Calculating eBike Range – Watt Hours,Volts & Much More

E-bike range has plenty of importance to the bike owner. A predetermined range can help a rider plan for his time well and calculate the amount of power in the battery cells that will get him to his destination safely.

Moreover, knowing an e-bike range will definitely help to plan on when to recharge the batteries and the frequency for doing so.

Knowing your bike’s range will reduce the risk of your batteries dying while on the road, eliminating the stress that would come with that.

The key idea on how to have those uninterrupted rides is knowing how to calculate the range of your e-bike.

How Do I Calculate My E-Bikes Range?

Calculating the range of your e-bike should not be a hard task to do. There are two basic things you need to keep in mind when you want to come up with a reliable range.

First, the power of the batteries that run the bike and, secondly, the power consumption of the bike are vital.

Other aspects that effect range is the speed you’re pedaling and the conditions you’re riding in.

Flat, smooth, or bumpy conditions are all a factor. A electric bike performance will vary based on those factors. There are system efficiencies to consider as well like front, rear hub, and mid drive motors.

As we mentioned, perhaps the most critical component to range is the energy capacity of the battery.

Typically listed in Watt hours, Watt hours is good a number to use when calculating your e-bike range.

Calculation: Battery Nominal Voltage x Battery Capacity (Amp-Hours) will give your bikes Watt-hours of energy.

Once you’ve obtained the watt hours of energy divide by the average Watt-hours/mile to calculate your bikes range.  US e-bike guidelines limit legal electric bike speeds to 20 mph.

Each mile you travel will cost you about 20 watt hours. This is reason why 20 Watt-hours/mile is good number to use for a proper calculation.  36v x 10Ah = 360 Watt-Hours of Energy -> 360 Watt-Hours of Energy / 20 WH/Mile = 18 miles of range.

Arrange your calculations and ensure your range coverage meets the range indicated by the manufacturer.

We’ll take you through the individual aspects step by step to teach you how to come up with a reliable e-bikes range. Also you can use the Bosch E-Bike Calculator. It’s great tool to use, especially if you’re not confident in your math skills.

Battery Power Is Key Indicator

The cells are the sole sources of energy for your e-bike, and therefore, they are the ones that will determine the range your bike will cover.

The power of a battery is calculated by multiplying the voltage reading (volts) together with the current rating (Ah).

A high voltage battery will give you a good amount of power but won’t run for long, on the other hand, a high current reading (Ah) will not give you power, but it will take you for long.

What does that mean? Having a high voltage cell will give your bike power; this will ensure faster acceleration to pick your desired speed.

However, the batteries won’t last long. Similarly, a high current reading will give you a much longer time.

Unfortunately, high current reading with low voltage won’t give your bike a lot of power.

It is therefore advisable that you keenly consider your usage when deciding the type of battery for the e-bike you want.

Go for that with a high voltage and high current reading. With a simple multiplication, you can easily calculate the range of your e-bike.

Well, known battery brands tend to take a longer time and have a good power strength than the unbranded batteries.

You should always ensure to check the battery brand. Samsung, LG, and Panasonic lithium-ion cells have good quality.

Additionally, the bikes power consumption is a vital aspect when calculating your e-bike’s range.

Despite having a good battery, an e-bike’s range might still be low due to the amount of power that the bike consumes. We created a post to give few tips on how to best treat your e-bike battery here.

When calculating your e-bike range, it is necessary to keep in mind its consumption to avoid getting misleading information.

Is An E-Bike Advertised/Manufactured Range Obtainable?

Many e-bikes manufacturing companies have their own calculations of ranges labeled on the bikes. Some of the calculations might be true and applicable.

Others just put the estimated ranges that are not tested. Most of this is with the aim of attracting customers to increase their market share by boosting demand.

Some of the information provided by the manufacturer is not true, and you should not fall for it.

Just like any other rational person, the manufacturers have a profit maximization and wealth creation mindset, and most of them will do what it takes to get all that.

That being said, it is not the case that all manufacturers give false information to get into your pocket and promote their sales.

There are also a good number of them that provide very honest and tested information to the customers.

It is your task to have a keen observation of the information provided. Do your calculations to see if they tally.

You may also ask for an expert’s opinion on the same to be sure that you are making the best choice.

It is recommended to buy an e-bike from the known brands that have been in the market for quite some time.

These brands have a good reputation, and most will sell you the best quality e-bikes with the precise information you can undoubtedly rely on.

What Affects Your Electric Bike Ranges?

Topographical nature of your area. The e-bike ranges will vary depending on the nature of your riding areas.

Using your e-bike on a hilly terrain will require more energy and power and will, therefore, impact to less range as compared to when using it on a flat surface or a slope.

Whether you peddle or not, peddling your e-bike will supplement its power-saving on the battery energy being consumed.

If you aid your e-bike by pedaling, it will take you longer ranges than when not pedaling.

Your body size and the load capacity, just like any other motor, the weight it carries will determine the energy it consumes.

If you have a big body or if you carry heavy loads, be sure that your bike will have a shorter range due to higher energy consumption.

Wind. Moving against the wind will require more energy. This is because the wind offers an opposing force to your motion, and you will, therefore, be required to use more energy to counter the effects of wind.

The additional energy used will drain your batteries faster, and it will certainly have a negative effect on the range.

Moving in the direction of the wind will reduce the energy used and increase your range cover.

Avoid Range Anxiety

Wind breezing through your hair, birds chirping in the background and all you can think is “man I hope this never ends”. Then it all ends in one fell swoop, your battery begins to slowly die and your miles away from home.

What seems like a nightmare is now your reality. This is where range anxiety kicks in. Electric batteries give e-bikes a huge advantage over conventional bikes.

Your able to lug a heavy electric bike for long distances but when the power cuts off peddling your e-bike back isn’t easy.

Once the power cuts off on a direct drive motor it can make pedaling without any motor assistance feel like hell on earth.

A good way to beat range anxiety is to know how much battery you have left. This is a feature that comes with some new e-bikes out on the market.

If you don’t have this feature on your e-bike we recommend using a cycle analyst. Cycle analyst can display how many watt-hours you use per mile or per kilometer.

Another way to reduce your range anxiety is to find alternative ways to maximize your e-bike range. Will be posting top tips to increase your e-bike range Here.

Conclusion

When buying an e-bike, take into consideration the key factors. These are the battery power and energy consumption of the bike.

These two factors will enable you to calculate the range of your e-bike very easily.

It is also essential to purchase your bike from reputable brands that have been in the market for quite some time. This is because they rarely give misleading information.