The Best Electric Mountain Bikes, Tested and Reviewed (2025)

Updated June 11, 2025 02:44PM

The electric-mountain bike market has grown exponentially in the last decade, and this year’s options are better than ever. Whether you’re looking for a whip that feels the same as a regular mountain bike, or a hard-charging chop-crusher, we singled out the best seven eMTBs of 2025.

Best eMTBs

Editors’ Choice

Trek Slash+

Tested Build: 9.9 X0 AXS T-Type
Weight: 46 lbs
Wheels: Mixed 27.5”/29”
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 172.2 mm rear; 177 mm fork
Motor: TQ HPR50
Battery: 580 Wh, 160 Wh extender

Pros and Cons
⊕ Top-notch descending performance
⊕ Best in class battery range
⊕ Could be your only bike
⊗ Limited size range
⊗ Build kits should be better for the price

Trek chose the Slash as the platform for their newest lightweight eMTB, and boy did they stick to the prompt. The Slash+ is an electrified Slash, and nothing else—but that’s what makes it so great. It has a decently powerful motor, truly impressive battery range, and suspension feel that competes with any long-travel mountain bike, electrified or otherwise.

With a TQ motor and battery system, the Slash+ gains some pounds over the analog equivalent, but still comes in at a very impressive 46-pound total build weight, even with some appropriately capable parts bolted to it, such as the RockShox Zeb fork, Vivid air shock, and SRAM Maven brakes. The spec is very solid, although the price of the complete bike is on the higher side compared to other options in this category.

This is an eMTB with the same suspension kinematics, geometry, and body position as the notably impressive Slash. There are only four sizes, though, compared to the five available for the regular Slash, which could make it slightly trickier to choose the right size.

By electric mountain bike standards, the Slash falls into the lightweight eMTB category, where overall weight takes precedence over having as much power as possible at the wheel. That said, the TQ motor can put out an impressive amount of wattage—it does a great job of making big grinds seem a whole lot mellower. As an added bonus, it’s damn near silent. It’s also quite efficient when it comes to battery usage— it’s possible to put in some serious vert without running out of juice.

Part of the joy of riding an e-bike is the stupid climbs you can throw yourself at, just to see what’s possible. Though the motor output is less punchy than a full-power bike, the Slash+ can still hang. The rear wheel grip pays dividends here, and is helped along by the TQ motor’s natural feeling power delivery—you can meter effort in an intuitive way and expect that the bike will follow suit.

The Slash+ is one of the best descending bikes we’ve ridden in recent memory, thanks to excellent rear suspension feel, balanced geometry, and that little extra stability that comes from the motor and battery weight. In comparison to the non-motorized Slash, that last detail is the clincher, as the extra weight near the bottom bracket keeps the bike just a bit more planted over chattery trail noise.

The electric Slash’s geometry looks good on paper, with a wide range of adjustments that make it possible to customize its handling, and it feels even better in real life. The chainstay length increases nearly 18 millimeters through the travel due to the rearward axle path, which provides stability when you’re pushing into the bike the hardest, but doesn’t feel too sprawled out in corners and techy sections. The balance here is really impressive. Though the design caters towards erasing bumps at speed—and that’s where it feels best—it doesn’t compromise on predictable cornering.

Best All-Rounder

Santa Cruz Vala

Tested Build: X0 AXS RSV
Weight: 48.1 lbs
Wheels: Mixed 27.5”/29”
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 150 mm frame travel; 160 mm fork
Motor: Bosch CX
Battery: 600 Wh

Pros and Cons
⊕ Easy handling, adaptable performance
⊕ Impressively reliable frame and electronics
⊕ Excellent build kit
⊗ Battery capacity will disappoint some (but a range extender is available)
⊗ Requires attention on steep climbs

The Vala is the first Horst link bike that Santa Cruz has ever made, and it might represent a more significant change in the brand’s approach to bike design. Santa Cruz claims that the choice to implement the 4-bar design revolves around packaging constraints brought on by the Bosch CX motor. That may be the case, but the new layout also makes it easier to achieve the suspension curves they’ve been honing in on with VPP bikes over the past few years.

The Vala’s resemblance to the new Bronson, its non-motorized sibling, extends beyond the geometry chart, with on-trail feel that bridges the bike-electric-bike gulf impressively well. The extra weight from the motor and battery is apparent, but not always to a detriment—that extra mass can help calm things and keep the bike on line through rougher patches of trail, where a bike might otherwise deflect. Cornering feels intuitive, and the bike tips into steeper turns without any fuss. At times, those situations are where heavier e-bikes can make things harder, as the bike weight can make the bike reluctant to cut into turns as easily as a non-electric bike might; luckily that’s not the case here.

