. For example, some of the SRAM transmission systems cater to the high-precision requirements of high-end electric mountain bikes, using high-precision machinery, processing technology, and precision components to ensure smooth operation and smooth gear shifting. A good brake system can quickly dissipate the heat generated during braking, improve braking efficiency, and use brake pads made of metal-ceramic composite materials to provide stronger braking force and long service life. The response during braking is quicker, which is important for mountain biking.

 

Full-suspension:

(rear shock on the Frey Evolve)

Front fork and rear shock can provide riders with a stable and safe riding experience. A good front and rear suspension system usually has a unique shock-absorbing performance that can adjust the air pressure and absorb bumps or jumps during the ride, providing quite comfortable control, which makes riding smoother. MTB enthusiasts will make choices for the suspension system based on their needs and budget, but buying an expensive front fork and rear shock to get a better riding experience is worth it.

 

Frame Material:

Common bike frame materials include aluminum alloy, carbon fiber, titanium alloy, etc. Generally, electric bikes will choose to use aluminum alloy as the material for the frame, because it is strong, durable, relatively light in weight, and has a higher price. Higher-priced electric bikes will combine aluminum alloy and carbon fiber (for example, the BEAST's front frame is made of carbon fiber, while the rear frame is made of aluminum alloy) or use carbon fiber entirely to reduce the weight of the bike. This leads to the complexity of the manufacturing process and the high cost of materials.

 

Other Factors:

Compared with normal bikes, electric bikes require more complex assembly operations in the production process, which leads to the need for more professional knowledge and more time to assemble an electric bike, and the corresponding cost will also increase.

Moreover, due to the small market size of electric mountain bikes, many accessories are not produced on a large scale, and many manufacturers will not choose to produce them in large quantities due to the high customization requirements of many electric bike players. This is also one of the reasons why electric bike prices cannot be lowered.

 

In summary, the expensive price of electric bikes is determined by their costive configuration and market size.

Will electric bikes become cheaper in the future? In fact, from the perspective of electric mountain bike manufacturers, we believe that the price of electric bikes will not change much in the short term. Even though the market for electric bikes is expanding year by year, investors are also flocking to it, but it still takes some time to reduce the price of electric bikes. In addition, as the demand for electric bikes increases, there may be more types of them available on the market, and electric bikes at various price points will have their market. This is what we hope to see.

 

Again, We sincerely hope you can Free Ride & Enjoy Yourself!