Lab test: the best electric bikes 2022

This year's crop of electric bikes is an improvement on earlier models, at least concerning range and design solutions. However, the development of brakes and batteries is lagging. That is what our latest rigorous lab test reveals.

– I can not point to one specific reason why many bikes now show much better results. But we see that manufacturers are improving details in a way they did not when there was less competition, says test leader Marco Brust.

Each year, Testfakta conducts a laboratory test on electric bikes on the Nordic market in collaboration with the Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF) at the German laboratory Velotech. We test motor range, brakes, driving characteristics, and technical performance.

This year, the range of the motors has increased by 20–40 percent compared to previous tests. Birk E-One has the longest range, at 33 kilometers. In contrast, the winner in 2018 had a range of 23 kilometers. Batavus, Buddy Bike, and Cube had the shortest range in this year's test at 22 kilometers, which is still better than the second place finisher in 2018:s test.

E-bike manufacturers face a difficult dilemma: achieving better range while retaining as much motor support as possible. For example, test winner Merida has the best range on the lowest motor support with 178 km. In other words, it goes a long way on flat surfaces, but if you need help to get up a slope, the motor will not help much. Fitnord's e-bike is the opposite, as it has the shortest range but the highest motor support.

– Industry experience tells us that about 80 percent of cyclists nearly always drive in the slowest gear and with the highest motor support, says Marco Brust.

Another clear finding is how e-bike design solutions are advancing. We observed new features for lights and baggage, clever solutions for adjusting the saddle, and frames with built-in batteries. Increased shock absorption was another welcome improvement.

However, key areas are without significant development: namely, the brakes and the battery. As e-bikes go faster and are heavier, their brakes are even more crucial than on regular bicycles. The best brakes belonged to Birk, measuring 469 N on the front wheel and 483 N on the rear wheel. In contrast, the bike from Ecoride measured only 316 N and 82 N. The poor brakes on Ecoride are due to the manufacturer's choice to use a pedal brake. An e-bike battery is not usually something the consumer can replace and should therefore be a factor when choosing a new e-bike.

– Consumers need to be careful about handling the battery correctly. An e-bike battery should never be charged to 100 %, as it wears on the battery cells. For the same reason, never fully discharge the battery. The lifespan of battery cells improves when they are not stressed too much in any direction, says Marco Brust.

The test winner

The test winner is the Merida eSPRESSO, which stands out due to its range, driving characteristics, and high all-around quality. It makes for an ideal city bike.

The overall test score for each bike was as follows (on a 10 point scale):

• Merida – eSPRESSO: 8,0
• Cube – Touring: 7,9
• BuddyBike - D1: 7,7
• Birk – E-One: 7,6
• Fitnord - Venture 500: 7,6
• Riverside – 540E: 7,5
• EvoBike – Sport-9: 7,4
• Batavus – EGO Razer: 7,3
• Momas – Voyager: 7,1
• Ecoride – Ambassador AXS: 6,6
  
  Graphics/Overview of results (in Swedish) 
  Original article (in Swedish)

Grading

Results from the lab test have been scored and weighted into a final grade, in consultation with the laboratory. Grading is done on a scale from 1 to 10 where 10 is best. 
Scores on the different components has been weighted into a total grade according to the following:
Range and support 40 %
Brakes 20 %
Driving characteristics 20 %
Technical performance 20 %


How to choose the right e-bike:

• Think about how you will use it. Try out different frame heights and maximum weights, and most importantly: take a test ride and see how it feels.

• If you like to go fast, the mechanical resistance should be low, so you can cycle relatively unhindered even when the motor assistance switches off at 25 km / h.