Bosch’s new CX motor is impressively powerful, and pedals intuitively, closely mapping your power output to match expected drive force. The front end of this bike can feel a little “lifty” when power is high and the climb is steep, but it’s nothing better body position can’t fix.

Santa Cruz did a great job with their first foray into the 4-bar world, providing an active yet predictable ride feel that offers consistent support through the travel. Their recommended suspension setup worked very well, and felt balanced on flat and steep trails alike. When it comes to suspension performance, the Vala hits a nice spot, riding high without feeling like it’s pitching your weight forward. It can handle just about anything you throw at it, but errs on the fun side of things, with proportions and weight meant more to mimic regular bikes than to maximize the monster truck e-bike characteristics.

Full Power Without the Weight

Cannondale Moterra SL

Tested Build: LAB71
Weight: 44 lbs
Wheels: Mixed, dual 29” compatible
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 142-149 mm rear travel (size-specific), 160 mm fork
Motor: Shimano EP801
Battery: 601 Wh

Pros and Cons
⊕ Low weight, high power combo
⊕ Adaptable geometry
⊕ Confident handling on tech trails
⊗ Potentially too low and slack in the stock configuration
⊗ Non-removable battery and no range extender options

The Moterra SL promises to let you have your cake and eat it too. It’s a full-power eMTB weighing no more than many SL (Super Light) e-bikes. The Shimano EP801 motor provides the full 85 Nm of oomph to send you up steep hills and the 601Wh internal battery is big enough to do long rides without skimping on assistance. That said, it would be nice to see the addition of a range extender option for completing even longer missions, but at the moment there isn’t one available.

The combination of a full-power motor and mid-power weight might sound like a recipe for the ultimate climbing e-bike, but unless you’re against the clock, we don’t think there’s a noticeable advantage compared to heavier (around 55 lbs) eMTBs with the same motor. On the other hand, when compared to other SL e-bikes with less power, it is in another league.

Out of the box, the Moterra SL’s geometry numbers are fairly typical, with the exception of the very slack 62.5-degree head angle. To get the most out of the bike, it’s worth trying the headset in the steeper geometry setting in order to liven up the handling and make it feel less lethargic on mellower terrain.

The Moterra SL has a fairly damped and predictable feel that deals with small to medium bumps sensitively without feeling too soft or getting lost in the travel. The flex-pivot suspension doesn’t throw up any unusual quirks. The pounds saved compared to other full-power e-bikes pay dividends in complicated sections, particularly when maneuvering the bike through tight trees, sharp corners, or off-camber roots. While still not quite the same as riding an analog bike, it’s a lot more intuitive and engaging than a traditional eMTB.

The combination of a high-torque motor and 44-pound weight is genuinely game-changing in the eMTB world. The Moterra makes other SL e-bikes look limited in range and technical climbing abilities, powering up steep scrambles where mid-power motors struggle and stall. At the same time, it offers a refreshingly “normal” ride compared to full-fat eMTBs when pointed downhill. It falls into the all-mountain category, with the parts spec and power to tackle steep climbs and a wide variety of descents.

Best Enduro eMTB

Orbea Wild

Tested Build: M-LTD
Weight: 49 lbs
Wheels: 29″ (27.5″ link available)
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 170 mm
Motor: Bosch Performance CX
Battery: 600 Wh

Pros and Cons
⊕ Calm and composed handling
⊕ Very quiet while descending
⊕ Excellent power delivery while climbing
⊗ Still has thru-headset cable routing
⊗ Even shorter cranks would be nice to see
⊗ Motor cover is a mud magnet

While the geometry and the overall look of the bike remain the same, the Orbea Wild received a 10-millimeter increase in travel for 2025, putting it at 170 millimeters front and rear, and it’s equipped with the latest version of Bosch’s Performance CX full power motor. It’s also mixed-wheel compatible, an option that can be chosen at checkout.

On the trail, the overall position of the Wild is upright and comfortable thanks to the fairly steep seat angle and tall stack. The overall handling is fairly neutral, although we’re still talking about a slack, full-powered e-bike here—it takes more effort to maneuver compared to something like the Rise, Orbea’s lighter weight, more trail-oriented offering.

The Wild may be a descent-focused eMTB, but the Bosch Performance CX motor helps make climbing much more entertaining, with a controlled output that makes it easy to deliver just the right amount of power to the rear wheel.

