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

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

In terms of mobility, there are courtesy Le Carl Gustaf electric bikes to get around on, and an electric Moke car parked out on the street, for guest use. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

Then 10 teens peeled through the historic terminal on electric bikes. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

Some residents have turned to electric bikes or scooters, or tried to convert their cars to using natural gas. — Ivan Nechepurenko, New York Times, 4 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