Can I Buy an Electric Bike Under $300? Is It Possible?

The popularity of electric bikes is on the rise, thanks to its capability to replace the traditional way of transportation. Be it pedal bicycles or 4 wheeler cars, you can ditch both by using an ebike to an extent.

However, the only issue is the price, where you have to pay thousands for a decent ebike. If you’re passionate about ebikes and want to get one with the budget, you might be wondering, can I buy an electric bike under $300 or $400?

Well, the answer is Yes. You can buy an electric bike under $300. You can obtain a good quality e-bike in this price bracket, but it might not have all the vital features that top-of-the-line electric bikes have. Even if $300 is not a very large budget for an e-bike. 

So, if you are looking to buy an electric bike for under $300, then this article will fuide you on how it is possible. So, are you ready to buy an electric bike? Let’s get started.

Can I Buy An Electric Bike Under $300?

Yes, as previously said, it is possible to find an electric bike for less than $300. However, because electric bikes are full-proof modern devices that require a lot of heavy and pricey parts, the possibilities can be somewhat restricted. As a result, the price immediately rises.

Nevertheless, there is no need to feel disheartened since If you can’t find an electric bike for less than $300, you can make your own electric bike. If you already own a regular bike, you will just need to buy an electric bike kit, and you can turn your regular bike into an electric bike for much.

Unfortunately, keep in mind that a cheap electric bike’s speed, longevity, and ride pleasure will not be comparable to the costly bikes. Some critical components may be missing from the low-cost e-bikes, necessitating the purchase of such parts individually.

Low-cost e-bikes are fine if all you want is the joy of riding a quality electric bike. However, if you’re looking for high speed cruising, long battery life, and all-star features like several driving modes, an LCD, and more, a budget of $300 is never enough for a good quality electric bike.

You should be aware that when the features upgrade price rises, so will the prices of the upgrade.

How Much Does Average An Electric Bike Cost?

If you require only an electric bike for short trips; you may spend less money than if you need one for longs, daily journeys. The average price of a road e-bike is around $1,750, with prices ranging from $700 to $9,000+.

Prices may rise even higher than that if you go for top-end ebikes from reputed brands. Higher-end electric bikes include more lasting parts such as a sturdier frame, thicker tires, a more powerful engine, and so on. As a result, the price rises.

As your options, you may have a look at the Ancheer folding 350 watt ebike which is priced at around $300. With 15 mph of speed, app control, and pedal assist, you’ll have your budget well-spent.

Jetson Bolt Adult Folding Electric Bike is also another great performer around this budget. You get a maximum of 15 mph speed from it as well, along with regular features. And its handlebar is foldable, which is a plus.

There are many factors that affect the price. Let’s take a look at these factors below.

Ebike Frame

The frame of an electric bike has a significant impact on its pricing. Whereas many riders prefer lightweight bikes, a sizable proportion will gladly drive a heavyweight e-bike if it means having a greater riding distance.

A robust and hefty frame construction will always be more expensive than a soft, lightweight frame. But, do keep in mind that a lightweight e-bike is much easier to navigate and control real riding.

As a result, models that can strike a mix of the two; weight and riding distance are more expensive for obvious reasons. So, in general, when you find a bike that is lightweight as well, it offers a greater riding range, it will cost you more,

Motor (Hub/Mid-drive)

The motor is the heart of any electric bike. The motor and power have an impact on the entire cost of an electric bike. As we will know, more power means more speed in your e-bike. Torque and motor quality are directly connected with e-bikes.

If the e-motor bikes can give 100 percent assistance, riders will have no trouble getting through severe climbs or reaching the regular top speed restriction of 30km/hr. Most e-bikes of this caliber are considered to be somewhat expensive.

Another factor that influences the pricing is the type of motor; is it a hub motor or a gear motor. Certain versions contain features such as changeable help levels so that the rider has as much freedom to move through them as possible while riding across varied terrains, which raises the price even further.

To summarize, inexpensive e-bikes are more likely to have 250W to 500W of power, and costly e-bikes have 750W to 1000W motors.

Battery

The battery plays a significant role in determining the price of an e-bike—the battery influences the electrical bike riding range, which is indicated by battery capacity in watt-hour. Greater capacity is unavoidably more expensive, and it means how long you can ride the bike on a single charge.

