Tag Archives: e-bike battery range guide

What’s an e-bike battery’s range and its life cycled?

Estimating the distance your e-bike can travel per charge is called range. This is an important specification to pay attention to when comparing a specific e-bike battery with your desired riding style. For example, if your commute involves steep climbs, you don’t want to run the battery low halfway up the hill. Without power (volts), an e-bike can be an uncomfortable mode of transportation that demands more energy for the cyclist to pedal. So the range of an electric bike generally depends on the following.

The e-bike battery’s range is volts x amp-hours = watts

Here a center mount e-bike-battery is storing the watts for the range

Most e-bikes now come with Lithium-ion batteries that typically last for over 1,000 complete charge cycles. Maybe more with these helpful tips, as the battery is generally a third of the cost of an e-bike. To get the right battery, think volts x amp = watt-hours. Volts are the “force” pushing an amp through the system. The higher the voltage, the more energy the motor can move. This is perfect for quicker starts or climbing hills. The amp hours (AH) measure the volume of the electrons. Figuratively, the AH measure describes the flow of the electric current going to the motor.

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Here the e-bike battery is mounted on the back rack

Now, multiply the volts by the amps, and you will get the true measurement to feminine the range you can expect from a full charge. h

Here is a general guide listing some of the sizes to the riding distances you could expect under ‘normal’ riding conditions on a full charged battery:
· 36V 10.5Ah battery  – 16 to 32 miles (26-51 km)
· 36V 17.5Ah battery  – 25 to 52 miles (41-85 km)
· 48V 10.4Ah battery  – 21 to 42 miles (34-68 km)
· 48V 14Ah battery –     30 to 56 miles (45-90 km)
· 52V 10.5Ah battery –  23 to 46 mph (37-74 km)
· 52V 17.5Ah battery –  40 to 76 mph (61-122 km)

Please note: the above distances can vary greatly depending on conditions (on the riders weight or rider, accessories, and cargo being hauled, along with the hills, temperature, and wind). Still, they might be helpful as a rough rule of thumb to compare against manufacturer claims.

E-bike battery cost

Speaking of batteries, replacing them, or riding with a second battery can cost you around $250 to $550. The price mainly relies on the amount of Wh or energy stored in the battery. Currently, that’s not bad since you only need to replace your battery(s) every three to five years. The more well-maintained the battery is, the longer it’ll last.