Tech That Paved The Way For E-Bike Boom

Millions of people across the world bought bikes during the pandemic. For some, it was a means of transportation and a way to avoid buses and trains. For others, it was a form of recreation. But even in this hot market, e-bikes were an especially bright spot, with U.S. sales alone tripling in 2020. While they are popular, they aren’t new. In fact, e-bikes have a long history. Patents for the earliest models were issued 120 years ago. So what made them so popular now? The answer lies in new technologies that make them faster, safer and longer-lasting.

Three Key E-Bike Technologies

Batteries: The earliest lead-acid batteries were extremely heavy. Over the years, technologists and engineers have experimented with new battery materials that can store more energy in smaller areas. Research in the 1990s on nickel-metal hydride batteries offered a range of about 60 miles. Today, most bikes rely on high-density lithiumion cells that can store more energy in a more compact footprint and have ranges that exceed 100 miles. The energy density of leading Li-ion batteries has doubled in recent years, while the cost per unit of energy has fallen by more than 70 percent, according to the information appeared in the March 2017 issue of IEEE Electrification Magazine.