How Much Energy and Carbon Does an Electric Bike Really Save?
Electric bikes feel green, but the honest question is how green they are in measurable terms and compared to what. The clearest way to answer is to put different travel modes on the same scoreboard using two simple metrics: energy per mile and CO₂ per mile.
When you do that, electric bikes are usually not just a little better than cars. They operate in a different efficiency class.
Energy per Mile Makes Comparisons Fair
The most useful energy metric is watt-hours per mile (Wh/mi). That is the electrical energy an electric bike draws from the grid to move one mile, including typical charging losses. Energy use depends on hills, wind, speed, rider weight, tire pressure, and how hard you pedal.
Still, a practical commuting range often cited in technical and research contexts is roughly 12 to 20 Wh/mi for a pedal-assist electric bike under everyday conditions. This range is broad on purpose because it captures efficient riding at moderate speeds as well as higher-demand situations such as heavier loads, higher speeds, and frequent stops.
Electric Bikes Use Very Little Power
At 12 to 20 Wh/mi, an electric bike uses about 0.012 to 0.020 kWh per mile, or 1.2 to 2.0 kWh per 100 miles. That is a small amount of electricity in exchange for meaningful mobility, especially for short to medium commutes where people often default to driving.
The Grid Sets Charging Emissions
Multiply the electric bike’s energy use by the carbon intensity of the electric grid. Using a recent U.S. grid estimate around 384 grams of CO₂ per kWh, the math looks like this.
At 12 Wh/mi, emissions are 12 × 384 / 1000, which is about 4.6 grams of CO₂ per mile.
At 20 Wh/mi, emissions are 20 × 384 / 1000, which is about 7.7 grams of CO₂ per mile.
Even if your riding is on the less efficient end of that typical range, you are still looking at single-digit grams of CO₂ per mile for the electricity used.
Cars Emit Far More CO₂
Now compare that to a typical gasoline car. The U.S. EPA’s commonly cited estimate for an average passenger vehicle is roughly about 400 grams of CO₂ per mile from the tailpipe. That comparison is the headline. An electric bike’s operating emissions are often on the order of 50 to 80 times lower per mile than an average gasoline car when you use realistic electric bike electricity and a representative U.S. grid intensity.
Cars move a far greater mass, face higher aerodynamic drag at speed, and waste a large share of energy as heat, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Electric bikes are lightweight and efficient, and the rider contributes part of the propulsion.
Commutes Show the Savings Fast.
To make this feel less abstract, imagine a typical 10-mile round-trip commute, five days per week. That is 100 miles per week. Using the numbers above, a car at about 400 g CO₂ per mile produces roughly 40 kilograms of CO₂ per week from that commute. An electric bike, at roughly 5 to 8 g CO₂ per mile, produces about 0.5 to 0.8 kilograms of CO₂ per week.
The difference is dramatic because you can often avoid around 39 kilograms of CO₂ every week simply by swapping that commute from a car to an electric bike.
Riding Habits Shift the Numbers
There are two important caveats, and both still favor electric bikes. First, the grid matters. If your electricity comes from a cleaner mix with more renewables or nuclear, electric bike emissions drop further. If it is a dirtier grid, emissions rise, but because an electric bike uses so little electricity per mile, the total usually remains low.
Second, how you ride matters. Higher speeds, underinflated tires, heavy cargo, and minimal pedaling push Wh/mi upward. Even so, you would need an extreme increase in energy use to approach the per-mile emissions of a gasoline car.
Tesway Dual Motor Electric Bikes Make Switching Easier
If your electric bike replaces car miles, especially on short urban trips, your energy use and carbon footprint per mile typically fall sharply. In many everyday U.S. scenarios, the operational footprint of an electric bike is measured in single-digit grams of CO₂ per mile, while a typical gasoline car is closer to hundreds of grams per mile.
That is why electric bikes are increasingly treated as one of the most practical tools for reducing transportation emissions while still keeping daily travel convenient.
If you want a setup that makes it easier to stay consistent with that switch, Tesway long range electric bikes can be a strong option. In particular, Tesway dual-motor electric bikes are built for riders who deal with hills, wind, rougher pavement, or heavier loads, and who want confident traction and strong assist, so they are more likely to choose the bike instead of the car for everyday trips.