The best electric mountain bikes make ascents a lot easier, while providing all the performance and handling you want on the way back down. They add some extra power on the flat too.
You can turn your focus to climbing the steepest, most technical slopes you can find – or just go longer and faster with a grin from ear to ear. The ability to cover ground quickly means you can go out and explore places you wouldn’t otherwise consider.
Another reason why eMTBs are taking over is they enable you to ride in ways you usually couldn’t. As the anatomy of electric mountain bikes becomes more refined, their handling increasingly rivals – and in some cases exceeds – that of non-assisted mountain bikes.
For more on what to look for when buying an eMTB, read our buyer’s guide at the bottom of this article. Otherwise, check out our guide to the best electric bikes for advice on choosing the right ebike for you.
If your riding will not be exclusively off-road, the best electric gravel bikes are worth considering instead. What's more, motor-assisted miles on tarmac call for the best electric road bikes.
To read more about electric mountain bikes, jump to our eMTB buyer's guide.
This article has been updated after the introduction of Bosch's latest Performance Line CX motor, with new bikes added to the list.
Best electric mountain bikes in 2024
Canyon Strive:ON CFR
- £6,699 as tested
- Pros: Great value; motor and battery; capable handling
- Cons: Imprecise Shimano shifting
The Canyon Strive:ON CFR is a near-perfect assisted enduro bike with a flawless spec and confident handling on the roughest trails.
Our eMTB Bike of the Year winner is specced with Bosch’s powerful Performance Line CX motor and long-lasting 750Wh battery.
The rest of the spec is impressive for the price. The only downside for us was the Shimano drivetrain, which doesn't shift as well as SRAM’s GX AXS Transmission.
Focus JAM2 SL 9.9
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- £7,499 / €8,499 / AU$14,499 as tested
- Pros: Impeccable performance; powerful and frugal motor
- Cons: Stock tyres are inadequate; Fazua ring controller feels cheap
The Focus JAM2 SL 9.9 is the German brand's lightweight electric mountain bike. It uses Fazua's Ride 60 motor that gives the bike a perky 60Nm of torque combined with a frugal power consumption of the 430Wh battery.
Focus has given the JAM2 two geometry flip chips, allowing the bike to be set up longer, lower and slacker thanks to their position in the linkage and chainstay.
We found this allows the bike to span both the trail and enduro categories, making the bike seriously fun on a variety of trails.
The only letdown from the spec was the lightweight tyres, although this is easily corrected.
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Marin Alpine Trail E2
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- £5,695 / $5,999 / €6,199 as tested
- Pros: Capable; fun and comfortable
- Cons: Cluttered handlebar; rear tyre not suited to some terrain
Marin launched the Alpine Trail E at the end of 2020 and at the time it was the Californian brand's first full-suspension electric mountain bike.
Luckily, it was worth the wait because the Alpine Trail E is a capable, fun and comfortable e-MTB with a well-thought-out spec that offers good value for money including top-spec dampers, Shimano drivetrains and branded components.
You get an aluminium frame with 150mm of travel, with aggressive, descent-focused geometry, while Shimano's EP8 motor provides the power.
The Alpine Trail E2 is at home on a broad spectrum of trails and lives up to Marin's promise as a bike that will put a smile on your face.
The range also includes the cheaper Alpine Trail E1 at £4,295 / $4,499 / €4,899.
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Orbea Rise LT M-Team
- £8,943 as tested
- Pros: Well-balanced geometry; supportive suspension; responds well to hard riding
- Cons: Quite harsh; mid-size hits could be absorbed better
The Rise LT M-Team is Orbea's range-topping lightweight electric bike, featuring a drool-worthy spec and flashing plenty of Fox Kashima.
This LT (Long Travel) model has 150mm of rear-wheel travel matched to a 160mm Fox 36 Factory fork.
We found the suspension to offer plenty of support, although the bike didn't seem as forgiving as others we've tested, with mid-size hits not being absorbed very well.