Some companies construct their bikes so that consumers may increase the operating distance by adding extra batteries. The rule for the battery is simple, if you pay more, you will get a better battery that offers higher mileage, and if you pay less, the battery will have less capacity, and you will need to charge the battery more frequently.

Do keep in mind that other factors can also alter the riding range offered by e-bikes. These factors include the rider’s weight, air resistance, the speed of riding, and also dependant on the road you are driving the e-bike on.

Advanced Controls

Electrical functions on an e-bike are in charge of running all-electric elements such as the motor, lighting, and so on. This component is known as the e-intellect bike, and it is responsible for maintaining communication amongst electric components.

An electric bike with simple electrical controllers is much less costly than an e-bike with more smart controls and other functions.

How To Buy An Electric Bike Under $300?

So, if you are determined to buy an electric bike for under $300, then there are ebikes available in this range as well. Here we will discuss everything that you need to know to find an electric bike on a low budget.

Type of Motor

The motor is the most important component of any electric bike. There are two types of motors available for e-bikes. One is known as frame-mounted motors, and these motors are installed in the core part of the chassis in the lower bracket. The other type is known as a hub motor and is installed in the hub of one wheel.

The Central mounted motor works by calculating the force of your pedaling and providing power according to that. A hub motor fitted to the back wheel, on the other hand, transfers your work thru the pedaling motion to the rear wheel, wherein detectors recognize your movement and give help.

Because we are seeking e-bikes for around $300, a rear hub motor is an ideal option for us because it is less expensive for manufacturers, resulting in lower bike pricing.

When it comes to motor wattage, for 300 dollars, you can expect to find a motor within a range of 250 W – 500W. But, higher-end models usually come with a motor of 750 W+.

Battery Capacity

The capacity of a battery is often expressed in ampere-hours. So, that means the higher the ampere-hours, the higher the capacity of the battery will be, and higher capacity means longer mileage.

A rechargeable lithium-ion battery powers most electric bikes. These batteries are lightweight and have high efficiency and quick recharging – often in a few hours. Electric bikes can only go so far without recharging.

Some e-bikes can go between a range of 25-100Km depending on the battery size, speed, and terrain you are traveling on. Generally speaking, the higher the battery capacity, the more kilometers you can go among charges. Hence the more costly the ebike, the larger the battery capacity.

The standard battery capacity is 24v to 48v and between 8Ah-28Ah. For a budget range of 300 dollars, you can expect a battery of 24V with an 8Ah capacity.

Sensors

An e-bike will feature a variety of sensors to manage the power of the motor. Primarily you will find a speed sensor, which will switch off aided mode at the permitted top speed.

There will also be cadence or torque sensors to adapt the aid level to your pedaling input and ensure that an e-bike does not turn and run from you.

Additional advanced systems may have more sensors, and more costly e-bikes may include a tiny LCD display to show battery charge and assistance level and buttons to switch between modes.

You cannot find complex sensors; however, you will get a speed sensor, and most low-budget electric bikes come with cadence sensors as they are relatively cheaper than torque sensors.

Suspension

Electric bikes offer three types of suspension to choose from they are full, front, and rear. The e-bike will be less expensive if you pick rear suspension. On the other hand, full suspension is the most expensive and is typically found on more expensive and high-end models.

Hence, seek bikes with rear suspension if you want to save money.

Key Points

• Look for an e-bike with a 250W- 350W motor if you want to get an e-bike for under $300. Higher power motors will cost you much more.
• A full suspension system will be much more expensive and only offered in high-end electric bikes. So, forget about suspension, or don’t expect a high-end fork suspension.
• If you can’t find an e-bike under $300, you can buy an electrical bike kit and turn your regular bike into an electric bike.
• As the battery capacity of the electric bike increases, the price also increases.

Conclusion

Everything can’t be perfect, especially when you’re looking to get the most out of a limited budget. If $300 is all you have to spend on an electric bike, you can still find a model, but that’ll surely come with limited features.

Your options will be more limited; a cheaper electric bike won’t have as many features as the top-of-the-line products.

Just remember that if you go too cheap, the significant quality drop may not be worth it when the bike is bound to break down sooner rather than later. If that’s the case, then it might be worth investing in a more expensive e-bike.