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

People who live or work in La Mesa and are at least 18 can receive up to $1,200 to purchase an electric bike as part of a program to promote cycling as a main source of transportation in the city. —Gary Warth, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025

When buying an electric bike, finding one that suits your needs often leads to compromises elsewhere. —Matthew MacConnell, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

For an electric bike with a battery this big, the Grizzlar EMX30 is surprisingly light, at a reported 253.5 lb (115 kg). —New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2025

Bloomberg reported in early 2023 that the automaker was developing an electric bike and had patents for bicycle components and designs. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for electric bike

• statesmanlike
• unladylike
• alike
• belike
• birdlike
• catlike
• childlike
• christlike
• deathlike
• dislike
• dreamlike
• friedreich