The first year and even the first day are the biggest times for depreciation. The bike is no longer new, meaning that a big chunk of its value is gone.
How Much Value Does an E-Bike Lose Each Year?
Written by: Nick Cowie | September 4, 2026 | Time to read: 5 min
The second you sit on a new electric bike and start pedaling, its value drops. This is an alarming reality for e-Bike owners, but depreciation is just part of the game. Luckily, how quickly a bike depreciates is under your control.
More about the Author: Nick Cowie
Nick is a writer with seven years of experience in the cycling industry. In his free time, he enjoys swimming, Jiu Jitsu, and spending time outdoors.
Just like a car, an electric bike is a depreciating asset. Similarly, how you treat the bike depends on how quickly and severely that depreciation happens. Regular bikes depreciate as well, but because of the electronic complexity of e-Bikes, they tend to lose value much faster. It is up to you to take care of the delicate electronic components of your e-Bike and have the paperwork to prove it to show that your used e-Bike should be more valuable than most. Here’s what you can expect in terms of value drops in e-Bikes.
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Table of Contents
Why do e-Bikes lose value faster than regular bikes?
Electric bikes are obviously much more complex than regular bikes. In addition to the frame, drivetrain, cockpit, and wheels, e-Bike owners need to upkeep a battery, a motor, and other complex components. These electronic items are not cheap and are also usually the first things to degrade, making retaining value a tough challenge for e-Bikes.
- Battery Health: The battery is almost always the most expensive part of your e-Bike and the part that is most prone to degradation. Lithium-ion cells typically lose about 20% of their capacity over 500 charging cycles. Used e-Bike buyers know this, so they are less willing to pay higher prices.
- Technology Obsolescence:You probably go through this with your phone. The second you think you have the best tech available, something new comes out. This applies to bikes as well. An e-Bike that is just a few years old can be multiple generations behind the newest version in terms of smart features and firmware.
- Complex Components: Even the mechanical components on an electric bike are more complex to help the motor run smoothly and handle the extra weight. Pair this with the difficulty of maintaining sensors and displays, and you have a bike that is nearly impossible to fully maintain. Motor Torque: 60 Nm
How much will the price drop per year?
Putting your feet on the pedals and riding takes the bike from new to used, causing the biggest drop it will see in value in its life. Expect an instant drop of around 30 to 50% of what you paid from this first ride to the end of the first year. In the next couple of years, it will likely lose 10 - 20% of its current value each year, depending on the brand and how well you maintain it. By year five, depreciation starts to slow, and it settles anywhere from 15 - 50% of the bike’s original value.
| Time | ~ Total Percentage of Value Lost |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | 20% - 30% |
| Year 1 | 30% - 50% |
| Year 2 | 45% - 60% |
| Year 3 | 55% - 70% |
| Year 4 | 65% - 80% |
| Year 5 | 70% - 85% |
What factors can slow depreciation?
It is rare to keep a bike’s value up to 50% of what you paid after five years, but it can be done if you have the perfect storm of positives on your side. If you have a high-demand brand bike and motor, have taken great care of your bike and its battery, and have the paperwork to back it up, you might be able to sell it for a higher percentage than the above table suggests.
- Healthy Habits: Keeping your battery healthy is the golden ticket to used e-Bike value. Do your best to keep the charge between 30% and 80%. This avoids putting the stress of fully charged or empty cells on the battery, helping it last longer. Keep your battery away from extreme temperatures, and do your best to avoid using the highest settings regularly or turning on the motor without pedaling.
- Documentation: A healthy battery really only does you any good in a sales negotiation if you can prove it. A lot of e-Bike apps show battery health, charge cycles, and mileage. In other cases, bike shops can get this report for you. If your diagnostics look good, print them out and bring them to the sale to prove the health of your bike.
- Trusted Brands: Reliable and trusted brands hold onto their value better than unknown budget brands. Bike brands like Specialized, Aventon, Trek, and Giant have a great reputation in the e-Bike world and always sell for more. This also applies if you have a motor made by a company like Bosch, Yamaha, Specialized, or Shimano.
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Can I still sell an older used electric bike?
Just because your e-Bike is old, that doesn’t mean you can’t still get cash or store credit out of it to put toward your next bike. If you do sell your used electric bike on Facebook Marketplace or to a local bike shop, make sure you have all the documentation you need to give yourself leverage. Upway is the best place to sell a used electric bike and get paid quickly and safely. Our experts have refurbished countless electric bikes, so they know exactly what to expect.
Fill out our form, tell us about your bike, and attach a few photos. We will get back to you within 48 hours with a cash offer. You have 14 days to think it over, then we will help you ship your bike, or you can drop it off at an UpCenter in New York or Los Angeles. After we receive your bike, we will release a secure payment along with a bonus of $150 in store credit. Upway will refurbish your bike and give it a second life while you get the cash to buy a new one.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the biggest decline in value happen?
How can I slow the depreciation process?
Keeping your battery is the main component to maintaining value. Use and charge your battery responsibly and track its statistics along the way so you can be ready to show that it is degrading at a slower rate than normal.
How do I sell a used e-Bike?
Upway is the quickest and safest way to get cash for your used electric bike. We know that no used bike is perfect, so we are willing to work with sellers and make a fair cash offer so we can refurbish your e-Bike.
Key Takeaways
- Depreciation is natural: Like with a car or anything else that you put miles on, depreciation is going to happen. If you can slow the process, you will still be able to get cash for your e-Bike when you are done with it.
- Document everything: Always make sure you have your battery and motor diagnostics ready to go before you sell. Get a receipt every time you get maintenance done to prove you took care of the bike.
- Sell with a trusted buyer: Everyone knows that e-Bikes depreciate, so many buyers will lowball you to take advantage of the market. Upway fairly pays you what your bike is worth and gives you cash right away.
