How Much Does Electric Trike Cost? What is E-trike Price?

Last Updated on August 8, 2023 by Igor Karni

Trike e-bikes or electric trikes often readily set themselves apart from other electric bikes with their designs alone (the most obvious being some models requiring riders to adopt a recumbent position while riding). This fact actually also plays a major role in determining the price of most models. Compared to standard electric bikes like city and mountain e-bikes, plenty of electric trikes are starkly cheaper. 

Why is this so? Well, for one, trike e-bikes can arguably be categorized into their own niche. Electric trikes are designed to fulfill a particular purpose (i.e. carrying items and passengers) or provide a more stable e-bike option for people, after all, while an average e-bike often leans more towards being used for various personal purposes. The weights of electric trikes, as a result, are often heavier, which can definitely impact the final price of any model. 

That said, how much do trike e-bikes cost? Trike e-bike prices usually hover mainly in the entry-level spectrum with a few reaching mid-range numbers. Interested electric trike buyers should anticipate a price range of $1,800 to $6,000.   

Read also: How to select your first electric mountain bike? And, How much does a good eMTB e-bike cost?

Besides weight vastly pulling the price down, their speed and performance as a direct result of the quality of their components certainly affect costs too. Not all trike e-bikes are built to lug things and people around, and those that are high-performance and can give the most stability are usually priced over others. 

Even so, there really isn’t much of a vast difference in the costs of most models. Those that double as a cargo e-bike may cost more, but looking at most models available presently, a lot are comparatively affordable. 

Read also: How to select the best cargo e-bike (with examples)? And, How much does a good cargo e-bike cost?

List of notable trike e-Bikes

Model name	Price	Weight
AddMotoR MOTAN M-350	$2,999	82.2 pounds (37,3 kg)
Rad Power Bikes RadBurro	$5,799	227 pounds (103 kg)
Pedego Electric Trike Mineral Blue	$2,995	68.6 pounds (31,1 kg)
Trivel E-Azteca	$3,695	78.5 pounds (35,6 kg)
PFIFF Grazia-Bosch	$4,487.99	83 pounds (37,7 kg)
EUNORAU NEW-TRIKE	$2,299.00	80.5 pounds (36,5 kg)
EMOJO Caddy Trike	$2,599.00	90.1 pounds (40,9 kg)
Electric Bike Tech Electric Sun Traditional Trike	$1,898	79 pounds (35,8 kg)

Factors that affect the cost of trike e-Bikes

Trikes are naturally heavier and electric-assisted varieties are no exception. This is why it can be argued that trikes are one of the most fitting types of pedal-driven vehicles to be integrated with e-bike technology. Every pedaling action the user does will trigger a motor assist, much like any traditional e-bike. 

Factoring in weight, this should give an experienced e-bike user a good picture of why the said factor is such a major price factor, among other things. They shall be outlined in greater detail as follows.

Trike e-bike weight

You would probably agree if you have ever ridden an e-bike before, that e-bikes can definitely make do with the “heavy” label that is often readily plastered on them. Well, imagine carrying twice or even thrice more weight while riding them. In a trike e-bike packed to full capacity with groceries, this is not at all a one-time or isolated scenario. 

This sheer amount of weight is a downside, even with the motor’s aid considered, hence, why most electric trike models are cheaper. It just affects a lot of essential factors like riding range, speed, and motor load. 

However, it would be short-sighted to blame an electric trike’s weight solely for these disadvantages. It would be an oversimplification, at best, considering the fact that riding range varies with every ride because of a number of other factors like riding habit and style, terrain, battery, and motor power, to cite a few. 

Read also: How much does an e-bike weigh? And, What is e-bike range on a single charge?

Trike e-bike motor power

Another big difference that a trike e-bike has over any other e-bike lies in the feel of its motor. Most electric trikes incorporate drivetrain motors, which is actually a perk for most riders, as it just feels more natural and does not seem like the motor is pulling or pushing you every time it kicks in. Nonetheless, some electric trikes still use front-wheel and mid-mounted motors, though. 

Read also: Front, mid-drive, or rear e-bike motor. Which one to choose? And, What is the difference between e-bike motors?

