eBike Range Calculator

Wondering how far your ebike will really go? Plug in your battery size, assist level, weight, and terrain, and this calculator estimates real-world range in seconds. No sign-up, no black box. We show you the exact formula below so you can see where the number comes from.

How this ebike range calculator works

Here is the whole formula, no black box. We start with your battery watt-hours and assume about 85 percent of that is usable, because a battery management system never lets you run a pack fully flat and voltage sag eats into the rest. Then we set a watt-hours-per-mile figure. Light eco assist runs near 12 watt-hours per mile, medium assist near 22, and full throttle or hard hill climbing near 35. We nudge that number up for a heavier motor, for a rider over 165 pounds, and for hillier terrain. Range is just usable watt-hours divided by watt-hours per mile. So a 500 watt-hour battery at medium assist on flat ground gives about 425 usable watt-hours divided by 22, which is close to 19 miles.

What changes your real range

A few things move your real number a lot: how much throttle or assist you use, your weight and any cargo, hills, headwind, low tire pressure, cold weather, and stop-and-go riding. Ride easy on flat ground and you will beat the estimate. Push hard uphill in the cold and you will fall short.

How accurate is this estimate?

This is a researched estimate, not a number we measured on a test ride. We built the formula from published battery specs and typical efficiency figures. Your real range and charge time will move with weather, tire pressure, terrain, and how you ride. See how we test at /how-we-test/.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is an ebike range calculator?

It gets you within roughly 10 to 20 percent for a typical rider on typical roads. Real range moves with wind, tire pressure, stop-and-go traffic, cold weather, and how hard you push the throttle. Treat the number as a planning estimate, not a promise.

How do you calculate ebike range from battery watt-hours?

Divide usable battery watt-hours by watt-hours used per mile. We assume about 85 percent of the pack is usable, then set a watt-hours-per-mile figure from your assist level, motor power, weight, and terrain. Range equals usable watt-hours divided by watt-hours per mile.

What is a good watt-hours per mile number for an ebike?

Light pedal-assist riders land near 10 to 15 watt-hours per mile. Medium assist sits around 20 to 25. Full throttle or heavy hill climbing can hit 30 to 40. Heavier riders and steeper terrain push the number up.

Does rider weight change ebike range?

Yes. A heavier rider needs more energy to accelerate and to climb, so range drops. In our model every 10 pounds over a 165-pound baseline adds about 2 percent to energy use.