To compare electric bike supplier quotes, first align the model configuration, order quantity, currency and supply scope. Then separate included items, priced options, exclusions and unanswered questions. A lower unit price is not a complete comparison when the two offers cover different equipment or delivery responsibilities.
Short answer: Compare quotes only after aligning the same model configuration, quantity, currency, Incoterm and included items. List priced options and exclusions separately, then compare totals for the same scope: a lower unit price can cost more once loading, export services or missing equipment are added.
At BG EBIKE: Our quotations state the configuration, quantity per model and colour, and supply format. Payment is a 30% deposit with the 70% balance after inspection, before loading, and containers ship from Ningbo — see wholesale terms.
This guide is for importers, dealers and brand buyers who already have quotations. It provides a working comparison sheet and a way to ask for the missing information. It does not rank suppliers or set a target price for an electric bike.
Start with one purchasing requirement
Write a short baseline before copying prices into a spreadsheet: intended model or vehicle category, required configuration, quantity by version, destination and requested supply format. Use the same baseline for every offer. If a supplier proposes an alternative, record it as an alternative rather than silently replacing your requirement.
Keep each quotation’s reference, date, revision and validity period beside the supplier’s name. A revised price should remain attached to the configuration and quantity it covers. Do not combine the price from one revision with the equipment list from another.
The H9 image below is a catalogue reference with an edited background. It helps identify a vehicle, but it does not establish which accessories, battery or other equipment a particular quotation includes.
Match the quoted build, not just the model name
A model name and photograph are useful references, but the written equipment list should define the build being compared. Record the battery specification, motor rating basis, front and rear brakes, wheel and tyre specification, charger and included accessories at the level needed for your purchase.
Keep different kinds of information separate. A rim dimension is not a complete tyre specification; a peak motor figure is not the same field as rated power. Where a technical term needs closer review, use the rated versus peak motor power guide or battery capacity comparison guide instead of guessing an equivalent specification.
Use four clear labels for each item: included, priced option, excluded or not stated. An option is not part of the base price unless the quotation says it is. A blank field means information is missing; it does not mean the item is included at no charge.
Use an electric bike quotation comparison sheet
Copy the following structure into your purchasing worksheet. The entries describe what to record, not actual supplier offers. Add rows for the configuration details that matter to your project. On a small screen, scroll the table horizontally to view all columns.
| Comparison field | Your requirement | Quote A | Quote B | Difference / next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model and configuration | Required build and equipment list | Record model and specification revision | Record model and specification revision | Identify substitutions or missing specifications |
| Order mix | Quantity by model, colour and version | Record quantities behind the price | Record quantities behind the price | Request the same mix where offers differ |
| Unit price and currency | Common comparison currency and quantity basis | Record original price and currency | Record original price and currency | Keep any conversion rate and date visible |
| Included equipment and options | Required battery, charger and accessories | Label inclusion status and any separate price | Label inclusion status and any separate price | Request prices for required missing items |
| One-time charges | Any agreed project-specific work | Record separate charges and what they cover | Record separate charges and what they cover | Separate first-order costs from repeat-order assumptions |
| Packing and handover | Supply format, packing and named handover location | Record included scope and exclusions | Record included scope and exclusions | Resolve different delivery boundaries |
| Schedule and payment | Required timing and acceptable payment stages | Record start condition, completion point and payment stages | Record start condition, completion point and payment stages | Keep commercial differences visible beside price |
| Documentation and support | Project-specific documents and after-sales scope | Record offered documents, applicability and support terms | Record offered documents, applicability and support terms | List unresolved requirements without assuming compliance |
Compare totals only within the same scope
For a defined order, calculate the documented subtotal as: the sum of each quoted unit price multiplied by its applicable quantity, plus separately priced required items and one-time charges, minus documented discounts. Count each charge only once. Record any required item without a price as unresolved rather than entering zero.
Keep original currencies visible. If your team converts offers into one currency, record the rate, date and source used for the comparison. A converted planning figure does not change the supplier’s quoted currency or payment terms.
Use the same delivery boundary when comparing totals. Ask who pays for each relevant movement or service and where the quoted responsibility ends. A vehicle subtotal should not be labelled a delivered or landed total while required transport, handling or other applicable charges remain outside it. Obtain those amounts from the responsible parties rather than estimating them from the product price.
Illustrative situation: one offer lists the vehicle and charger together; another lists a vehicle price and a separate charger price. If the charger is required, include its documented price in the second offer before comparing the equipment subtotal. If its price is missing, the comparison remains incomplete. This example uses no actual supplier prices.