When it comes to price, motor power (based on total watts) is a prime basis. Brands that want to assure their models will be able to reach the standard e-bike maximum speed of 20mph or even push that to 30mph do not hesitate to equip their e-trikes with 1,200-watt motors, which is already a rarity as far as e-bikes as a whole are concerned. This is because there are local motor regulations that manufacturers always have to consider. 

It is not uncommon to run across trike e-bikes that do not manage to reach the usual top speed of 20mph because of less powerful motors. Do not expect low-cost models (those that sell for less than $2,000) to achieve that optimal top speed, with certain models reaching only around 14 or 15 mph and riding ranges totaling a minimum of 14 miles only. 

A few can actually only go for 10mph, and the electric trike’s design and weight can certainly be attributed to this. Consequently, these are the models that usually fall in the budget-friendly category.

Trike e-bike battery capacity

While most trike e-bike batteries are relatively large, it does not necessarily connote a higher riding range. The bigger size actually lends itself to the overall weight of the e-bike as well, which is not at all a good thing for riders. The total watt-hours of the battery may give you a good inkling of how far a specific model can go, but it will never be able to provide a precise calculation every time. 

Why? Well, much like the motor, the battery life of an electric trike also mainly depends on how you use the trike. Using the pedal-assist occasionally will definitely result in a longer riding range than, for example, opting to go full-electric mode. This effectively illustrates the close relationship between the battery and the motor of not only the electric trikes but electric bicycles as a whole. 

Even so, those brands with higher watt-hour batteries will certainly cost more. Certain models even have the option of adding a second battery which expands the range twofold or more. Obviously, this only means more expenses for the owner, which is not limited to initial sale but maintenance costs as well. Battery charging time is also another factor that greatly affects the price, which is only further boosted by the demand of users for quick-charging models. 

Read also: What are the differences between e-bike batteries? And, How to properly store an electric bike?

Trike e-bike cargo capacity

Take note that most electric trikes have varying spaces for cargo. Those that double as cargo trikes and have the most capacity will usually be a bit more expensive than others.

This factor should be considered by the prospective buyer from the get-go, as there are plenty of trike e-bikes that are wholly designed with practicality in mind. But the general rule of thumb is the more items it can carry, the more it will bump that price tag higher. 

Also, keep in mind that weight is normally the gauge of the cargo capacity. Most models can carry an average of 300 pounds. If the rider opts to make the most of that limit in a given ride, it will definitely have a great impact on a riding range, assuming he will be using pedal-assist more. 

Trike e-bike maintenance and warranty

The overall lifespan of the trike e-bike’s battery has to be considered when considering maintenance costs. Ordinarily, a lithium-ion battery has a maximum of 700 to 800 cycles, which roughly translates to 3 to 5 years before it needs replacing. Of course, that is assuming the battery does not suffer any kind of damage from the elements (i.e. its susceptibility to the cold). 

By the same token, you also need to do regular tuneups on parts that usually degrade faster like the pedals, chains, gears, tires, and disc brakes. The same goes for the motor. 

As far as warranty goes, trike e-bikes are similar to most e-bikes in such a way that models that have longer comprehensive and frame warranties are bound to cost more money. 

Other facts about trike e-Bikes related to cost

The added wheel of the trike e-bike, much like an average trike, provides better stability than e-bikes. Whether this affects the price is debatable. However, since this perk does cause it to become preferred by riders with extra needs (e.g. seniors), it may have an influence but not in any way as significant as the other factors mentioned above. Unless the demand for trike e-bikes greatly balloons in the future, that is. Ultimately, better stability is a major selling point for most models. 

There is no shortage of recognizable brands that have dabbled in the electric trike niche, introducing their own twists that will make their models stand out. This is why brand competition can, more or less, affect the pricing of these kinds of e-bikes as well. 

Technological features like LCD displays are usually added to e-trikes as well, and they are really useful in revealing the total riding range at any time. 

A few words in conclusion

Since electric trikes still fall under the “e-bike” umbrella term, it is evidently still being greatly influenced by the continuous development of e-bike technology. The mere fact that e-trikes and e-bikes virtually share the same parts only underscores this, all the more proven by the price factors that they overlap in. 

This considered it won’t be a shot in the dark to say that electric trike prices are bound to be affected by the eventual maturation of the technology as well. The expected big price drop will happen, but trike e-bike enthusiasts have to be patient until it does.