The new Wild still has that punching bag-like quality that made the last version so enjoyable—it does a great job of absorbing hits without getting rattled. Speaking of rattling, the new motor is nearly silent while descending, and overall the Wild is extremely quiet, even compared to non-motorized bikes.

The previous Wild was (and still is) a great bike, so it makes sense that the new one received only a slight revision rather than a dramatic overhaul. Gripes about headset cable routing aside, the Wild strikes a very good balance when it comes to its handling and suspension performance on the climbs and descents. It’s a bigger, full power ebike that hides its weight and wheelbase length relatively well, which means you don’t need to be on the absolute rowdiest trails to still have a good time on it.

Best Mid-Power eMTB

Devinci E-Troy Lite

Tested Build: GX AXS 12S
Weight: 43 lbs (size M)
Wheels:Mixed 27.5”/29”
Frame: Aluminum
Travel: 150 mm rear, 160 mm front
Motor: Bosch Performance Line SX 55Nm
Battery: 400 Wh

Pros and Cons
⊕ Confident and playful descender
⊕ Top-performing and natural-feeling Bosch motor
⊕ Excellent value for components and a Made in Canada frame
⊗ The walk mode isn’t the easiest to use
⊗ Noisy on the downhill

The new Devinci E-Troy Lite will convert the e-mountain bike skeptics out there. It delivers power so seamlessly and naturally that it makes you feel like you’re a fitter version of yourself on the climbs. Not only is the climbing smooth and enjoyable, but the E-Troy Lite is a supremely confident descender with well-balanced suspension.

We reviewed Devinci’s full-powered E-Troy back in January before the Canadian brand released the E-Troy Lite this spring, Devinci’s first lightweight e-mountain bike. It comes with a Bosch Performance Line SX motor with 55 Newton-meters of torque compared to the 85 Newton-meters of torque on the full-powered bike and has a smaller battery as well. With the same amount of travel but a slightly steeper headtube angle, the E-Troy Lite weighs over 10 pounds less than the full-powered bike. All sizes of the E-Troy Lite have mixed wheels.

While climbing, there are four assist modes that are easy to toggle through using the small wireless shifter on the thumb-actuated mini remote. While on eMTB mode, it really feels like you’re being rewarded for putting down watts since the motor reacts to rider input. I spent the majority of the time in the Tour+ (second) and eMTB (third) modes on singletrack climbs since they provided the perfect amount of assistance without burning through the battery or feeling like they were overpowering me. I never felt like I needed to jam on the brakes on a climb, which is certainly a feeling I’ve had with some full-powered eMTBs. Without a range extender, I found that the E-Troy Lite could do an 18-mile ride with about 3,200 feet of climbing (though that number will change based on your effort, the mode, your weight, and the trails).

There are some bikes that you just feel comfortable on out of the box while descending, and the E-Troy Lite is absolutely one of them. The geometry is dialed with a 63.6-degree head tube angle, putting you in a confident and strong position when things get steep and rough. While the bike is able to track well and absorb trail chatter, it also feels lively and light, thanks to the active suspension. My current daily rider weighs around 34 pounds, so the extra weight of the E-Troy Lite doesn’t feel as unwieldy as a full-powered e-mountain bike does. Most importantly, I found the E-Troy Lite perfectly manageable to slow down and control on descents, which isn’t something that I take for granted on a full-powered eMTB. There’s still more fatigue in my hands at the end of a long descent than on a lighter bike, but decidedly less so than on a full-powered eMTB.

While it’s a touch noisy on the descents, the E-Troy Lite makes up for it by being a joy to both climb and descend. In addition, the aluminum frame is made in Canada and the parts are well-selected for the bike’s intended use and it comes at a reasonable price. —Sarah Moore

Best Race eMTB

Canyon StriveOn

Tested Build: CFR LTD
Weight: 50.9 lbs (size L)
Wheels: Mixed 27.5”/29”
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 160 mm, 170 mm fork
Motor: Bosch CX or CX Race
Battery: 625 or 750 Wh

Pros and Cons
⊕ Relatively light, making it easy to handle
⊕ Quiet and unobtrusive motor
⊗ Smaller battery limits max ride length

Canyon’s new StriveOn has a penchant for racing, with an unabashedly full-powered 85Nm of torque and a maximum 600-watt power output delivered by the Bosch CX motor. The highest-end model can be equipped with Bosch’s CX Race motor, which is 150 grams lighter and provides extra overrun in Race mode for an additional climbing boost.