Shimano’s latest EP-801 motor moves the bike well, offering 85Nm of torque and is mated to a 420Wh battery, although you can spec a 630Wh unit.
We like the bike's handling, with its fast and agile character making for playful descending whatever the gradient.
Orbea Wild M-Team
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- £9,207 / $9,844 / €9,727 / AU$17,429 as tested
- Pros: Bosch motor and battery; confident and capable on descents
- Cons: Value for money
The Orbea Wild M-Team was our eMTB Bike of the Year for 2023, with the bike's balance being the dominant trait on ascents and descents.
The Fox Factory 38 fork and Fox X2 Factory rear shock gobble up rough terrain and find good grip through corners.
Bosch's Performance Line CX motor provides punchy assistance, which feels as though it helps up until the cut-off speed.
Fitted with DH casing tyres, the bike's spec has been well considered and enables the Wild M-Team to be ridden to the limit with ease.
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Propain Ekano 2 CF Ultimate
- £8,600 / $9,999 / €9,999 as tested
- Pros: Well thought-out geometry; Powertrain integration; excellent geometry and handling
- Cons: Auto Shift SRAM gears won't please everyone; battery life isn't the best
The Propain Ekano 2 CF Ultimate is nearly flawless: it has generous suspension, well-designed geometry that makes for thrilling yet controlled handling, and the build is pleasingly premium.
In turns and technical sectors, and on ascents and descents, the Ekano 2 is a hoot to ride.
The SRAM Eagle Powertrain electric bike motor is a standout performer. Auto Shift won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but the seamless integration of the controls, shifting, dropper post and motor probably will be.
Such performance is arguably worth the high price the Ekano 2 CF Ultimate commands.
Specialized Turbo Levo Expert
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- £10,000 / $10,000 / €9,600 / AU$16,500 as tested
- Pros: Neutral ride feel that excels on ascents and descents; top-level handling with abundance of grip
- Cons: Frame's potential exceeds fork's travel; value for money
The Turbo Levo Expert uses Specialized’s Turbo Full Power System 2.2 motor, which offers 90Nm of peak torque and is powered by a 700Wh battery.
While not as punchy as some Bosch systems, the motor provides a natural assist that some riders may prefer.
Specialized has brought some of the S-Works magic to the Expert model, with the bike remaining one of the best-riding electric mountain bikes on the market.
The bike bridges the gap between trail and enduro well, with the adjustable geometry allowing it to be set up for both types of riding.
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Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo SL II
- £13,000 as tested
- Pros: Incredibly wide performance band; adaptable geometry
- Cons: Inadequate rear tyre casing; cost
The latest S-Works Turbo Levo SL uses Specialized's 'semi-skimmed' Turbo SL 1.2 motor that has 50Nm of torque and 320W of power.
The bike feels comfortable on all types of terrain while maintaining an impressive capability when the going gets tough.
Specialized has given the bike adjustable geometry, and allows the bike to be run as a 'mullet' setup.
A drool-worthy spec list featuring Fox Factory suspension and SRAM's XX Eagle Transmission, make the bike a masterpiece at pace, though this does come at a cost.
Whyte E-Lyte 150 Works
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- £9,999
- Pros: Fantastic downhill and good uphill; decent weight; long-lasting battery
- Cons: Motor prefers high cadence; oversized chainring
Winner of our Lightweight eMTB of the Year award, the Whyte E-Lyte 150 Works' perfectly poised ride enables it to master challenging trails.
When pushed to its limits downhill, few lightweight electric mountain bikes can challenge the E-Lyte 150 Works.
Its geometry isn't excessively slack and the weight isn't too much for the Bosch Performance Line SX Motor, so you can get back uphill in relative comfort. A smaller chainring than the 36t specced would further improve this.
SRAM Transmission forms part of the E-Lyte 150 Works' premium spec. Our only issue was the fragile rear tyre.
