How e-bike technology is changing
A decade ago, it was usually obvious which bicycle in a row was electric. Look for the battery mounted on the rear rack or frame, then the display on the handlebars. Today, you might have to look twice. The motor could be hidden in the rear wheel, the battery tucked inside the frame and the rider’s phone serving as the display.
That change in appearance reflects a broader shift in e-bike technology. Manufacturers are working on how the bicycle charges, changes gear, protects itself from theft and responds to its rider.
There is a substantial audience for the results. In the Netherlands, 391,318 e-bikes were sold in 2025, accounting for 49% of new bicycle sales and 73% of bicycle sales revenue. Many owners already know what they like about electric assistance. They also know the frustrations: uncertain range, a heavy bike or an expensive battery left outside a shop.
What might e-bike technology do about those problems over the next decade?
How e-bike batteries have evolved
Older e-bikes used several rechargeable battery technologies, including nickel-metal hydride. Lithium-ion became the dominant choice, allowing manufacturers to store useful amounts of energy in packs suitable for everyday cycling. Capacity grew. Gazelle lists a 252 watt-hour battery for its older Innergy models; its newer Cayo has a 430 Wh battery in the frame. These are different bicycles, so their figures are not a like-for-like comparison of range. They illustrate how battery capacity and placement have evolved.
A watt-hour measures stored energy, not distance. A 500 Wh battery could, in principle, supply 100 watts for five hours. How far it takes a rider depends on hills, wind, temperature, tyres, gearing and the level of assistance chosen.
For years, the straightforward answer to range anxiety was a larger battery. That still makes sense for someone carrying a load or travelling far between charging opportunities. But it adds weight and cost. A rider making short trips across town may prefer a bicycle that is easier to lift and manoeuvre.
The battery has also become part of the bike’s appearance. Cowboy integrates its motor into the rear wheel; Veloretti conceals cables and components; Gazelle’s Cayo houses its battery in the down tube. Gazelle has made bicycles in the Netherlands since 1892, making the Cayo a sign that this cleaner urban look has reached established manufacturers as well as newer electric-bike brands.
As with cars, different uses are producing different designs. A small city vehicle and a four-wheel drive need different engineering; so do a lightly used commuter e-bike and one carrying a family’s shopping. That diversification allows manufacturers to ask how much battery a particular bicycle needs, rather than simply how much they can fit.
Could faster charging reduce the need for bigger batteries?
Another way to address range is to shorten the wait for more electricity. Most e-bike owners are accustomed to charging at home for hours. Gobao says selected compatible batteries paired with its 30-amp charger can go from empty to 80% in 24 to 30 minutes. This is a manufacturer’s claim for a specific battery and charger combination, rather than a result any e-bike can achieve.
Faster charging could be valuable on a long ride or for a delivery bike used throughout the day. It might reduce the need to carry a very large battery for every kilometre. But the battery must be designed to accept that charging rate, manage heat and remain useful over time. Riders also need convenient places to plug in. A fast charger alone cannot create a charging network.
For shorter daily journeys, plugging in overnight may remain the easiest answer. The appeal of faster charging lies in giving other riders a better option.
When the motor and gears work together
Electric assistance has become more sophisticated than a choice between a few power settings. Sensors can respond to a rider’s effort, while software adjusts the motor’s output. Compatible Shimano systems already offer automatic shifting. Some bikes can adjust assistance to help their remaining charge last for a distance entered by the rider.
Engineers are also integrating the mechanical parts. German company Pinion sells a unit combining an e-bike motor and gearbox. At Eurobike 2026, Avinox presented another integrated motor and gearbox design, currently a concept. Housing the parts together can allow shifting and assistance to be coordinated while protecting more of the drivetrain from dirt and weather.
The attraction is easy to understand if you have dealt with a dirty chain or badly adjusted gears. The test comes later: how does the system ride after thousands of kilometres, and what does it cost to repair if something fails? Integration could simplify daily use while making specialist servicing more important. That balance will become clearer as more bikes accumulate years of ordinary riding.
How are e-bikes tackling theft?
A valuable battery complicates an everyday errand. The Gazelle Cayo’s pack is locked in place but removable, so its owner can take it indoors to charge or carry it away when parking. A fixed battery offers a different convenience: it is harder to steal separately, and the rider does not have to take it into every shop. It does require access to a socket where the bicycle is parked. Neither arrangement suits everyone.
Security technology is expanding beyond the battery. Hepha has presented a lock built into the wheel hub, combined with an alarm and a mode that disables drive components if the bike is marked stolen. These features may deter a thief or make a stolen bike harder to use and sell. They cannot make it theft-proof.
A bike is more useful when its owner feels able to leave it outside a supermarket, rather than saving it only for trips with secure parking.
Safety features that earn their place
Some e-bikes now carry technology more familiar from cars. Bosch offers anti-lock braking for e-bikes, designed to help control braking in critical situations. Garmin sells a rear-facing radar and light for compatible e-bikes that can warn riders of vehicles approaching from behind. Both exist today, and neither replaces paying attention to the road.
The case for such features may differ between bicycles. French manufacturer Galian’s Le Formidable, for example, combines a front cargo box with extended rear seating and offers space for up to four passengers. Managing a loaded bike through traffic presents different demands from riding a lightly loaded city bicycle.
Future safety systems may become easier to use together. Their success will depend on offering useful help at the right moment, without filling a ride with distracting alerts.
The test comes years after the sale
Whatever technology an e-bike gains, its battery will eventually age. That makes replacement as important as range when the bicycle is new.
EU provisions taking effect in February 2027 require e-bike batteries to be removable and replaceable by an independent professional. A battery can therefore be fixed in place for everyday security without being permanently sealed into the bicycle. Relevant new batteries are also due to have a digital battery passport containing information specified under EU rules. Neither measure guarantees an inexpensive repair, but both bring the battery’s later life into the design process.
Will the e-bike of 2036 look as though it belongs in a science-fiction film? Probably not. It may look even more like an ordinary bicycle. The difference could be in the things you barely notice: gears that find the right setting, a more dependable range estimate and a battery you can leave on the bike while you pop into a shop. If it can still be repaired ten years later, that might be the most futuristic feature of all.
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