Will it actually save you money?

A car costs more per kilometre than the dashboard fuel number - depreciation, parking, maintenance and insurance add up. We do the full math against what an e-bike actually costs to run.

Your trips
All the trips you currently take by car, transit or rideshare.
$per L
We also include depreciation ($0.21/mi), maintenance ($0.10/mi), parking ($0.03/mi).
Honest estimate - short, predictable trips replace easily; long highway runs don't.
$per kWh
Default for United States: $0.173 per kWh, the average household price (EIA, 2025, annual average). Change it to your tariff.
$
Optional - drives the payback period calculation.
⚡ Annual savings
$762per year
After e-bike running costs · ~$15 /week
Payback in
3.5yr
5-yr cumulative
$1,109
Replaced {u}/yr
1,809mi
Long payback. Still $762/yr saved, but you'll need 3.5 years to break even on the bike price.
480kg CO₂/yr avoided
Equivalent to ~22 trees planted
5-year cumulative position
Net of bike purchase
Net positionPayback
+$1,109$0−$2,700Payback 3.5ynow+1y+2y+3y+4y+5y
How this is calculated

We compute what you currently spend per replaceable km, subtract the e-bike's running cost per km, and project the gap over time.

Car cost per mi = fuel (L/100km ÷ 100 × $/L) + maintenance $0.10 + depreciation $0.21 + parking $0.03

E-bike running cost per mi = electricity (15 Wh/km × $/kWh ÷ 1000) + maintenance $0.07, plus $108/yr service

CO₂ avoided = replaceable km/yr × 165 g/km (car ~170, e-bike ~5)

ItemValueAnnual
Replaced {u}/yr1,809-
Current cost / mi$0.55$1,003
E-bike cost / mi$0.07$241
Net saving-$762

Constants are EU averages. Local figures vary - adjust your inputs for accuracy.

Matched to your math

Bikes that pay for themselves fastest

Browse full database →
Fiido D3 Pro

D3 Pro

Fiido
Payback in
6mo
374 Wh~17 mi estimated39 lb
$399
View bike →
G-FORCE AE

AE

G-FORCE
Payback in
6mo
720 Wh~32 mi estimated80 lb
$399
View bike →
DYU C3 14

C3 14

DYU
Payback in
6mo
270 Wh~12 mi estimated45 lb
$403
View bike →

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⚡ Personal savings report

Email me my savings report.

We'll email you this result in your currency and units. Use it to convince your accountant, your partner, or just yourself.

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FAQ

E-bike savings calculator: frequently asked questions

How we work out what you save by swapping car or transit trips for an e-bike, including running costs, payback period and CO2 avoided.

What is the e-bike savings calculator?

It is a free tool that estimates how much money you save per year by replacing car, transit or rideshare trips with an electric bike. It compares the full cost of your current transport against an e-bike's running cost, then shows your annual saving, payback period, five-year position and the CO2 you avoid.

How do you calculate savings versus a car?

We work out your cost per kilometre by car, multiply it by the kilometres you can realistically replace each year, and subtract the e-bike's running cost over the same distance. The difference is your annual saving. Payback period is then your bike's purchase price divided by that annual saving.

What car costs are included?

We include more than just fuel. Car cost per kilometre combines fuel (your consumption times the fuel price), plus EU-average maintenance of about 0.06 euros, depreciation of about 0.12 euros and parking of about 0.02 euros per kilometre. These hidden costs are why a car is far more expensive per kilometre than the pump price suggests.

How much does it cost to charge an e-bike?

Very little. An e-bike uses roughly 15 watt-hours per kilometre, so at a typical electricity price of 0.30 euros per kilowatt-hour, charging costs under half a cent per kilometre. Even with maintenance and an annual service included, an e-bike's running cost is a small fraction of a car's.

What is the payback period and how is it calculated?

The payback period is how long it takes for your savings to cover the price of the bike. It is calculated as the e-bike's purchase price divided by your annual saving, expressed in months or years. A short commute that replaces expensive car trips can pay back a bike in well under a year.

Is an e-bike really cheaper than a car?

For the trips it can replace, almost always. Cars carry high fixed and per-kilometre costs through fuel, depreciation, insurance, maintenance and parking, while an e-bike costs a few cents per kilometre to run. The more car trips you replace, the larger the saving, which is why the percentage of replaceable trips matters so much.

How is the CO2 saving calculated?

We multiply the kilometres you replace by the difference in emissions between a car (about 170 grams of CO2 per kilometre) and an e-bike (about 5 grams per kilometre). The result is shown in kilograms of CO2 avoided per year, plus an equivalent in trees, so the environmental benefit is easy to picture.

What does percentage of trips replaceable mean?

Not every journey suits an e-bike, so this slider lets you be honest about how many of your current trips you would actually switch. Short, predictable trips replace easily, while long motorway runs do not. Setting a realistic percentage keeps the savings estimate grounded rather than assuming you abandon the car entirely.

Does the calculator work for public transit or rideshare?

Yes. You can switch the current mode to car, transit or rideshare. For transit we use your monthly pass cost pro-rated by replaceable trips, and for rideshare we use your cost per kilometre. The e-bike comparison stays the same, so you can see savings against whichever mode you use today.

How accurate are the savings estimates?

The constants are EU averages, so the figures are calibrated estimates for guidance rather than a precise quote. Local fuel, electricity and tax conditions vary, so for the most accurate result you should override the defaults with your own numbers. Every figure is transparent and shown in the methodology, so you can see exactly how it is built.

How this is calculated

Every figure this tool produces comes from the formula below and the constants beside it. They are the same values the code runs, not a description of them, so what you see here is what the calculator did.

annual saving = (car cost per km - e-bike cost per km) x km ridden
Constants are read from the calculator's own source, so this table cannot drift from the maths.
InputValue used
Car maintenance0.06 EUR per km
Car depreciation0.12 EUR per km
Car parking0.02 EUR per km
E-bike electricity15 Wh per km, at your electricity price (starts at your market's average, below)
E-bike maintenance0.04 EUR per km
E-bike service100 EUR a year
CO2car 170 g per km, e-bike 5 g per km

Electricity price by market

Average household electricity price per kWh, taxes included where the publisher includes them. An average over many tariffs, not a rate on anyone's bill.
MarketPriceCoversSource
United States$0.173 per kWhaverage residential retail price in the United States, taxes and fees included (17.30 cents per kWh); 2025, annual average.U.S. Energy Information Administration (Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.3), U.S. Energy Information Administration (what the price includes) (read 9 October 2026)
Europe€0.2896 per kWhEU-27 average household price, band DC (2,500 to 4,999 kWh a year), all taxes and levies included; second half of 2025.Eurostat (dataset nrg_pc_204, band DC) (read 9 October 2026)
United Kingdom£0.2632 per kWhOfgem price cap unit rate for electricity, Direct Debit, Great Britain average, no VAT on electricity in this period (26.32 pence per kWh, standing charge not included); 1 October to 31 December 2026, price cap period.Ofgem (price cap rates) (read 9 October 2026)
CanadaNone. Calculators start at 0.30 EUR, converted.Canada has no national tariff. The Canada Energy Regulator publishes provincial prices only as a chart, without taxes, and states no national average. We found no official city or national figure we could read, so we show none.Canada Energy Regulator (provincial prices) (read 9 October 2026)
AustraliaNone. Calculators start at 0.30 EUR, converted.Australian prices differ by state and network. The AEMC's price report is a projection drawn in charts without a figure, and we found no national average on an official source we could read, so we show none.Australian Energy Market Commission (price outlook) (read 9 October 2026)

Where these constants come from, and what the model cannot tell you: read the methodology