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Forestal Cyon Neon
- £10,999 / $11,799 as tested
- Pros: Supportive suspension; balanced geometry
- Cons: Pike fork is under-gunned; stock tyres not suitable
Forestal's Cyon is a solid performer and does well to encapsulate everything a trail bike should be.
The Bafang-built EonDrive motor provides a punchy 60Nm of torque and 250Wh of nominal power which is provided by a 360Wh batter located in the downtube.
The bike's low sag recommendation makes the bike less comfy than others on rough, bumpy surfaces, but when pointed down a trail the bike feels muted and forgiving.
We did find the RockShox Pike Ultimate to be a little under-gunned, being easily overwhelmed by the capability of the rear end.
Haibike Lyke CF 11
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- £6,799 / €7,999 as tested
- Pros: Sorted suspension; value for money
- Cons: Unsuitable tyres; messy cable routing
The Haibike Lyke CF 11 provides plenty of support, both up and downhill, with the Fazua Ride 60 motor providing 60Nm of torque and up to 450Wh of power taken from a 430Wh battery located in the downtube of the carbon frame.
The bike punches above its 140mm of suspension travel, with the considered geometry able to provide more performance than expected.
Haibike provides a competitive spec, with a Shimano XT /SLX hybrid groupset, Fox 36 Performance forks and Fox Float DPS Performance shock helping to make this bike seriously good value for money.
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Scott Lumen eRide 910
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- £6,499 / $6,999 / €7,000 as tested
- Pros: Rear suspension is capable up and downhill; motor provides fun and efficient climbing; well-integrated design
- Cons: Tyres limit descending potential; internal shock can be fiddly to adjust
Scott's Lumen eRide 910 offers realistic trail bike ability on the descents, while the frame and motor provide fun and engaging climbing characteristics.
The bike is set up to maximise trail speed, with it feeling as though Scott has dialled back on more adventurous spec choices.
Schwalbe's Wicked Will tyres may lighten the overall weight of the bike, but we found it limiting when coming down gnarlier trails.
Still, this 130mm trail bike can deal with sufficient amounts of aggro on tamer trails.
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Transition Repeater NX Carbon
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- £7,500 / $8,199 / AU$13,999 as tested
- Pros: Great performer on the ups and downs
- Cons: Low spec for the price
The Transition Repeater NX Carbon shines on the descents, being exceptionally adept when things get steep and technical. However, a little more fork travel would be helpful on the gnarliest trails.
The bike uses a Shimano EP8 motor and 630Wh battery pack to give assistance, which produced a total of 2,000m of ascent with a single charge in Eco mode.
Value for money is where the Repeater struggles, with the SRAM NX groupset lacking refinement and the price high when compared to other bikes in the segment.
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YT Decoy MX Core 5
- £7,999 / $8,499 / €7,999 as tested
- Pros: Brilliant descending; top value; long battery life
- Cons: Slack seat tube angle impairs climbing; occasional chain jamming
The YT Decoy MX Core 5 will delight downhill demons by providing stacks of traction and predictability on testing descents. It does so at a competitive price too.
But the Decoy MX Core 5’s slack seat tube angle feels less conducive to climbing, especially when the ascents get technical.
Shimano’s Di2 HG+ shifting usually chooses the right gear automatically, but doesn’t quite match SRAM Transmission’s precision.
Also consider...
These bikes scored fewer than 4 out of 5 stars in our reviews but are still worth considering.
Commencal Meta Power SX Bosch Signature
- $8,000 / €8,800 as tested
- Pros: Composed geometry; impressive climbing performance; rewards aggressive riding
- Cons: Stock tyres pick up punctures; suspension is not the smoothest; not great for chilled laps
The Meta Power SX Bosch Signature features 165mm of rear-wheel travel, although our tester found the bike rode as if it had less than this, lacking the trail-isolating comfort of a long-travel bike.
