Practical, low complexity time of arrival (TOA) estimation method with high accuracy are attractive in ultra wideband (UWB) ranging and localization. In this paper, a generalized maximum likelihood energy detection (GML-ED) ranging method is proposed and implemented. It offers low complexity and can be applied in various environments. An error model is first introduced for TOA accuracy evaluation, by which the optimal integration interval can be determined. Aiming to suppress the significant error created by the false alarm events, multiple pulses are utilized for accuracy promotion at the cost of extra energy consumption. For this reason, an energy efficiency model is also proposed based on the transmitted pulse number. The performance of the analytical research is evaluated and verified through practical experiments in a typical indoor environment.