The E-Bike Range Truth Index
The E-Bike Range Truth Index is a single normalized dataset that converts scattered e-bike range claims into honest, comparable numbers. It maps battery watt-hours (Wh) to realistic range bands by assist level, ranks motor efficiency classes, sets real-world Wh-per-mile consumption bands by terrain, quantifies cold-weather derating, and lays out charge-cycle longevity — all built from the same methodology already used across our individual e-bike guides, brought together in one citable reference. A full CSV download and machine-readable dataset markup are included below for anyone who wants the raw numbers.
This page does not sell anything and contains no Amazon links or pricing — it exists purely as a reference dataset. For product picks, see our best e-bikes under $1,000 guide.
Methodology: the one rule that explains every "too-good" range claim
Every number in this Index rests on a single methodology callout, documented in depth on our real-world vs. advertised range page: manufacturer max-range claims are measured on the lowest pedal-assist level, on flat closed-course pavement, with a light test rider, no headwind, and mild temperature. None of that is dishonest exactly — it's a standardized best-case test, similar to how a car's EPA highway rating assumes ideal driving. But it means every advertised mileage figure is a ceiling, not a prediction, and the tables below exist to translate that ceiling into what a normal rider should actually expect.
Independent testing backs this up directly: Electric Bike Report's 2023 Aventon Aventure range test logged 53.7 miles at the lowest assist setting and just 24.3 miles at maximum assist on the identical bike and battery — roughly 45% of the headline figure from assist level alone. See our evaluation methodology page for how we source and apply this logic consistently across every bike we cover.
Table 1: Battery Wh to Realistic Range Bands, by Assist Level
The honest way to compare two bikes is by battery capacity (Wh), not by marketing miles. Apply 15-25 Wh per mile depending on assist level and terrain — the low end for flat ground and low assist, the high end for hills or high assist — to estimate realistic range for a given pack size.
| 374 Wh (common budget tier) | ~15-25 miles realistic range |
|---|---|
| 480 Wh (budget/mid tier) | ~19-32 miles realistic range |
| 500 Wh (common mid tier) | ~20-33 miles realistic range |
| 614 Wh (mid tier) | ~25-41 miles realistic range |
| 720 Wh (larger-pack tier) | ~29-48 miles realistic range |
| 840 Wh (large-pack tier) | ~34-56 miles realistic range |
These bands describe realistic mixed-assist, mixed-terrain riding — not the manufacturer's best-case max-range claim. Confirm the exact Wh figure on the live listing rather than relying on the advertised mileage number alone.
Table 2: Assist Level and Sensor Type — the Two Biggest Range Levers
| Lowest assist (PAS 1) — manufacturer test condition | 100% (baseline) — this is what's on the box |
|---|---|
| Highest assist (PAS max) — same bike, same battery | 33-50% of the lowest-assist baseline (a 2-3x swing) |
| Cadence sensor | Baseline — preset power burst per assist level, regardless of pedal effort |
| Torque sensor | 30-50% more range than cadence baseline — power scales with actual effort |
Assist level is the single biggest lever a rider controls; sensor type is the single biggest lever built into the bike itself. See our torque vs. cadence sensor comparison for the full mechanical explanation.
Table 3: Motor System Efficiency Classes — Hub vs. Mid-Drive
Hub motors and mid-drive motors are not just mounted in different places — they interact with the bike's own gearing differently, which changes how efficiently they turn battery Wh into forward motion, especially on climbs.
| Hub motor (geared or direct-drive) | Lower efficiency class — simpler, cheaper, dominant under ~$1,000; does not leverage bike gearing, so it works harder (and drains faster) on sustained climbs |
|---|---|
| Mid-drive motor (e.g. Bosch, Shimano systems) | Higher efficiency class — drives through the bike's own gears, commonly reported as more efficient on hills and long climbs; appears mid-tier and up |
Treat this as a directional efficiency class, not a fixed percentage for any specific model — published efficiency figures vary widely by source and are rarely independently lab-verified per bike. The practical takeaway holds regardless: a mid-drive system generally buys back range on hilly routes that a same-Wh hub-motor bike will spend faster.
Table 4: Real-World Wh-per-Mile Consumption, by Terrain
| Flat terrain, low assist | ~15-18 Wh/mile |
|---|---|
| Mixed or rolling terrain, mixed assist | ~18-22 Wh/mile |
| Hilly terrain, high assist | ~22-25+ Wh/mile |
These bands are the same 15-25 Wh/mile rule of thumb used throughout this site, broken into terrain-specific sub-bands. Use the terrain band that matches your actual commute, not a single flat 20 Wh/mile average, for a tighter range estimate.
