Micro-Mobility Cost of Ownership Calculator
Find the real yearly and per-distance cost of owning an e-bike or e-scooter — purchase, battery, charging, servicing, and insurance, amortised into figures you can compare.
Cost of ownership
How the estimate works
The sticker price is only part of what a vehicle costs. This tool spreads the purchase, minus expected resale, over your years of ownership; amortises the battery over its life; and adds charging, servicing, and insurance. The result is an honest annual cost, and — divided by the distance you ride — a cost per kilometre or mile.
The per-distance figure is the one to watch: it drops the more you ride, which is why a vehicle that replaces car or transit trips every day works out far cheaper per journey than one that sits in the hall.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes into the total cost of ownership?
Five things. Depreciation is the purchase price minus what you expect to sell it for, spread over the years you keep it. Battery replacement is amortised over the pack's life. Charging is the electricity you use. Then there is routine servicing and any insurance or registration. Adding them gives a yearly cost, and dividing by the distance you ride gives a cost per kilometre or mile.
Why include depreciation instead of just the sticker price?
Because you don't lose the whole purchase price — you get some of it back when you sell, and you spread the rest across years of use. Amortising it this way makes an expensive e-bike and a cheap scooter comparable on a fair yearly basis, and shows how holding a vehicle longer lowers its annual cost.
How should I estimate battery replacement?
A quality lithium pack often lasts several years or a few hundred to a thousand charge cycles before its capacity drops noticeably. Enter the cost of a replacement pack and how many years you expect the current one to last; the tool amortises it across that period. If you don't plan to replace it, set the battery life to zero.
Does a low cost per kilometre mean it's worth buying?
It is one input, not the whole decision. A vehicle ridden often spreads its fixed costs over more distance, so the per-kilometre figure falls the more you use it. Pair this with the Commute Cost Calculator to compare against driving or transit, and weigh the convenience and health benefits too.
Educational estimate only. Depreciation, battery life, and running costs vary widely; use your own figures and treat the result as a planning guide.