All my friends who ride electric bikes swear by how convenient it is compared to walking or using a normal bicycle. Naturally, the first thing that pops in any ebike owner’s head is – can we go faster? I did a little research and here’s what I found out about how fast can electric bikes (ebikes) can go:
Most electric bikes (ebikes) can, at best go as fast as 15.5-28 mph (miles/hour) or 24-45 kmph (kms/hour) due to governmental regulations across the world which mostly follow these speed limits. However, if the bikes are ‘derestricted’, they can go much faster -details of which are given as follows:
| S.No | Wattage of Electric Bike (ebike) | Top Speed (MPH or Miles Per Hour) |
| 1 | 5000W | 80 MPH |
| 2 | 3000W | 60-70 MPH |
| 3 | 1000W | 35-40 MPH |
| 4 | 750W | 28 MPH |
| 5 | 500 W | 25 MPH |
| 6 | 250 W | 20 MPH |
Types Of Electric Bikes (And How Fast They Go)
There are 3 classes of ebikes which you will hear about quite often:
Class 1 Electric Bike (ebike). This class is also called ‘pedal assisted’ because the motor only functions when you pedal the bike. You can pedal quite slowly, in an easy gear and still feel the boost in your speed- so it is a great option for those just starting out with ebikes.
Most Class 1 ebikes have 250 W motors which generally keep their speeds under 20 MPH (miles per hour).
Class 2 Electric Bike (ebike). You can ride a class 2 ebike without pedalling. The motor will automatically function. Additionally, you can also ride it like a class 1, wherein the motor boosts your speed while you pedal the bike. You can ride it either way.
Most Class 2 ebikes also have 25 W motors which limit their speed to 20 mph.
Class 3 Electric Bike (ebike). A class 3 electric bike has a larger motor which allows it’s speed to go up to 28 mph. These ebikes have pedal assisted option as well as may offer the functionality of a throttle which allows you to operate the bike without manual pedalling.
What are Electric Bike (ebike) Speed Limits Across Countries?
Class 1 and Class 2 Electric Bikes are limited in speed to approx 15.5-20 mph across most parts of the world. Class 3 ebikes are limited to 28 mph, legally.
When I say most parts of the world in the sentence above- I researched the ebike speed limits across US, Canada, Europe and few large Asian countries, and they all generally follow the same speed regulations.
Class 3 Electric bikes are limited in speed to 28 mph or 45 kmph.
Do You Need A License To Ride An Electric Bike?
In most cases, you do not require a license for electric bikes and anyone over the age of 14 can ride them. However, for some bikes with larger motors (higher rating than 250 W- especially for some Class 3 bikes), you may require to obtain licenses based on local regulations.
Like I said above, most ebikes conform to the national regulations of speed limits which ensure that just about anyone can ride them over the age of 14. However, if you’d still like to know a few specific details- the top speed of the ebikes shouldn’t be more than 15.5 mph (Europe) / 20 mph (US) and the motor rating shouldn’t exceed 250 KW (Europe) / 750 KW (US and Canada).
SOME US states however, don’t conform to the rest of the world in terms of ebike regulations and require you to register it with the DMV and have a valid driver’s license. Here’s a great state by state breakdown of ebike regulations in the US, so you can check for your state.
How To Make Ebikes faster?
#1 Keep your bike’s battery always charged high.
This is kind of a simple rule- if you’re battery is at 50% charge, it’s going to have less juice and will power your ebike much lesser. It’s recommended that after a ride, you always recharge your battery and top it up to 100%.
Oh- and another pro tip- if you are storing your ebike for longer periods- keep the battery at 60% charge and then put it in storage. Just a small tip to prolong the battery life.
#2 Use a higher voltage battery (if the bike specifications permit).
Higher Voltage on the battery means you get higher power which in turn gives more speed.
However, you’d want to ask your local bike mechanic if you actually can do that without frying your bike, as you want to ensure that your controller (speed regulator) can bear the higher voltage.
Also- using higher quality batteries will help as they have lesser internal resistance, which makes them more efficient.
The simple equation of power that we’ve all studied in school is P (Power)=V (Voltage) x I(Current). The other equation to note is I= V/R. This means that for the same value of Voltage, lower the resistance, higher the current. This in turn means that you’ll have even higher power rating on the battery which will make the ebike go faster.
#3 Use a Faster Motor.
