Best 500 Watt Electric Bikes | How We Chose Ours?

Are you looking for a 500W electric bike with decent enough hill-climbing power?

 Maybe all you want is a mid-level e-bike with enough range to cover your daily commute; well, whichever category you fall into, this post will equip you with basic knowledge on what to look out for when selecting the best 500-Watt e-bike for your needs. 

How fast does a 500w electric bike go

On average, 500W electric bikes can go as fast as 20mph (32.2 km/h) in throttle-assist mode and 28mph (45 km/h) in pedal-assist mode. However, don't expect them to overcome resistance (headwinds, rolling resistance, rider weight, etc) the same way higher-powered electric bikes do.

On flat roads, e-bikes with 500W motors will accelerate at much slower speeds than 750 or 1000W electric bikes.

Is 500 Watts Enough for an E-bike

As a general rule, 500 watts is enough for the majority of ebike riders, however, you want to be careful when browsing through e-bike product specifications. Not all electric bikes with a 500W rating are suitable for heavy duty usage.

A good rule of thumb would be to look for 500-Watt electric bikes with 36+ Volts battery packs. Any e-bike with a battery system lower than that — 12V or 24V — will most likely not be able to deliver more than 350 Watts of power - at peak performance.

Bike Friday's Haul-A-Day is an example of a heavy-duty electric bike (up to 510 lbs/231kg maximum load capacity) with a 500W motor.

How Far Can a 500W Ebike Go

On average, 500W electric bikes can cover up to 35 miles (56km) on a full charge. Nevertheless, mileage can be extended by switching to more energy-conserving riding modes.

For example; an electric bike's lowest pedal-assist level delivers minimal mechanical power to the rider and as such consumes less energy from the battery. Switching to this level could extend your bike's range by up to 10 miles (16km).

Can a 500W Ebike Climb a Hill

In general, A 500W e-bike should provide enough power to climb steep hills. However, the bike's performance while traveling uphill will rely more on the type of motor it's equipped with than on how much power that motor is able to generate.

Mid-drive systems generally perform better at hill-climbing than hub-drive systems. This is because mid-drive motors integrate with a bike's gear system.

So, even when you're not pedaling (using the throttle), you can switch to a low gear and trade speed for torque. This isn't something you can do on an e-bike with a hub motor.

Hub motors have only one speed/gear ratio. Unless you pedal, if a hub motor can't propel an electric bike all the way up an incline, it can't!

What Is the Highest Watt Electric Bike

The strongest electric bike on the planet is the Stealth B-52 Bomber. This e-bike generates up to 6200 Watts (6.2KW) of power at peak performance.

It has a top speed of 50mph (80km/h) and can cover up to 60 miles (97km) on a full charge. The bike's 'City' mode limits its power and ensures that it can be ridden as a Class 2/3 e-bike.

500W vs 750W E-bike

An electric bike with a 750-Watt motor will undoubtedly perform better at climbing hills than one with a 500-Watt motor. Such e-bikes will reach top speeds faster and will be able to overcome resistance better.

500W vs 1000W E-bike

Any motorized cycle with a power rating above 750W (1 Horsepower) isn't considered an 'electric bike' in the U.S. These kinds of bikes are prohibited from cruising where normal and lower-powered e-bikes ride.

So, if we were to make a comparison, a 1000W e-bike is basically a 500W e-bike on steroids - 2X more power, superior hill-climbing ability (even if it's a hub-drive system), increased torque, insane acceleration, etc.

Juiced's Hyperscorpion is a perfect example of an e-bike with a 1000W motor. This bike easily exceeds Class 3's 28mph in 'race track' mode.

Best 500 Watt Electric Bikes (Affordable Options)

1) Velowave 27.5'' Mountain E-bike

Thanks to its 500W brushless hub motor, this e-bike can reach speeds of 25 miles per hour.

Responsive front and rear disc brakes ensure the e-bike can be brought to an immediate halt even when it's traveling at high speeds.

In terms of battery capacity, the Velowave 27.5'' Mountain E-Bike is rigged with a 48V 13Ah lithium-ion pack that can power the bike up to 50 miles (80km) on a full charge.

It's also equipped with hydraulic front forks that can be adjusted to adapt to any terrain. This makes it suitable for riding on almost all kinds of terrain.

2) Heybike Mars

If you're looking for a high-performance all-terrain 500W electric bike, you might want to check out Heybike's Mars. This 66-pound (30Kg) fat-tire mountain e-bike can attain speeds of 20 miles per hour.

What's most surprising about this budget e-bike is its maximum load capacity. Mars can support up to 330 lbs (150kg) of rider + cargo weight.

This feature isn't something you'll easily find on e-bikes that aren't specifically designed to transport cargo (even higher-powered e-bikes).

Some of its other cool features include

3) Overfly Hummer

This commuter e-bike is equipped with a high-speed brushless Bafang hub motor that can provide up to 500 watts of continuous power. It is limited to a top speed of 20 mph and can cover up to 50 miles on a full charge.

Multiple riding modes let riders choose between five different levels of pedal assistance and fully electric, throttle-activated mode. Thanks to its collapsible frame, the Overfly Hummer comes 95% assembled.

You don't need to be a gearhead to attach the remaining components as the pack contains a manual and a set of tools.