Today's Lithium Ion batteries continue to move forward in energy density, and are powering and enabling a lot of modern electronic gear, like your cell phone, and of course your ebike. Your ebike’s mileage range depends on your battery's capacity, (rated in Amp or Watt hours where amp hours times volts equals watt hours) and then on a variety of rider variables and riding habits. Under normal conditions, on flat and paved terrain, and on a medium power setting, the average rider can expect to travel around 25 miles on a full charge, without much pedaling. This would be an average ride of roughly two hours. With pedaling, and using the power as an assist, the rider can use less power than just with the throttle alone, and can achieve perhaps thirty to fifty miles - model and rider dependent. Without pedaling, extra battery power will be consumed during frequent braking and starting, riding uphill, riding against strong winds, riding with low tire pressure, starting from a standstill and using only the throttle, riding on rough or muddy roads and trails, and while carrying or pulling heavy loads.
Here is a small tip list to help you extend your battery range:
- With frequent braking - try to look ahead and coast, rather than
“stopping and going".
- Riding uphill or in stiff winds – shift the gears down,
and pedal to supplement the battery power.
- When starting from a standstill - use the pedals to help
bring you up to speed.
- When battery voltage is low, reduce or turn off power and
switch to manual pedaling mode.
- Do not push the throttle suddenly - ramp it up. The bike should accelerate slowly, reducing consumption. It is better to use the pedals and
avoid sudden stops and startups.
- When riding, avoid using the throttle while braking (of course!).
- The bike's controller has a charge overload protection system. If the bike is overloaded or overheated, power will be cut automatically and be restored when it's temperature returns to normal.
- The obvious - use a lower peddle assist level, and higher thigh power!
Many ebike models offer an optional larger pack with more cells inside - typically 30-50% greater capacity. Also, a spare battery can be carried on board in a bag or bungeed onto your rack, if you need to achieve as much range as possible.