Despite this, the bike offers a sportier feel than most, with aggressive riding seeing plenty of speed generated down the trail.
We found the bike to climb well, with the Bosch Performance Line CX motor providing plenty of punch for technical ascents.
Buyer’s guide to electric mountain bikes
Electric mountain bike types
Whereas first-generation eMTBs tended to be trail-oriented with around 150mm of travel, there’s now an increasing range of mountain bike disciplines covered.
That includes overbuilt models designed for downhill use at one end of the spectrum, including the Specialized Turbo Kenevo and the Cannondale Moterra Neo.
At the other end, there are lightweight electric mountain bikes, such as the Specialized Turbo Levo SL and the Lapierre eZesty. These use lighter, less powerful motors and smaller batteries similar to electric road bikes. That drops the bike’s weight and ups agility over more heavily built machines.
You’ll find eMTBs with either 29in or 27.5in wheels, but ‘mullet builds’ with a 29in wheel up front and a 27.5in rear are becoming increasingly common. This setup gives good stability at the front and better agility from the smaller rear wheel. Examples include the Canyon Spectral:ON.
Most eMTBs are full-suspension bikes, but you can also find trail-oriented electric hardtails, such as the Canyon Grand Canyon:ON and Kinesis Rise.
Electric mountain bike motors
Popular choices for electric mountain bike motors are Bosch, Shimano Steps and Yamaha, while Fazua’s lightweight motor is increasingly making an appearance on weight-focused bikes.
The Bosch Performance Line CX motor has been updated this year but continues to have a 600Wh peak power output and 85Nm of torque for fuss-free climbing. There’s a natural ride feel and good battery management that gets impressive range out of the system’s battery.
Shimano’s Steps E-8000 and E-7000 systems are still found on some eMTBs, although they've started to show their age, with lower power output and torque than newer rivals. Its smaller batteries give you less range too, but still boast low weight and a compact design, along with the ability to tune the output.
However, Shimano has added the EP8 motor to its range. This boosts torque to 85Nm while reducing weight by around 200g, lowering pedalling drag, increasing range and lowering Q-Factor. The EP8's launch coincided with Shimano increasing battery capacity to 630Wh. More and more, you'll find it being specced on newer electric mountain bikes, including many of our picks above of the best electric mountain bikes.
Meanwhile, Giant uses the Yamaha Syncdrive Pro motor on its e-MTBs. Its Smart Assist mode uses an array of six sensors, including a gradient sensor, to work out how much power to deliver in any given situation.
A popular choice on road-going ebikes, the Fazua and TQ motor systems are found on some lighter-weight e-MTBs, such as the Lapierre eZesty. It’s lighter, less powerful and has a smaller battery. That means you typically need to put in more of your own pedalling effort, but it drops the bike’s weight down closer to non-assisted models. Plus, you can remove the battery completely and ride the bike without it.
Specialized has its own motor units, which it specs on the majority of its electric bikes. Its Turbo Levo SL trail bike uses the low-torque SL 1.1 motor and a 320Wh battery for less assistance and lighter weight.
SRAM has also joined the mix with it's Eagle Powertrain drive system which uses a similar Brose motor to that found in Specialized's system.
Eagle Powertrain has a wide range of connectivity features to the brand's Eagle AXS Transmission with Coast Shift allowing gears to be selected while not pedalling.
Electric mountain bike battery capacity
To get you up hills, produce enough power and provide adequate range, most electric mountain bikes will have battery capacities of around 500Wh to 700Wh.
An internal battery in the down tube makes for clean lines, but there are also e-MTBs with external batteries. These typically lower the weight and, in models such as the Lapierre Overvolt, mean the battery can be placed lower and more centrally.
But, as mentioned above, eMTBs with smaller-capacity ebike batteries down to 250Wh are appearing. These trade a more limited range for lighter weight and the potential for improved handling.
