The 10 Best Lightweight Electric Mountain Bikes for 2025: Top Picks and Reviews - Mountain Bike Action Magazine

A constantly evolving category, lightweight electric mountain bikes are positioned between regular mountain bikes and full-power eMTBs. Typically having 50–65 N/m of torque and lower-capacity batteries, these mid power ebikes aim to balance a natural descending feel with efficient electric assistance on the climbs for those who are willing to or simply want to put in a little more effort at the pedals.

The Shuttle SL is Pivot’s take on a hard-hitting, mid-travel, mid-power electric mountain bike. Featuring dw-link suspension, Pivot aimed to keep the bike as agile as possible while maximizing the power with Fazua’s Ride 60 drive unit that puts out 60 N/m of torque and 450W of peak power, paired with an integrated 430Wh battery. With a 150mm fork, it fits neatly into the trail category. Pivot offers six different build kits of the Shuttle SL, including two centered around Fox’s new Factory Float X Neo Live electronic rear shock. Check out our long term review for more details and the wrecking crew’s thoughts on this impressive bike.Price: $6999–$12,449Contact: www.pivotcycles.com

Yeti Cycles was in no rush to join the lightweight eMTB race. Building a lightweight eMTB was on the brand’s radar since the category first emerged, but Yeti wasn’t satisfied with the motor options to design the bike around, until TQ’s developed its all-new HPR 60 drive unit which allowed them to develop the all new MTe. Upgraded from the previous HPR 50, the HPR60 has 60nm of torque and 350w of power and is claimed to offer a virtually silent and natural feeling ride. Two of the MTe builds come equipped with TQ’s 580Wh battery while the lighter-spec build comes with a smaller 290Wh battery, which saves 3 pounds of weight. Plus, there is a 160wh range extender, for those looking for longer battery life. Yeti has taken its unique Sixfinity linkage used on the full power 160E and applied it to the 145mm travel MTe. Read our review of this game changing mid power bike and watch the video review for further insights and to see it in action.

Price: $9,850-$14,300Contact: https://yeticycles.com

Fantic’s Rampage is a lightweight, cross-country/trail-focused electric mountain bike that aims to be a nimble and efficient platform with the power to let riders go further. It’s built around either 120mm or 140mm of rear travel, and it uses TQ’s HPR50 motor system to produce 50Nm of torque and 300W of peak power, paired with a 360Wh integrated battery that is range-extender compatible. Fantic offers the Rampage in five different build kits, all of which are built around a stiff, lightweight carbon frame. Fatnic’s Rampage is still the lightest weight eMTB we have tested. Check out our thoughts on this impressive bike in our long term reivew here.Price: $4990–$9790Contact: www.fantic.com

Aiming to be their nimble trail-tamer, Norco’s Fluid VLT is a carbon-framed mid-travel electric mountain bike centered around Bosch’s Performance Line SX drive system. It’s built around either 130mm or 140mm of Horst Link-driven rear travel with either a 140mm or 150mm fork, while the SX drive unit dishes out 55 N/m of torque with a 400Wh battery that is compatible with Bosch’s 250Wh PowerMore range extender. The frame has fairly progressive but balanced geometry, and it is offered in five different sizes and six different build kits to fit a range of rider sizes and budgets.Price: $5999–$11,499Contact: www.norco.com

An electrified version of Trek’s high-pivot enduro weapon, the Slash+ aims to be a natural-feeling yet capable descender that gives you the power to pound out lap after lap on your favorite loop. Using a TQ-HPR50 drive system with a 580Wh battery, the Slash+ produces 50 N/m of torque with 300W of peak power, and it’s built around 170mm of suspension travel front and rear to let riders charge hard. Aggressive geometry and a mixed-wheel setup (29-inch compatible) help the bike balance stability with maneuverability, while four frame sizes let a range of riders find an optimal fit.Price: $8,000–$13,200Contact: www.trekbikes.com

Built to let riders “explore further and play more,” the Instinct Powerplay SL is Rocky Mountain’s latest electric-driven platform. It uses the brand’s all-new Dyname S4 Lite drive system to produce an impressive 65 N/m of torque and 550W of peak power in a lightweight package, and the system is range-extender compatible to give riders all-day range. The 145mm of rear travel paired with a 150mm fork puts this bike squarely in the all-mountain electric category, while six different build kits with either carbon or alloy frames fit a wide range of rider preferences and budgets.Price: $5499–$11,999Contact: www.bikes.com

The Rift Zone EL is Marin’s take on a lightweight, trail-oriented electric mountain bike that balances a natural ride feel with the power to take riders further. Built around Bosch’s Performance Line CX drive unit with a 400Wh battery, the bike produces 55 N/m of torque and 600W of peak power to let riders tackle the steepest of climbs. The Rift Zone EL has 140mm of MultiTrac-driven rear travel with a 150mm fork to balance descending capability with climbing efficiency, and all three build kits are centered around durable, hard-hitting components to keep shop time to a minimum and trail time to a maximum.Price: $4799–$5999Contact: www.marinbikes.com

Designed to be an optimal introductory electric mountain bike, the Mondraker Sly is a lightweight, alloy-framed platform built around 29-inch wheels. It uses a Bosch Performance Line SX drive unit to produce 55 N/m of torque with 600W of peak power, paired with a 400Wh integrated battery, while the 150mm of rear travel and 160mm fork balances hard-hitting stability with nimble maneuverability. Mondraker offers the Sly in two different build kits and five frame sizes, all of which are built around 29-inch wheels.Price: $5,599–$6,599Contact: www.mondraker.com

A lightweight version of Santa Cruz’s powerful Heckler electric mountain bike, the Heckler SL is a nimble and versatile platform built around a Fazua Ride 60 drive unit that delivers 60 N/m of torque with a 430Wh battery. It uses their proven VPP suspension platform to deliver 150mm of rear travel, and a 160mm fork lets riders charge hard with comfort. The Heckler SL is offered in six complete build kits with either a C or CC carbon frame, and five frame sizes to fit a range of rider sizes and preferences.Price: $7299–$12,999Contact: www.santacruzbicycles.com

One of the few “lightweight” electric mountain bikes packing full amounts of power, the Cannondale Moterra SL pairs a light and nimble carbon frame with a powerful Shimano EP801 drive system to produce 85 N/m of power with a 601Wh integrated battery. It’s built around mixed wheels with 150mm of proportionally tuned rear travel that uses FlexPivot chainstays, while a stout 160mm fork and slack, aggressive geometry allow riders to charge hard without holding back. Cannondale offers three different build kits in four frame sizes of the Moterra SL, including the bespoke LAB71 edition that uses the highest-end components on the market.Price: $7000–$14,000Contact: www.cannondale.com