American Made Electric Bikes: Top Quality and Craftsmanship

Some of the best electric bikes are designed and built in the US, even as the fast-growing e-bike industry has reached nearly every corner of the globe. As you’ll learn, it’s highly unlikely that an e-bike and all its parts are entirely made in the US but there are top-quality brands that complete as much of their manufacturing as they can on home soil. Find out which brands to consider to support local craftmanship and US-based manufacturing.

While the short answer is yes, understanding where and how most electric bikes are made requires a more detailed explanation. The e-bike industry, even more so than the standard bicycle sector, is a globalized market. Most electric bikes are built from a collection of components that are sourced from all over the world.

Many e-bike brands are based in the US and assemble their bikes inside the country at the end of the manufacturing process overseas. These American e-bike companies may also conduct their design, research, and engineering work in the US. Researching where Aventon bikes are made reveals that they’re manufactured in China before the Aventon e-bikes are shipped to the USA to be inspected and assembled.

Popular US-based electric bike brands include:

• Rad Power Bikes: Founded in Northern California in 2007, the brand is now based in Seattle, WA.
• Juiced Bikes: Started in 2009 and is based in San Diego, CA.
• Aventon: The large e-bike brand is headquartered in Southern California.
• Pedego: Founded in 2008 and operating out of Irvine, California.

Entirely American-made e-bikes— from initial design to manufacturing and final assembly— are few and far between. It’s much more difficult to build a 100% US-made electric bike than you may think— this is because many required parts are not produced at an adequate scale inside the country.

Top-quality component brands from abroad like Shimano, Bosch, Maxxis, and Kenda manufacture essential parts found on bicycles across the world. US-based bike companies source parts from overseas which often leads to a higher-quality e-bike overall, cost savings, and a more competitive price for consumers.

For riders who want to support American manufacturers that design and assemble their e-bikes locally, there are many US-based bike builders and brands worth a look. Many of these American makers are boutique or small-scale brands that aren’t as well-known but which make some of the highest-quality bikes available. 

As discussed earlier, constructing an entirely American-made electric bike is a challenge, but the following American companies make quality products that are as close as you can get:

• Electric Bike Company: EBC is based in Newport Beach, CA, and allows riders to customize their very own cruiser e-bike with different color options. The e-bikes are made in the USA and are delivered fully built. Customers can also take advantage of the 10-year warranty for their custom e-bike.

• Bike Friday: This quirky brand has been hand-building bikes in Eugene, OR since 1992. They specialize in folding bikes and even claim to have made the world’s lightest Bosch e-bike!

• HPC: Hi Power Cycles focuses on electric mountain bikes that are designed, engineered, welded, powder-coated, and assembled in the USA. Any HPC e-bike will be one of the fastest out there and is supported by a 3-year warranty. Some models even look like electric motorcycles.

• Co-Motion Cycles: Renowned for their unique multi-person bikes, Co-Motion makes an electric tandem called the Metolius named after a scenic river in central Oregon near its headquarters in Eugene. Some parts are imported but the models, but Co-Motion states the bikes are “Oregon Made”.
• Small Town Bike Co.: This veteran-led company builds their bikes in the USA from global components, including the Boogie Ebikes cruiser with a 2-year warranty, rear bike rack, and comfortable frame.

Purchasing an electric bike made in the US is a great way to support local manufacturing and know exactly where your e-bike came from. While there are many excellent bicycle factories in production hotspots in Asian countries like Taiwan, mainland China, and Vietnam, some factories may not have as tight quality control.

High standards and certifications are especially important for electronic parts like the bike battery and motor for durable e-bikes for long-term use. US-based factories also ensure ethically manufactured electric bikes with proper labor practices and safety measures. Many other riders simply enjoy having an e-bike with thoughtful design and local craftsmanship.

E-bike manufacturing is constantly evolving and there has been a recent push to incentivize US-based production of electric bikes. Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer, known for his bow tie-wearing and bicycle advocacy, proposed a new bill called the Domestic Bicycle Production Act. It aims to support the electric bike industry in the USA by instituting tariffs on imports of bicycle components from abroad and offering loans to support domestic bicycle manufacturing facilities.

The bill would also provide e-bike companies with federal tax credits for electric bikes manufactured inside the US. At the state level, the excitingMinnesota e-bike rebate program launched on July 1, 2024, to make purchasing new electric-assisted bicycles more accessible. Another way to save money is to buy a used electric bike which is great for the environment.

Each state has different laws regarding e-bikes— find out if you need a license to drive an electric bikein your state before you buy. These new government initiatives and policies could help stir up stronger US e-bike manufacturing, similar to the European model of bike production that still imports bike parts while increasing domestic assembly.

While the international e-bike market is dominated by overseas component makers, US-based brands have seen great success selling complete e-bikes. These domestic brands are especially skilled in design, engineering, marketing, and customer service. So whether you’re searching for a US-based brand or a locally crafted electric bike, there are plenty of excellent options to boost your ride.