How Long Can My Ebike Go? Ebike Range Explained
Ebikes have gained quite popularity over the past decade. One of the important factors is their power boost which allows riders to enjoy a carefree ride no matter how tough the terrains are. However, the power boost comes from the battery and the motor, which are very heavy in weight, making the ebike heavy too in total. So it’s a big concern for ebike riders or potential purchasers that they run out of battery on their ebikes and are left on the road with heavy machinery.
So how long exactly can an ebike go? Although most brands feature the maximum range in the product description, it does not necessarily reflect real-world conditions. In this article, we will fully explain all the factors that influence an ebike’s range, and some tips for hitting more miles on your ebike.
The Most Essential Factor - Battery
It’s easy to understand that an ebike consumes electricity, so battery power is the determining factor for the actual range. As a result, the total battery capacity essentially decides the longest range that an ebike can achieve.
Ebike battery capacity is generally described in watt-hour(Wh). The higher the figure is, the larger battery capacity it has. For example, Hovsco HovAlpha fat tire ebike has a battery capacity of 960Wh, while the HovBeta foldable ebike has 720Wh. So under the same condition, HovAlpha should go longer than HovBeta in terms of range.
Some brands would use voltage(V) and current(A) to describe battery capacity, but it’s easy to calculate. Simply multiply the two, and the result you get will be in watt-hour(Wh). For example, HovAlpha has a 48V 20A battery, and it can also be described as 960Wh.
Battery life is also something worth paying attention to. After being used for a long time, an ebike battery might not be in perfect condition as its original state, and can not be fully charged to the maximum capacity.
Other than battery power, of course there are other real-world factors that influence the range you can get. Let’s go through them one by one.
Other influencing factors
Load weight
Your ebike doesn’t just carry you; it’s carrying all the things on it, including bike gear, cargo and other passengers. The more you take with you on your ebike ride, the heavier weight your ebike loads. You will experience less range if you are loading more weight onto the ebike because the motor has to consume more power to drag everything forward. Also, if you are on the heavier side of the scale, you will experience less range too.
Speed
Every rider wants to feel the exhilaration of speed when they ride an ebike. However, higher speeds demand more energy from the battery because the motor has to run for a stronger power to reach that speed. It’s like running to people. If you run very fast, you’ll get tired in just a minute. But if you run at a low pace, you can run for a longer period of time.
Pedal assist level
Pedal assist level indicates how much power the ebike motor provides when you pedal. Many ebikes in the market, including from Hovsco, have five pedal assist levels. The higher the pedal assist level is, the more power the motor will kick in. Or in another way of saying, when you put the same amount of effort into pedaling, the motor will provide more power at pedal assist level 5 than at level 1. Pedal assist level affects range in the same way speed does. The more power the motor kicks in, the less range you will get.
Needless to say, if you only use throttle with full electric power, you will experience way less range than when you pedal a little. And in the worst case scenario, you run out of battery with your ebike, and can only use human power to pedal. Just kidding, but you’d have a limitless range at that time!
Road condition and hill grade
When we talk about range, we are thinking about the distance it can travel on a horizontal level. But we live in a three-dimensional world, so we will be certainly moving in a vertical way. When the ebike is going uphill, it will consume more battery than on a flat road or downhill. Also, if there are many bumps on the road you travel on, certain energy would be wasted moving up and down instead of just pushing the ebike forward.
Weather, wind, and temperature
Weather actually has a great impact on ebike range. When you are riding, you will experience air resistance going forward, and the wind condition can influence your riding experience either way. A tailwind can help counteract the air resistance or even push you forward, granting you more range, while a headwind creates more air resistance for the rider, reducing the maximum range. Temperature affects the battery capacity, so it affects range too. In extreme temperatures such as very cold temperatures, the battery capacity will be reduced, leading to a reduced range.
Tire pressure
Flat tires have a worse grip on the ground so they are harder to glide over the terrain. When you a riding an ebike with flat tires, the battery and motor are forced to work harder to provide the same level of torque.
How to Maximize Riding Range on an Ebike
- Make sure to fully charge ebike battery
- Load less things on the ebike
- Ride at a slower speed
- Apply lower pedal assist level
- Choose efficient routes will fewer climbs and bumps
- Ride with a tailwind and not in extreme temperatures
- Pump up the tires to suitable pressure
Conclusion
Besides battery capacity, many external factors have an impact on an ebike’s range. However, riders can avoid the negative factors in a certain way and maximize the range of their ebike rides.
How Long Can Hovsco Ebikes Go
Hovsco has different kinds of ebikes with different battery capacities from 540Wh to 960Wh, and they have a maximum range of 60-80 miles. The ebike with the largest battery capacity is our HovAlpha fat tire ebike. Besides the battery that allows you to go 80 miles at most, their fat tires allow you to conquer any tough terrain such as snow and sand. There is a step-over and step-thru version for your preference.
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