Table 5: Temperature Derating — the Honest Cold-Weather Truth
Cold-weather range loss is grounded in lithium-ion chemistry, not e-bike marketing, and it is temporary — capacity returns once the battery warms back up.
| Mild temperature (manufacturer test condition) | 100% (baseline) |
|---|---|
| Typical winter commuting temperatures | ~70-85% of baseline (15-30% temporary loss) |
| 0°F / -18°C extreme cold | ~50% of baseline (Battery University BU-502 reference point) |
As Battery University's BU-502 discharge-temperature guide puts it: “A battery that provides 100 percent capacity at 27°C (80°F) will typically deliver only 50 percent at –18°C (0°F).” Most winter commutes sit well above that extreme, which is why the everyday band above (15-30% loss) is much smaller than the full-halving worst case. See our winter riding guide for the full charging-safety rules that go with cold weather.
Table 6: Charge-Cycle Longevity Bands
| Full charge cycles to ~80% capacity | 500-1,000 cycles |
|---|---|
| Typical calendar life | 3-5 years of daily commuting use |
| Lifetime distance | 10,000-30,000 miles (cycle count x realistic range per charge) |
| Replacement signal | Range drops below ~60-70% of original — not age alone |
A charge cycle is defined by total energy delivered, not plug-in count — two 50%-to-100% top-offs equal one full cycle. See our e-bike battery lifespan guide for the full degradation-cause breakdown and winter storage rules.
Dataset access: CSV download
Every table on this page is also published as a single flat CSV file for anyone who wants the
raw normalized data rather than the formatted tables:
download range-truth-index.csv. The file mirrors the
tables above exactly, with a notes column carrying the same methodology caveats
shown in the table notes on this page.
Version history and correction policy
| v1.0 — July 30, 2026 | Initial publication of the E-Bike Range Truth Index |
|---|
This Index is versioned. If a figure is found to be inaccurate, or new independently verifiable manufacturer or lab data changes a band, we update the affected row, bump the version number above, and log the change in this version history rather than silently editing a number. We do not round or sharpen a figure to look more precise than the underlying source supports — every band on this page traces back to the same methodology used across our individual guides, linked inline throughout. Corrections, sourcing questions, or requests to see the underlying research can be raised through the contact path on our How We Evaluate page.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a single normalized reference page that converts marketing-facing e-bike range claims into honest, comparable numbers: battery watt-hours (Wh) mapped to realistic range bands by assist level, motor efficiency classes, real-world Wh-per-mile consumption by terrain, cold-weather derating, and charge-cycle longevity. Every figure on this page is already established and sourced across our individual range, battery, and sensor guides — this page exists to put them in one normalized, citable table instead of scattered across separate articles.
Because the advertised number is measured under best-case lab conditions: the lowest pedal-assist level, flat closed-course pavement, a light test rider, no headwind, and mild temperature. That methodology is documented on our ebike-range-real-world-vs-advertised page. Real-world range typically lands at 40-60% of the advertised figure once mixed assist levels, hills, stop-and-go traffic, and normal temperatures are factored in.
Divide the battery's watt-hour (Wh) capacity by a consumption rate of 15-25 Wh per mile, using the low end for flat terrain and low assist, and the high end for hills and high assist. This is the same rule of thumb used across every review on this site, and it produces a far more comparable number between two different bikes than either bike's marketing mileage claim.
Yes, as an efficiency class, though exact figures vary by specific system and are not independently lab-verified for every model. Mid-drive motors (systems from manufacturers like Bosch and Shimano) drive through the bike's own gearing, which lets them maintain efficient torque on climbs; hub motors are mechanically simpler, cheaper, and dominate the market under roughly $1,000, and lean harder on the battery on sustained climbs since they don't get a gearing assist. Treat the efficiency gap as directional, not a fixed percentage for any specific bike.
Roughly 15-30% of usable capacity in typical winter commuting temperatures compared to a mild-temperature day, and the loss is temporary — capacity returns once the battery warms back up, unlike normal charge-cycle aging. At more extreme cold (0°F / -18°C), Battery University's discharge-temperature reference (BU-502) puts the loss closer to 50%, which is why the everyday winter-commute band (15-30%) is much smaller than that worst-case extreme.
The Index carries a version number and a last-updated date at the top of this page, both in the visible methodology section and in the page's dataset markup. If a figure is found to be inaccurate or a manufacturer publishes new verified data that changes a band, we update the row, bump the version, and note the change in the version history on this page rather than silently editing the number. We do not invent or round numbers to look more precise than the underlying source supports.
Sources & Methodology
This Index normalizes figures already sourced and published across this site's individual range, battery, and sensor guides — see E-Bike Range: Real-World vs. Advertised, How Long Do E-Bike Batteries Last?, Torque Sensor vs. Cadence Sensor, and Can You Ride an E-Bike in Winter? for the full source-level detail behind each band, including the Electric Bike Report Aventon Aventure range test and Battery University's BU-502 discharge-temperature guide. We do not physically test or ride the bikes we cover — see our How We Evaluate page for the full methodology. No prices, ratings, or affiliate links appear on this page.
Last updated: July 30, 2026. Index version: v1.0.