Each motor has a particular KV rating that gives RPM (Rotations per minute) at a given voltage. You simply have to find a motor with a higher rating at the same voltage as your battery. Most ebikes have a hub motor that is integrated with the front/rear wheel.
This means you’ll have to swap out the entire wheel and motor for one which will go faster. This should cost you anywhere between $200-550. For instance, have a look at this ebike conversion kit on Amazon– which basically provides exactly what you need. If your ebike doesn’t use an integrated hub motor, rather has a mid-drive motor, this is the kind of new motor kit you’ll need to buy.
Again, this is an expensive purchase, so ask your local mechanic as well- maybe they have some spares they could give at a cheaper rate.
#4 Use Smoother Tires.
Every noticed how road bike tyres are smoother and narrower? This is what makes them go fast as the tyres offer lesser rolling resistance on the road. Swap out your ebike tyres for smoother ones if possible- Something like this one on Amazon.
Now, this might not be possible for a lot of you as most ebikes have an integrated hub motor (motor is attached to the tyre).
In any case- do remember to keep the tyres pumped up before every ride for optimal speed.
#5 Tune Your Brakes.
This goes especially for the calliper type brake pads. Sometimes, if they’re tuned incorrectly, the pads tend to brush against the tyres while you’re riding which slows down the bike.
Believe me- I once tried to tune my bike brakes and ended up making the brakes too tight because of this. It happens- so just keep an eye out for that.
#6 Keep the Electric Bike’s Battery Cool.
Having some sort of cover over it, with adequate ventilation might be required if you are cycling in summer for long distances. Overheating of the battery, of course, will affect it’s performance and reduce the ebike’s speed.
#7 De-restrict Your Bike.
This basically means circumventing the in-built circuitry that restricts your ebike speed as per the laws in your country (15.5 mph in UK and Europe/20 mph in US). There are plenty of resources online that teach you how to do this but I won’t link to them as they are ILLEGAL.
Remember the speed limits I mentioned a while ago in this post? If you cross them, you might be stopped by traffic police in your area and issued a ticket. Worse- you might injure someone or yourself in a crash. The punishment for de-restricting your bike can be very stringent, so I highly recommend not going down this path.
#8 Use a larger chainring.
This only works if you have a mid-drive motor, i.e: a motor that isn’t attached to your wheel. The larger chainring changes the gear ratios favorably such that you are now able to ride much faster. (By the way, if you do not understand gear ratios- read this article)
#9 Install A Windshield.
You could just get a standard windshield that you see on motorbikes and attach it to your ebike. The poor quality ones tend to vibrate with motion and fall off- so I would suggest paying a bit extra for one that has good reviews- like this one on Amazon.
Why You Should Not Increase The Speed on Your Ebike?
A few trade offs to keep in mind- you’ll consume the ebike’s battery much faster, which in turn provides a shorter range. This means you can’t ride for as long as you would have been able to otherwise.
The safety risk is big, too. You’ll be riding in bike paths going much faster than the rest of the traffic. It’s very easy to be in a crash in this situation because your reaction time would be much slower were a bike or a person on foot, to cross the bike path unexpectedly.
Lastly- even if you increase the bike speed- please do not derestrict the bike to unlock higher speeds. It’s illegal.
People Also Ask
How Far Can An Electric Bike Go On Full Charge?
On average, most electric bikes have a range of 15-20 miles (24-32 kms) on a full charge when the rider does not operate the pedal and is only using the throttle (present in Class 2 and 3 ebikes). When utilizing pedal assist, electric bikes tend to have a range of 23-46 miles (37-74 kms).
Keep in mind though, that these numbers may vary based on factors like terrain, height and weight of the rider, etc.
Can You Ride An Electric Bike Without Pedalling?
Class 2 and Class 3 Ebikes offer the option of riding electric bikes without pedalling. They have a throttle (like motorbikes) which you can twist to accelerate the bike.
Can You Use An Electric Bike (ebike) Without The Battery?
Operating an electric bike without the battery simply converts it into a regular bike, although slightly heavier because it would still have the wiring and motor attached to the wheel- even if the battery were to be removed.
What Ebike Should I Get?
I really liked this one by ‘Bandit’ on Amazon. On average you can expect to spend upwards of $850, going up to crazy prices like $10,000! If you’re looking for cheaper alternatives, you could just buy an ebike conversion kit, like this one on Amazon and convert your existing bike into an ebike.