I know, it sounds like clickbait math, but it’s real: you can cover 6,000 miles for just $160 in fuel. There’s a catch, though. It’s not gasoline. Oh, and it’s not even in a car. You’ll need to trade in your four wheels for two. Specifically, you’ll need something like the Ryvid Anthem, a lightweight, street-legal electric motorcycle that was purpose-built for efficient urban commuting.
I’ve been in the market for a light electric motorcycle for my sister for a while now. And as I was perusing Ryvid’s site, I noticed a catchy graphic claiming that the bike could cover 6,000 miles (9,600 km) for just $160 in electricity.
It sounded too good to be true, so the engineer in me made me instantly bust out a pencil and start scribbling away on some scrap paper on my desk. And I’ll be damned – the math holds up. In fact, they were being extremely conservative with their numbers.
There are a few short paragraphs of math to follow here, but stick with me. It’s pretty simple, and the result is actually really impressive.
The Anthem’s 4.3 kWh battery offers up to 75 miles of city range, depending on riding style (whiskey throttling at every green light may ding your range, of course).
That works out to around 57 Wh/mile (35 Wh/km), which is impressively efficient, even compared to an electric car. (Electric cars usually consume around 220-270 Wh/mile at city speeds, or nearly 5x as much energy to go the same distance as the Ryvid Anthem).
Multiply the Ryvid’s consumption over 6,000 miles, and you’re looking at about 344 kWh of electricity consumed. At the national average residential electricity rate (roughly $0.16/kWh), that’s just $55 of electricity to travel 6,000 miles. That’s less than one cent per mile. Of course, electricity rates are vastly different around the country. In California, that much electricity would cost you double at $110. In North Dakota, it would be nearly half, costing you $35 to travel 6,000 miles at city speeds.
All of these are well below the $160 originally quoted by Ryvid for 6,000 miles of travel, likely because the company is being realistic and not trying to sneak by on “optimal conditions” figures to tout even lower charging costs. So let’s handicap ourselves and use worse efficiency numbers. Let’s say we don’t stick to city speeds. Let’s have some fun. If we instead use Ryvid’s constant 55 mph (88 km/h) range of 46 miles (74 km), that would rework the math to bring the cost up to $89 at the national average electricity prices. In California, it’d be $180. Back in Bismarck? $57 flat. Still under one penny per mile… if you’re cool with the Bismarck, North Dakota scene.
Anyway you slice it, and even with the most expensive electricity in the US, these are insanely affordable commuting figures. To put the numbers in perspective, even the most efficient electric cars, like the Tesla Model 3, average closer to 220 Wh/mi at city speeds (135 Wh/km). That same 6,000-mile journey would cost you about 1,320 kWh, or $211 at the national average. And that’s before factoring in significantly higher purchase prices for electric cars, costlier maintenance, registration fees, and all the other higher financial costs and headaches of owning a full-size vehicle.
The Ryvid Anthem, by comparison, is a techy-yet-minimalist commuter bike that’s packed with some really clever features. It’s got an easily removable battery that you can roll inside like carry-on luggage to charge at a standard wall outlet, or you can plug the bike in directly for Level 2 charging, which gets you to 80% in just over an hour thanks to its large 3.3 kW built-in charger. The seat height is electronically adjustable (even while riding!), a huge benefit for riders closer to the ends of the height bell curve or those who share a bike with someone else. When I reviewed the motorcycle, I even found it nice for keeping the seat higher while riding and then dropping it down with the push of a button at red lights to more easily flat-foot it. And at just 313 lbs (142 kg), it’s lightweight and approachable, far less intimidating than many full-size motorcycles.
Performance-wise, the Anthem isn’t a long-distance highway cruiser, but with a top speed of over 75 mph (121 km/h), it’s more than capable of commuting on any highway or interstate, as long as you don’t need to go too far. Remember, this isn’t a sport bike and it’s not designed for long touring trips – it’s a super fun commuter.
The 4.3 kWh battery may sound small compared to an electric car, but it’s designed for efficiency. While 75 miles (121 km) is doable at city speeds, you’ll still be north of 40 miles (64 km) even when cruising at a constant 50+ mph (80+ km/h). Again, it’s for getting to work, not for getting to Sturgis. And since the battery can be rolled inside with you, riders could even bring it right into the office and charge it from a wall outlet during the day at work. Why not let your boss pay for your riding?!
For new riders who don’t want to deal with the maintenance associated with combustion engine motorcycles, regenerative braking and a simple belt drive system keep things quiet, simple, and low-maintenance. The bike even comes with a full-color LCD dash and an optional integrated mount for your smartphone. It even has reverse – an important feature missing on most electric motorcycles, including my fancy-shmancy LiveWire S2 Del Mar (a bike that also costs twice as much as the Ryvid and makes me feel like I skipped every leg day of my life when I need to back it up a 0.01% grade into my parking spot).
Sure, making the switch from a car to an electric motorcycle isn’t just a financial decision, it can be a lifestyle change. You’ll need to get comfortable with no longer commuting from inside a box, occasionally using rain gear (you know, like you also do when walking on a rainy day), and the rhythm of two-wheeled commuting.
But for many riders, the benefits quickly outweigh the trade-offs. An $8,000 electric motorcycle sure sounds easier to swing than a $35,000 electric car, not to mention the considerably lower monthly cost of ownership. And beyond just the financial benefits, other advantages like easier parking, more enjoyable ride, and yes, massively lower energy consumption, make bikes like the Ryvid Anthem a compelling alternative to car ownership for urban and suburban commuters alike. And if you happen to live in a state that allows lane splitting or filtering, then the ability to cut your commute time down to a fraction of its former self and never wait in long lines of traffic again is something that feels too good to describe in words.
Yes, there are a few small barriers to entry. You’ll still have to get your motorcycle license and a good helmet. I’d also recommend some quality riding gear like a breathable mesh jacket. But after that? You’re looking at one of the cheapest and smartest ways to travel 6,000 miles without burning a drop of gas, and barely touching your wallet.
Oh, and if you want to push things to the limit and instead go 60,000 miles for $160, can I introduce you to an electric bicycle?
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