We know which one goes faster, and looks much cooler. But, are the longest-range electric vehicles on the road today equipped with 4 wheels, or two? While Tesla may be better at squeezing range out of lithium-ion batteries in electric cars, are 400 miles really out of the question for your ebike? Our ebike battery range calculator will help you maximize your battery’s performance by giving you a better understanding of lithium ion batteries and their potential. Gain insight into how to efficiently use your ebike battery for longer range and greater satisfaction.
How do Lithium Ion Batteries Work?
First, let's attempt to better understand how Lithium-ion batteries work. When the battery is charging up, the lithium-cobalt oxide, positive electrode gives up some of its lithium ions, which move through the electrolyte to the negative, graphite electrode and remain there. The battery takes in and stores energy during this process. When the battery is discharging, the lithium ions move back across the electrolyte to the positive electrode, producing the energy that powers the battery. This animation from the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, shows what happens during the charging and discharging processes.
What Factors Do I Need to Keep In Mind When Calculating Range?
When using a battery range calculator, riders need to keep in mind their own riding profile and environment. Factors like terrain type, rider weight, speed, and equipment all have an impact on the expected battery range. Additionally, understanding the basics of lithium-ion batteries will also help riders get the most out of their ebike batteries.
So, how do we calculate battery range? Under typical demands, 1 mile costs about 20 watt-hours (Wh). What is a watt-hour, you ask? A battery's Power Density, the amount of power that can be generated by the battery with respect to its mass, is measured in watts per kilogram (W/kg), while the Energy Density, the amount of energy a battery can store with respect to its mass, is measured in watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg).
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To calculate the watt-hours of your ebike battery, multiply the voltage (V) by the amp hours (Ah). Using Rad Power Bikes 7.5 lb. Lithium Ion battery as an example: 48V x 14 Ah = 672 watt-hours (Wh), which garners you an expected range of between 25-45 miles on a single charge. When attempting to calculate the range of your ebike battery on a single charge, many factors should be considered: speed, terrain, bicycle weight, level of pedal assist, usage of throttle, rider body weight, cargo weight, wind, cadence, regenerative braking capabilities, but most importantly - battery size.
Compared to the Bosch Ebike Range Assistant, our ebike battery calculator uses several of these factors to help you determine how far your ebike battery will take you on a single charge:
How Does Charging and Discharging My Battery Affect Its Potential Range?
Most ebike batteries will last for about 1000 charge cycles. Throughout its life, a battery’s range will decrease as the lithium-ion cells become depleted. This means that it’s important to monitor your battery charging and discharging levels to maximize your battery range over time. When discharging and recharging your ebike battery, you should always follow the manufacturer's specified guidelines to get the most out of each cycle.
How Do Weather Conditions Impact My Battery's Range?
Weather conditions can play a significant role in the range of your ebike battery. Heat and humidity will shorten the range of your battery while cold temperatures can increase its range as lithium-ion batteries prefer low temperature environments. This is why it’s important to understand how weather conditions will affect the range of your ebike battery when calculating or estimating how far you can go on a given cycle.
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What Other Features Should I Look for In a Battery Range Calculator?
Aside from weather predictions, you should also look for a battery range calculator that offers other features such as customizable settings that can be tailored to your riding style and the type of terrain you are planning to ride on. Additionally, some calculators use GPS data to calculate the route distance and battery consumption, which can be very useful when trying to get an accurate estimation of your ebike battery range.
Can any of the ebike batteries represented in our calculator tool really get up to 400 miles on a single charge? Obviously not, unless you're willing to pedal the remaining 300+ miles on your journey. While Tesla's may be way cooler, they don't perform very well on trails. So, if you're serious about adding more riding time to your bucket list, start with understanding what will be required from your battery, your ebike, and you.