The best-designed e-bikes 2023: an A to Y guide

June 3 is the fifth World Bicycle Day, a date nominated back in 2018 by the United Nations as a way to boost this most efficient of all modes of transport. E-bikes are a central spoke of this strategy, be they consumer-owned, or leased from one of the many ride-sharing rental schemes around the world. The pandemic also gave the industry an unexpected boost as public transport options evaporated. 

Scarcely a week goes by without another e-bike maker popping up to offer their superficially appealing wares. E-bikes vary wildly in style and price. Some new brands have clearly been drop-shipped from the vast and admittedly highly advanced bike industry in China, while others take a more bespoke approach, meticulously building to order in small volumes akin to the very best traditional bicycle manufacturers. 

For the sake of argument, we’re defining an e-bike along the same lines as the EU; pedals have to be present, and electric power can only be delivered via pedal assistance, not a throttle. US regulations allow bikes to go a bit faster, with a specific category for throttle-equipped bikes. 

While we can’t claim to be completely comprehensive, our two-part guide to the burgeoning e-bike market should get your research up and running. Improvements in urban storage, rural bike paths, charge times, weight and price are all coming together to make the e-bike one of the most tempting types of around-town transportation. Saddle up, and explore what’s out there with our A to Y of modern e-bikes. 

A to Y of the best e-bikes 2023

Acer ebii

A surprise entrant to the market from a brand best known for its laptops. Acer’s ebii eschews conventional bike structure in favour of a solid cross-bar structure integrating battery and lights.