THE RANGE WORKBENCH

E-bike range estimator

Updated

By · Research and corrections policy

Compare a transparent ride scenario with your own measured energy use. Every default below is an illustrative assumption, not a tested bike or a recommended riding setting.

Short answer

Estimate e-bike range by dividing usable battery energy above your reserve by consumption per kilometre. Use measured consumption from comparable rides when possible. Otherwise explore explicit assumptions for weight, climbing, wind, tyres and rider effort. Results are scenarios, not tested bike ranges; colder battery performance and changing routes need separate judgment.

Illustrative 500 Wh battery: leaving 20% unused gives 400 Wh. At assumed 10, 15 or 20 Wh per kilometre, arithmetic ranges are 40, 26.7 or 20 kilometres.
One energy budget, three entered consumption assumptions. No tested range or battery health is depicted.

Range is a planning estimate. This simplified model does not establish that a motor can climb your route, that riding conditions are safe, or that a battery is compatible or healthy.

Choose your method
Energy available

Usable capacity is your explicit assumption. The default 100% does not certify a used, cold or worn battery. Starting charge and reserve are fractions of that assumed usable capacity; display gauges may not be linear.

Ride and route

Use total ascent divided by route kilometres, not net elevation gain. This model gives no downhill regeneration credit. Temperature changes assumed air density only; it does not apply a universal battery capacity penalty.

Tyres and assistance assumptions

These editable preset numbers are our hypothetical scenarios. They are not measured tyre coefficients, manufacturer Eco/Tour/Turbo mappings, tyre-pressure advice or exercise recommendations. Tyre pressure, surface, posture and motor operating point can change the real values.

Explore uncertainty

This changes consumption by the percentage you enter. The resulting range interval is a what-if comparison, not a validated error bound or likelihood of reaching a destination.

ILLUSTRATIVE DEFAULT RESULT

70.9 km

59.1–88.6 km if consumption is 20% higher/lower. Sensitivity arithmetic, not a probability interval.

400 Wh available above your reserve

5.6 Wh/km modeled

Illustrative steady-speed model. Coefficients and rider effort are editable assumptions, not tested presets for your bike.

Where the modeled energy goes

Rolling demand 2.4 Wh/km

Air drag 3.2 Wh/km

Climbing 1.5 Wh/km

Your pedal contribution 3.0 Wh/km

Motor battery demand after efficiency 5.4 Wh/km

Lights/electronics 0.2 Wh/km

The first three terms are mechanical demand. Rider effort is subtracted before motor efficiency; lights/electronics are electrical demand. These numbers must not all be added together.

Share a scenario

A shared link includes the numeric assumptions above, including combined rider/cargo weight. Anyone with the link can read them. Values are calculated locally; these inputs are not saved by the calculator.

The math, openly

Energy above reserve = label Wh × usable-capacity fraction × (starting-charge fraction − reserve fraction). Measured range = available Wh ÷ entered Wh/km. Scenario range uses rolling demand, air drag and climbing energy, subtracts the assumed rider contribution, then allows for battery-to-wheel efficiency and auxiliary power.

Rolling force is modeled as mass × 9.80665 × the coefficient you enter. Air drag uses ½ × air density × CdA × relative air speed squared. Climbing uses mass × 9.80665 × ascent; 3,600 joules equal one watt-hour. Assumed sea-level air density is 1.225 kg/m³ at 15°C, scaled inversely with absolute temperature at constant pressure. Altitude, humidity and crosswinds are omitted.

This steady-speed calculation omits repeated acceleration, stop/start duty cycles, motor torque/power limits, traction, component temperature limits, battery voltage sag, battery-management cutoffs and changing gradients. Tailwinds are allowed to reduce drag to zero, but never supply modeled propulsive energy. High pedal contribution can reduce motor demand to zero; that produces no finite battery-range estimate if auxiliaries are also zero.

Use measured consumption on comparable rides when available, plan a reserve and revise assumptions as conditions change. This tool cannot validate range for an untested configuration.

Source scope

Physics references checked October 11, 2026: NASA: drag equation, NASA: ideal-gas air density, and OpenStax: work and power. They support the equations, not the illustrative coefficients, default range or bike-specific accuracy. No external range-assistant output was copied; Bosch’s support page was unavailable during this check.

How far does the same battery go at different consumption?

These are illustrative arithmetic examples with 100% assumed usable capacity, a full starting charge and a 20% reserve. They are not averages for road, cargo or mountain bikes. The denominator matters as much as the battery label.

Illustrative range in kilometres; capacity × 0.8 ÷ entered Wh/km.
Label capacityEnergy above reserveAt 10 Wh/kmAt 15 Wh/kmAt 20 Wh/km
400 Wh320 Wh32 km21.3 km16 km
500 Wh400 Wh40 km26.7 km20 km
750 Wh600 Wh60 km40 km30 km

How should I use assistance and tyre presets?

Start by choosing a scenario, then edit its numeric assumptions. Assistance changes our assumed rider contribution, not a manufacturer's motor setting. The rider-power input is mechanical power at the wheel for this simplified calculation; it is not a fitness measurement or a prescribed effort. Tyre presets change an illustrative rolling-resistance coefficient; they cannot identify your tyre's actual rolling loss.

If you change one assumption, keep the others fixed to see its isolated effect. Then combine changes you expect on your actual ride. A headwind, climbing and heavy load can occur together. Their real effects vary along a route, while this model uses steady speed and route-average climbing. It cannot check sustained torque, traction or a steep section's motor limits.

Frequently asked questions

Is the result a guaranteed range?

No. Measured mode extrapolates your entered consumption; scenario mode uses unvalidated editable coefficients. Neither certifies a battery, route or bike. The sensitivity band is arithmetic, not a confidence interval.

Does cold weather automatically remove a fixed percentage?

No. Temperature changes assumed air density in scenario mode. Enter your own usable-capacity assumption separately; the default 100% does not establish cold-weather battery performance. Follow the actual battery's operating limits.

Can I use wall-socket charging energy as ride consumption?

Wall energy includes charger and battery losses and may not correspond to energy delivered during the ride. Use a reliable battery-side energy observation when available, and preserve measurement scope when dividing by distance.

Why can the result say no finite estimate?

If entered rider power covers modeled mechanical demand and auxiliary power is zero, the model has no battery consumption to divide by. That is a limit of the assumptions, not proof of unlimited real riding range.

Need to choose a battery capacity instead?

Use your planned distance, entered consumption and reserve to estimate nominal watt-hours.

Open the battery-capacity calculator →

Read alongside this tool