electric bike

noun

variants or e-bike

ˈē-ˌbīk 

or electric bicycle

plural electric bikes or e-bikes or electric bicycles

: a bicycle equipped with an electric motor that may be activated in order to assist with or replace pedaling

Just like any bike, electric bikes come with a ton of different technical specs that you may or may not care about.

—Adrienne So

For many years, e-bikes carried the stigma of being vehicles for lazy pedalers and seniors. The bikes draw power from a battery and motor to make pedaling significantly easier. You can also accelerate with the press of a button, transforming cycling from a strenuous exercise into a joy ride.

—Brian X. Chen

Examples of electric bike in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Affordable electric bikes usually mean enduring heavy frames, clunky kick-in for the motor and unrefined, unpredictable power delivery. — New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026

Crowds of young adults set cars, electric bikes and trash cans on fire. — Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026

Guests can borrow Bluejay electric bikes, refill at hydration stations on every floor, and shop clean skincare lines at the spa boutique. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Atlanta police are adding electric bikes to Beltline patrols to give officers a way to cover more ground and reach emergency calls faster. — CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for electric bike

• statesmanlike
• alike
• belike
• birdlike
• catlike
• childlike
• christlike
• deathlike
• dislike
• dreamlike
• friedreich
• godlike