electric bike

noun

variants or e-bike

ˈē-ˌbīk 

or electric bicycle

plural electric bikes or e-bikes or electric bicycles

: a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that may be activated in order to assist with or replace pedaling

Just like any bike, electric bikes come with a ton of different technical specs that you may or may not care about.

—Adrienne So

For many years, e-bikes carried the stigma of being vehicles for lazy pedalers and seniors. The bikes draw power from a battery and motor to make pedaling significantly easier. You can also accelerate with the press of a button, transforming cycling from a strenuous exercise into a joy ride.

—Brian X. Chen

Examples of electric bike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Many electric bikes also have the option to add a double battery. —Stephanie Pearson, WIRED, 8 Sep. 2024

This isn’t the first time a marque has ventured into the world of electric bikes: Earlier this year, McLaren debuted the most powerful street-legal e-bikes on the planet. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 Aug. 2024

Hiking and biking are especially popular, and there's a variety of trails in the area ranging from easy, accessible paths to challenging routes to trails better suited to horseback riding or electric bikes. —Katie Seemann, Travel + Leisure, 27 July 2024

Park City also has a share fleet of electric bikes, and the city introduced a reward program that actually pays people to commute during winter. —Graham Averill, Outside Online, 12 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above