The idea of ebikes creates a sense of excitement to most people as they remove the hard part of riding a traditional bike and at the same time having something close to a motorcycle without the same costs and inconveniences they bring. They are also perceived to be a safer alternative to motorcycles and overall it is much simpler to maintain. However, most of the time people feel ebikes are overpriced. Well i'm going to try to show you why ebikes are quit pricy compared to the traditional bikes.
It all boils down to the components involved; ebikes have to include batteries,
motor, and the control system.
Batteries are usually the most expensive component in the bike as they have to contain a high capacity of power to be able to move your weight around. The average cost of a good lithium battery is upwards $ 250, anything below that price range will just be a mess.
Motors come in second place and their output is dependent on the battery's capacity so basically the bigger the motor the more power it will require hence a high powered one is going be significant in the overall cost of the ebike.
Other components include the controller, wiring, and sensors not to mention that an extra layer of precaution has to be put in place to prevent electrical equipment from the weather conditions such as rain, snow, or even dust.
Conclusion
So the reason is simple, its all a matter of the cost of the extra components required. In spite of that we should also keep in mind that ebikes are yet to reach their full potential in terms of manufacturing, so most likely in future we will see a drop in price.
I was thinking about the same topic in the past days. The most problematic part seems to be the battery, which dies after 200-300 charge cycle, and it costs more to replace than the bike itself. Very disappointing. And actually, its not even more cost-effective, than travelling by train, for example. And for short distances, the normal bike is better alternative. So i am disappointed in these electronic bikes.