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What about Batteries ?
There are a confusing list of batteries used in Electric bikes so here is our view on them and all you need to know
Lead Acid – sealed dry cell batteries (not like car ones) Good reliable technology but limited and heavy. Expect to get somewhere between 12 and 18 miles out of the average battery. Charging time is around the 12- 14 hour time with a recharge life of some 300 charges. Batteries can weigh up to 9 kgs
NiMH – Nickel Metal Hydride. These were the next version on from lead acid and really made a big leap forward. The battery was half the weight of the lead ones, had a bigger range 18 –25 miles and lasted longer with 500 charges expected . These have now almost disappeared as the cost of the raw material , nickel, has hit the roof on worldwide markets pricing them out of being feasible
Lithium – this is where we see the latest technology in action. There is Lithium Polymer and Lithium Ion out there but now days there is hardly anything between them. Very lightweight with ranges between 25 and 35 miles . The weight of these batteries has brought the weight of electric bikes down considerably. You will get up to 600 charges out of a single battery , so many years life for most people. Charging times are between 4 and 6 hours and the lithium batteries have no memory effect so can be charged at any where through their cycle . New versions are on their way that will allow you to stack batteries making enormous ranges available….100 miles ?
How big are chargers ?
Most chargers that come with the bikes are small boxes that can easily be carried with you if you want. You just take the battery out of your bike, connect it up and turn on
Don’t batteries recharge while you go downhill?
NO is the simple answer. This would need some sort of dynamo and therefore add resistance into the operation of the bike apart from the fact that it will generate very little power. Not a good idea when you want to ride it just as a bike without motor help
Here is a report from Wisper Bikes to help expalin the variances that can occur
Range The range of any electric bike can vary massively day today depending on some very simple factors. Weight. Not just the weight of the rider but also the weight of any luggage being carried or towed, effects the range you will get from your bike. Wind resistance. Have you ever wondered why road racers wear Lycra? It’s not just to show off muscles! The fact is that if you were to wear Lycra on your electric bike (I don’t suggest for a moment that you do!) your range would be much higher than if you were wearing a huge overcoat and a nice big set of panniers! Tyre Pressures. Always keep your tyres pumped up to the correct pressure, if you have ever had a flat tyre you will know why. Air temperature. You will get about 15% more range on a warm sunny day than you would in deep winter. Road conditions. A smooth flat road is much more efficient than gravel or grass for long range. Hills. I realise you can come down the hill you just went up without using any power but you would have used a lot less power if you covered the same distance on the flat. Throttle. If you are lucky enough to live in an area that allows throttles without pedalling, you can use masses of power getting from start to cruising speed on the throttle alone. So try always to pedal up to a comfortable speed before you transfer to throttle. Battery age. As batteries get older they start to lose the ability to hold a charge for as long as they did when they were new. If you are using a 5 year old battery you will not get the same range as when the battery was charged for the first time.
