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What an e-bike really costs per mile
You can’t claim the IRS standard mileage rate on a bike — couriers deduct actual expenses. Estimate yours across the three buckets that matter: electricity, battery wear, and mechanical wear.
Tune these to your bike — defaults are a realistic delivery e-bike.
The invisible costs (battery + wear) usually dwarf the electricity bill — the part you never get billed for is the part that matters at tax time.
Electricity
Cheapest and easiest to forget. Miles ÷ your mi/kWh × your utility rate — right off the bill. Pennies per mile, but tracking it builds the habit that captures the big stuff.
Battery
The consumable engine. A pack is good for ~500–1,000 cycles; spread its replacement cost over its cycle life and your miles per charge and you get a real per-mile cost, months before the bill arrives.
Mechanical
Tires, brake pads, chain, tune-ups — a daily loaded delivery bike eats them far faster than a weekend bike. Deductible under actual expenses if you keep the receipts.
GigMiles tracks all three buckets automatically — car or e-bike — and keeps tax-season records for you. 10 days free, no card.
Estimates for planning and record-keeping only — not tax advice and not earnings claims. The IRS standard mileage rate does not apply to bicycles or e-bikes; figures here use the actual-expense method. Defaults model a delivery e-bike at ~25 mi/kWh, $0.17/kWh, and $0.05/mile combined battery and mechanical wear; edit them to your own costs. Your actual tax situation may differ — consult a licensed tax professional.
Common questions
Can I use the IRS standard mileage rate on an e-bike?+
No. The IRS standard mileage rate applies only to a car, van, pickup, or panel truck — that is the IRS’s own wording. A bicycle, electric or not, is not on that list. There is no e-bike mileage rate. E-bike couriers deduct actual expenses instead: the real, documented costs of operating the bike for business.
What counts as an actual expense on a delivery e-bike?+
Three buckets. Electricity to charge the battery (pennies per mile). Battery wear — a battery is a consumable rated for roughly 500–1,000 charge cycles, so a share of its replacement cost is spent on every mile. And mechanical wear — tires, brake pads, chain, and tune-ups, which a daily loaded delivery bike burns through far faster than a weekend bike.
How is electricity cost per mile calculated?+
Miles ÷ your bike’s efficiency (miles per kWh) × your utility’s rate per kWh. This calculator defaults to about 25 mi/kWh — a realistic figure for a loaded, stop-and-go delivery e-bike — and $0.17/kWh, the US residential average. Edit both to match your own bike and electricity bill.
Why is my e-bike deduction so much smaller than a car driver’s?+
Because an e-bike genuinely costs far less to operate — often around 6 cents a mile versus the IRS car rate of 72.5 cents. That is the whole appeal of the bike. It also means a smaller documented deduction on the same miles, so budget your estimated tax set-aside with that in mind rather than a car-driver rule of thumb.
Does this replace a tax professional?+
No. This is a planning and record-keeping estimate, not tax advice, and it is not your final tax bill — that depends on your other income, filing status, state, and deductions not entered here. Keep your receipts and ride log, and hand clean numbers to a licensed tax professional.