[jeffbee]

The aerodynamic situation of a bicycle is so disadvantageous that the easiest way to get a long range e-bike is to simply ride more slowly. People internalize beliefs about energy-range ratios from electric cars, but they don't translate well to bicycles.

[jandrese]

It is kind of a shame that recumbent bikes are expensive and bike nerd coded. A recumbent e-bike with an aeroshell would be fantastically efficient and useful in so many situations, but if you tried to buy one today it is going to cost as much as a car and have everybody else sneering at you.

[loeg]

> recumbent e-bike with an aeroshell

The term of art here is "velomobile."

[jacquesm]

They're also a great way to get really badly hurt.

[loeg]

The exact same thing applies to electric cars, though -- going slower significantly increases your range.

[jeffbee]

But cars have much larger constants and linear terms in their efficiency equation and they hit peak efficiency at 15 MPH or higher, whereas a bicycle peaks at half that.