EXW vs FCA at the factory: compare the same handover
An EXW price and an FCA price can cover different origin work even when the vehicles and quantities match. Before subtracting one total from the other, identify the exact delivery point and which services each offer includes.
The ICC Academy explanation of EXW and FCA under Incoterms® 2020 distinguishes these duties: under EXW, the seller makes the goods available, not loaded on the collecting vehicle, and export formalities fall to the buyer. Under FCA at the seller’s premises, the seller loads the buyer’s collecting vehicle and handles export formalities. FCA at another agreed place has a different delivery arrangement; do not apply the factory-loading description to every FCA quotation.
Cost comparison and risk transfer are separate questions. A payment for a service does not, by itself, rewrite the agreed delivery event. Record the exact named place and point with the rule and edition, then address any separately agreed services in the contract.
A price example: the lower unit figure is not the full comparison
Hypothetical figures in USD for teaching only. They are not BG EBIKE prices, freight rates or a fee schedule.
Suppose both offers concern the same 50 vehicles, packing and factory pickup point. Offer A is EXW at $400 per vehicle: $20,000. The buyer’s confirmed additional loading and export-service costs for that example total $300. Offer B is FCA at the seller’s premises at $405 per vehicle: $20,250, including those same services.
For the defined comparison, A becomes $20,000 + $300 = $20,300; B remains $20,250. B is $50 lower at that boundary despite its higher unit price. If any service is bundled in another charge, remove the duplication before comparing. These totals do not include the rest of the journey or establish a landed cost.
For an actual quotation, replace the teaching figures with written offers for the same vehicle version, quantity and delivery scope. Check that the proposed party can lawfully perform the export work. Battery transport acceptance, destination requirements, payment terms and product conformity remain separate matters; selecting an Incoterms® rule does not resolve them.
Keep commercial differences beside the price
Two equipment totals may match while the purchasing conditions differ. A quantity requirement may apply to each configuration rather than the combined order; a quoted schedule may end at factory completion rather than arrival. Keep these differences visible instead of hiding them inside a single ranking score.
The electric bike MOQ guide explains quantity groupings, while the production lead-time guide separates schedule start conditions and completion points. In this comparison sheet, record only the conditions applying to the offers in front of you.
Also distinguish the documents and support offered from the requirements your business must meet. A document title alone does not establish that it applies to the quoted model and version. Record the exact scope and any review still needed before treating the requirement as satisfied.
Send a short clarification request
Group the unresolved items into one message, referencing the quotation number and revision. Ask for a revised written offer where a response changes the specification, price or scope. This keeps the purchasing decision tied to one current record.
A useful request is: “Please revise quotation [reference] for [model/version] and [quantity]. State whether the specified battery, charger and packing are included; price the required items currently excluded or not stated; and identify the handover location, schedule start condition and quotation validity. Please list any proposed substitutions separately.” Replace the bracketed fields with your actual details before sending.
After the response, classify each offer as ready to compare, awaiting information or a documented alternative. An alternative may still be worth considering, but its differences should be accepted explicitly. Choose against your purchasing requirements once the important gaps are resolved, rather than treating the lowest displayed number as the whole decision.
See what drives a wholesale price before lining up two quotations.
Frequently asked questions
Can I compare quotes if the suppliers use different model names?
Yes, if the offered configurations and supply scopes are documented well enough to compare. Different names do not by themselves establish a difference in capability, just as matching names do not prove identical equipment. Use the requirement column to identify what matches and what remains an alternative.
Should I reject an offer with missing details?
First ask for the information material to your decision. Mark the offer incomplete while those points remain open. Missing information is a reason to seek clarification, not evidence by itself that a supplier is unreliable.
What should I ask a supplier before comparing two quotes?
Ask each supplier to confirm the exact configuration, quantity, currency, Incoterm and named place, packing, included accessories and battery documents, plus the validity date of the price. Put the answers in one comparison sheet, so differences in scope are visible before you compare the totals.
Clarify a BG EBIKE quotation
For a BG EBIKE proposal, provide its quotation reference if available, the model, quantity by version, destination and the configuration or supply-scope questions you need answered. You do not need to share another supplier’s confidential quotation to explain your requirements.
Use the vehicle catalogue to identify the builds you are comparing, and review the order and after-sales information for the commercial questions to include. Keep the quoted equipment and supply scope with each version.
Send your quotation requirements to BG EBIKE so the discussion can focus on the build and scope your business needs.
