Electric Bike Motor and Engine Guide
People search for an electric bike engine, but an e-bike has a motor, a controller and a battery instead. This guide explains how the motor works, what the watts mean, how long a motor lasts and what to know about electric bike kits and conversion.
Updated 14 November 2026
Does an electric bike have an engine?
No. A petrol bike burns fuel in an engine with pistons, valves and a gearbox. An electric bike uses three main parts:
- Motor: turns the wheel. On most Pakistani e-bikes it sits inside the rear wheel hub.
- Controller: a small box that takes power from the battery and feeds the motor based on how far you twist the throttle.
- Battery: stores the energy, usually 48V, 60V or 72V.
With no engine there is no engine oil, no tuning, no clutch plates and no exhaust. That is why running and service costs are so low. When people say electric bike engine, they mean the motor.
Hub motor, mid motor and side motor
- Hub motor: built into the rear wheel. It is simple, quiet, sealed and needs almost no service. Nearly every scooty and most bikes in our store use one, for example Jolta JE-70L Electric Bike and MS Jaguar E-125 Electric Bike.
- Mid motor: sits in the middle of the frame and drives the rear wheel through a chain or belt. It gives better climbing and balance. An example is the Okla OKG (Mid Motor) Electric Bike.
- Side motor: mounted to the side and also drives the wheel through a chain or belt, as on the Okla OMAX Side Motor Electric Bike.
For city riding a hub motor is the easy choice. Mid and side motors suit riders who want a sportier, stronger bike.
Motor power: watts, peak watts, cc and horsepower
Motor power is shown in watts (W). Some makers also give a peak figure, the short burst the motor can give when you accelerate. For example, the Inverex GO FireBird Pro Electric Bike has a 3000 W motor with a 6000 W peak.
One horsepower is about 746 W, so:
- 1000 W is about 1.3 hp: a light city scooty
- 1500 W is about 2 hp: a 70cc style bike, see the 70cc electric bike list
- 2000 W is about 2.7 hp: a 125cc style bike, see the 125cc electric bike list
- 3000 W is about 4 hp: fast bikes, see the 3000W electric bike list
These numbers look small next to petrol engines, but an electric motor gives its full torque from zero speed, so it feels stronger than the hp suggests.
Voltage, controller and top speed
Two bikes with the same motor watts can feel different. A higher battery voltage (72V instead of 48V) usually means a higher top speed, and a stronger controller lets more current through for faster pickup. The controller also protects the motor and the battery from overheating.
This is why the spec table on each model page lists motor power, battery voltage and top speed together. Compare all three, not only the watts.
How much motor power do you need?
- One rider, short city trips, flat roads: 600 to 1000 W, usually a light electric scooty.
- One rider plus shopping, daily office ride: 1000 to 1500 W.
- Two riders, longer daily rides, some slopes: 1500 to 2000 W.
- Highway speed, hilly areas like Islamabad and Murree roads, heavy riders: 3000 W or more.
More watts means faster pickup and better climbing, but also a bigger battery to get the same range, and a higher price. Most buyers in big cities are happy with 1000 to 2000 W.
Electric bike motor price and life
We sell complete e-bikes, not loose motors, so we do not list a separate motor price. A hub motor is one of the most reliable parts of an e-bike: it has very few moving parts, and with normal use it usually lasts many years. The parts that wear are the bearings, the hall sensors and the cable connections.
The battery is the part that wears out first and costs the most to replace, so check the battery warranty before you buy. Our electric bike battery guide compares warranties by brand.
Electric bike kits and conversion: what to know
An electric bike kit (conversion kit) usually has a hub motor wheel, a controller, a throttle, wiring and sometimes a battery. Kits are mainly used to turn a normal bicycle into an electric cycle.
Converting a petrol motorcycle to electric is harder. You remove the engine and fit a motor, controller and a large battery, and the bike's frame, brakes and wiring were not designed for this. The engine number on your registration papers will no longer match, so ask your provincial Excise office before you change the engine. Once you add a good lithium battery, the total cost often comes close to a factory-made e-bike that comes with a warranty.
For daily use, a ready-made e-bike such as the Jolta JE-70L Electric Bike or Pakzon PE-70L Electric Bike is usually the safer choice.
Can you make an electric bike more powerful?
Some sellers offer to unlock the controller or fit a bigger one. This can overheat the motor, drain the battery faster, damage the BMS and will usually end the warranty. Brakes and tyres are also sized for the original speed.
If you need more power, pick a model with a bigger motor from the start, such as the 2000W electric bikes or the electric heavy bikes.
Motor care tips
- Do not ride through water deep enough to reach the hub motor.
- Keep the tyre pressure right; soft tyres make the motor work harder.
- Do not overload the bike beyond its rated load.
- If the motor makes a grinding or clicking sound, stop and show it to the dealer.
- Keep the controller box dry and its connectors tight.
How an electric bike works, step by step
- The battery stores energy, measured in kWh.
- The controller is the brain: it reads the throttle and decides how much power to send.
- The motor, usually a hub motor in the rear wheel, turns that power into motion.
- When you brake, many bikes cut motor power, and some use regenerative braking to put a little energy back in the battery.
That is why an e-bike needs no oil change, no tuning and no petrol. For care tips see the problems and maintenance guide.
Making an electric bike at home: is it worth it?
Videos show people making an e-bike with a drill, a fan motor or a starter motor. These are fun projects, but they are not safe for roads: the motor overheats, the frame is not made for the weight, and there is no proper brake cut-off.
If you want to convert a bicycle, a proper kit is the safe way; see the conversion kit page. To convert a petrol motorcycle you need a strong motor, a big battery and expert fitting, and the total cost often comes close to a new 70cc electric bike.