The geometry of the StriveOn isn’t too far off from its non-electric counterpart but with the notable omission of the Strive’s adjustability. Starting from the Strive’s downhill position, the Strive:On gets longer chainstays and a steeper seat tube angle to better navigate tech climbing, plus a shorter reach in the handlebars to keep the bike maneuverable.

With four size options, and a reach range from 450 to 525 millimeters, the fit of the StriveOn is definitely biased towards bigger riders. Canyon’s reach numbers are generally pretty aggressive for how long they are per size, but riders looking to size down for more agility will hit the low end of the range pretty quickly. Looking at the StriveOn as a standard enduro bike, it’s simply a well-sorted machine, with great geometry and handling characteristics. Where the head angle and reach might seem a bit extreme relative to current high-level pedal bikes, the extra system weight makes that long reach and slack front end feel calmer than you’d expect.

All told, the StriveOn proved to be an excellent bike for tackling gnarly terrain. The Strive is eager to remind you that you’re on an ebike on the climbs, but there were plenty of moments on the descents where the extra bulk faded away, making for some truly excellent runs.

Best Lightweight eMTB

Specialized Turbo Levo SL

Tested Build: S-Works
Weight: 39.3 lbs (size S4)
Wheels: Mixed or dual 29″
Frame: Carbon
Travel: 150 mm, 160 mm fork
Motor: Specialized SL 1.2 motor
Battery: 320 Wh battery, 160 Wh range extender (inc. w/S-Works)

Pros and Cons
⊕ Lightweight for a 50Nm eMTB
⊕ Adaptable for most riding zones or style
⊕ Plush suspension is the right amount of active
⊗ Expensive
⊗ Main battery isn’t easily removable

In my mind, the Levo SL is the pinnacle of what e-bikes could be—or all bikes, for that matter. First, it weighs as much as some enduro bikes, which includes its motor. This S-Works model is shod with the cream of the crop components; Fox Factory suspension that is tuned specifically by Specialized, SRAM’s bulletproof XX Transmission shifting, and carbon nearly everywhere possible on the bike.

As for that tiny motor, it’s gained 15Nm of torque over the previous generation (50Nm up from 35). A tidy display screen that can be personalized using the straightforward Specialized app is built into the top tube. On the handlebars, you can shuffle through a few of the chosen screens, toggle the assist, and activate the walk mode with ease. A 320Wh battery is located in the downtube. If you’re looking for extra juice, a 160-watt-hour range extender nestles into the bottle cage and firmly locks onto the charge port.

Its impeccable FSR suspension handles everything from stutter bumps to eroded downhill tracks. The whole time we rode it, the chain and motor clutch barely made a peep. That’s perhaps the best part of all—the silence and buttery suspension make it easy to forget that you’re ripping downhill with a motor hidden in the frame.

Bottom Line: It can be as aggressive as current downhill bikes, or as upright as some cross-country mountain bikes. It works for hauling down the steeps or remaining sharp in rolling terrain. Overall, it’s just about as adaptable as its motorless sibling, the Stumpjumper Evo.

How to Choose an E-Mountain Bike

Electric bikes have evolved at a break-neck speed in the past five years or so, transforming from huge, bulky beasts into much more refined and svelte electric machines. Though there is still ample room for progress, many of the problems with the first couple of generations of ebikes have been smoothed out. However, buying an e-mountain bike has become even more of a project thanks to all of the new tech that has come out to solve said problems.

For a full rundown on how to buy an e-mountain bike in our current market, check out Pinkbike’s guide. Editor in Chief Mike Kazimer provides tips by asking questions like: What are you friends riding? How far do you typically go? What type of riding are you planning on doing? How much money do you want to spend? Of course, you can opt to go for a regular mountain bike that isn’t motored, but if you’re set on going electric, make sure you’re paying close attention to these factors.

How We Test Electric Mountain Bikes

The bikes included in this roundup are the result of rolling testing done in Whistler, Squamish, and Bellingham throughout the year by the Pinkbike crew. We also rode some bikes at Crankworx Whistler, one of a multi-stop series of mountain bike festivals put on at multiple locations around the world every year.

Conditions ranged from dusty, rutted-out downhill trails to muddy, technical rides in the rainforest of Squamish. We took some bikes out for over six months and tested them in as many different types of trails as possible. Testers particularly considered the electric mountain bike’s climbing prowess, descending abilities, and sound levels.

The 7 Best Electric Mountain Bikes of 2025