In this jungle of prices, it is difficult for those without specific knowledge to understand which e-bike to buy. Clarification: e-mtb are the more technical models (suitable for off-road vehicles) while the term e-bike is more generic and also includes the more urban bikes.
In this article I will give you a hand to make a choice dictated by reason and not too much by emotions because you know: € 5000 bike is cooler than € 3000 bike. But here we will reason objectively, leaving aside factors such as aesthetics and marketing. Our reasoning is based on the new, then it is logical that to save money there is the used one (which usually is around 30/40% less than the new one).
What are the factors to keep in mind when buying an e-bike?
FRAME: FRONT OR FULL?
There is no escaping here: if you want to spend less, you have to go by bike with a Front frame (bikes with suspension only in front). If we talk about full (full suspension therefore shock absorber front and rear), the limit price is € 3000 on the new one (in less famous brands, otherwise it goes up to almost € 4000 in more avant-garde brands). And we are talking about strictly aluminum material (carbon has even higher figures) but do not despair: the difference between aluminum and carbon is not perceptible in an average user (see this in-depth video).


Under this "ceiling" of 3000 € you can not stay which is why, in this article, I do not recommend you to get a new full bike on this budget and the advice will mainly be on Front Suspension bikes.
ENGINE
The type of the motor is what influences the price: if you find those e-bike promotions below 1500 €, most likely they are e-bikes with a hub motor and not a central one. The hub motor has significantly lower performance and is recommended on e-bikes used exclusively as home-office vehicles (difference between central and hub motor). If we take the central engine, by now the major brands (watch out for Chinese landing solutions) have leveled themselves up towards high quality standards.


BATTERY
It all depends on how you use it: with a 625wh battery, with a weight of around 75kg, you can also climb 2500m in Economy mode (see this video shot with Giant Reign). More realistically, going out with a slightly higher assistance, we can do gradients of about 1400m with 500wh battery, 2000m with 625wh batteries and 2500m with 750wh batteries (as mentioned, take these values in spans because there are many variables: rider weight, type of bike and pedaling cadence).
In some proposals we will find the Bosch Active Line motor: this motor is slightly inferior to the Performance Line in terms of torque / power. It is easy to understand that if we use the bike uphill on significant differences in height, having more power also helps in terms of autonomy. If you want to get a culture on Bosch engines (we find 4 different models) here is the article for you.
This makes you understand what margin we have even with 500wh batteries, especially if our weight is light. If, on the other hand, we want to go out in a flat turbo (more motorcycle than cycling style) and we like to eat, the watt hours of the battery will be our salvation.


COMPONENTS
On e-bikes of this price range we will find components in the average, but perhaps they are also the ones with the best quality / price ratio and, if we are not super experts, we do not even need the high range. There is nothing to prevent upgrades in the future.
WHEELS
Now there is no longer any reason not to take a 29 ″, also due to the fact that it can be resold in the future (the 27,5 ″ is less and less used). Another advantage, the 29 ″ helps a lot in novice users as it has the wheel that tends less to stick to obstacles. The only case to take the 27,5 "is if your stature is below 1.65: often on XS sizes, brands do not offer 29".
SOME ADVICES
by clicking on the description under the photo, you will be redirected to the site of the bike in question

SR Suntour XCM 100 mm fork
Shimano Alivio 9v gearbox / Hydraulic disc brakes
Bosch Performance Line motor / 500 Wh battery

SR Suntour NVX30 Coil fork, 100mm
Shimano M3100 9v gearbox / Hydraulic disc brakes
Bosch Performance Line motor (65Nm) / 625wh battery

Fork Sr Suntour XCM32, 100mm
Shimano Alivio 9v gearbox / Hydraulic disc brakes
Bosch Performance Line motor (65Nm) / 400 Wh battery

Fork Zoom 860 AMS, 100 mm
Sram SX 12v gearbox / Hydraulic disc brakes
Sport Oils Motor 65Nm / Battery 500 Wh

SR Suntour XCM fork
Shimano Alivio gearbox / hydraulic disc brakes
Proprietary motor / 500 Wh battery

Fork Sr Suntour XCM32
Shimano Alivio 9v gearbox / hydraulic disc brakes
Bosch Performance Cruise motor / 500 Wh battery
PROJECTED IMPACT
These are just a few tips, there would be many others so don't focus only on what we have proposed (there are many models in the world: we cannot mention them all in this article).
It may seem strange, for a non-industry user, but with such a budget we will not be able to get a model that can entertain us on the most technical single tracks (full-suspension).
WARNING: by technical single tracks I mean, in fact, technical single tracks with possible obstacles, rocks, roots. We try to be honest with ourselves in defining our technical skills.


By now the performances have aligned so it is difficult, on such a budget, to get the bike wrong. The mistake that can be made is to be bewitched by the brand: we do not mention names but there are brands that are 20% / 30% above other products that, in this price range, offer the same identical characteristics.
Do not forget that both a basic brand and a “USA” brand have the same components (eg Shimano) and the same motor (eg Bosch).
So brand not for sheiks, aluminum frame, 29 ″, 500wh battery if you are not a heavy weight and then try to join a trusted shop that will save us a little both in the purchase and, above all, in the assistance after sales, expect many underestimate. With these features you will see that you will find the bike with the best quality / price ratio in this range (2000/3000 €).
