THE BEAUTY OF THE E-BIKE IS THAT YOU CAN GO FAR. HOW MUCH RANGE DOES YOUR BATTERY PROVIDE ANYWAY?
by Dora Marraffa
With an electric bike, you avoid fatigue, you don’t sweat, you stay healthy, you feel safer in traffic, and, most importantly, you can take longer rides (Scopri qui tutti i vantaggi della e-bike). How much longer, though? Good question! This is often something we ask ourselves, especially when we’re considering whether to buy it or not.
That's why we turned to our expert, Alessandro Galimberti, Bicycle Project Manager of the Bicycle Business Unit at Gruppo Mandelli, to help clarify things.
What influences the range of a fully charged battery?
Three variables can influence the range of an electric bike with pedal assist:
- Mechanical variables, such as the tire size and inflation, and the maintenance of the chain, brakes, and wheels.
- Electrical variables: It goes without saying that the better the quality of the cells in the battery, the more hours/kilometers we can cover with our e-bike. Of course, no battery lasts forever. So, over time, the cells’ ability to store energy during charging will gradually decrease.
- Subjective variables, based on riding style: choosing an inappropriate gear for an entire ride certainly won’t get us far.
To all of this, we must add a series of other external objective factors.
WEIGHT- The greater the weight (including the bicycle, cyclist, and any load) that the motor has to carry, the lower the range will be.
SPEED - The faster you go, the shorter the range.
TYPE OF TERRAIN - On climbs, the motor works against gravity, so it consumes more power. Rough, gravelly, or rocky terrain causes less tire traction on the road surface, resulting in a loss of power. Equally challenging are particularly loose surfaces, which, at the same speed, require more energy.
TEMPERATURE - The rule is that the colder it gets, the more energy is needed. When temperatures drop well below zero, battery range can decrease by up to 50% compared to normal conditions (15°C - 20°C).
START AND STOP - Each time you stop and start again, the motor requires more energy. So, if your route involves frequent stops and starts, you’ll get less mileage than on a continuous ride.
"At this point, however, it’s important to know—Alessandro continues—that we can adopt some measures to extend the life of our battery."
How to increase battery range?
REMOVE EXTRA WEIGHT
You don’t need to go on a diet, but simply travel light by leaving at home everything you don’t need during the trip.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE TIRES
You should regularly check the tire pressure, aiming to stay within the minimum and maximum pressure guidelines provided by the manufacturer (usually found on the side of the tire). 'Too high a pressure on rough terrain or damaged asphalt,' explains our project manager, 'makes the tire bounce, wasting power. On the other hand, too low a pressure increases rolling resistance.'
Finally, never use low-quality tires and always follow the manufacturer's recommendations for the e-bike.
USE THE RIGHT LEVEL
There’s no need to always push the limits; just use the appropriate level of assistance for the situation and riding conditions, especially on rough terrain. This way, the motor's load is reduced, as it won’t try to push harder and faster. If you’re not in a hurry, Alessandro recommends lowering your speed by even just a couple of kilometers per hour. This will significantly reduce consumption and allow you to enjoy the scenery more.
PERFORM MAINTEINANCE
'Take care of your e-bike!' This is Alessandro’s reminder, who never get tired of telling us that we must regularly check tire pressure and clean and oil the chain (but never oil chains that are dirty and full of debris). You’ll see great benefits during your ride.
CHARGING
Never let the battery fully discharge—this is the most important rule for the lifespan of a lithium battery. Just as we charge our smartphones daily, we should make a habit of charging the battery of our e-bike. During long periods of inactivity, especially in winter, it’s better to disconnect the battery and check the charge level at least every two or, at most, every three months. It’s important to know that the optimal charge level is between 60% and 80% of the maximum charge (3-4 bars on a scale of 5), and the ideal storage temperature is between 10°C and 20°C (extreme heat or cold is not good for it).
Remember: don’t leave the battery exposed to the sun, especially for long periods. Also, we must keep in mind that the battery of our bike behaves just like our phone: over time and with use, it won’t hold the charge as well as when we first bought it. But even if the battery no longer charges to 100%, we can rest assured that our e-bike won’t suddenly stop working. The range, for example, may go from 50 km to 40 km, or about 80% of its original capacity. The important thing is to always take care of it.
