How far can electric bike go on a single charge
How far can electric bike go on a single charge? (with and without pedals)
Electric bikes have many benefits, such as reducing your carbon footprint, saving on gas and parking fees, and getting you to work faster. But one thing that might bother you is worrying about how far you can ride an e-bike before losing battery power. After all, you don’t want to ride a heavy e-bike miles from home!
In general, an e-bike can travel 15 to 100 miles (24 to 160 kilometers) on a single charge, depending on the power and capacity of the battery and how you ride. When considering the range of an e-bike, you should consider how much you pedal versus use the gas pedal. You’ll get the longest range when you’re pedaling, but the least if you’re only using the throttle.
In this article, I’ll discuss how pedaling and other factors affect an e-bike’s range. I’ll also show you the difference in range between pedalling and no pedaling, and tell you how to make sure you’re getting the most mileage out of your e-bike, including taking care of the battery.
How far can an electric bike go on a single charge without pedaling?
Typically, an e-bike can travel between 15 and 22 miles (24 and 35 kilometers) without ever pedaling the battery. However, the more you step, the further you can go. So if you want the battery to last for longer rides, you’re going to have to pedal a little.
Still, some e-bikes have a feature called throttle mode that allows you to maximize battery life and ride without pedaling.
In throttle mode, the motor in the e-bike is activated by the handlebar to give you on-demand power. The throttle mode works like a gasoline-powered scooter or motorcycle. If you have a twist throttle, you just twist it with your wrist. However, you might also have a thumb throttle where you push the lever with your thumb to accelerate it.
Advantages of the throttle
Compared to pedaling that requires extra effort from the rider, the throttle can give you a speed boost on demand and a much-needed break when your legs get tired. An e-bike with a throttle can be helpful in certain situations, such as:
Factors including rider weight, cold weather, terrain and the steepness of the location will affect how long the lithium-ion battery will last.
The truth is, your e-bike can always get more range if you stretch out your hand (or your foot). And, if you keep pedaling on very flat, smooth trails, a typical battery might have a range of more than 50 miles (80 kilometers).
Pedals allow e-bikes to go further. The more you pedal, the more energy is produced, and the further the e-bike can go without charging the battery. Therefore, the range of an e-bike is directly related to how hard you are willing to pedal.
Still, e-bikes have a facility that means the upper end of the e-bike range doesn’t require the greatest effort. This means you can pedal more easily as long as you have some battery left.
Pedal Assist Use the pedals for more power
Pedal assist is a mechanism that uses a cadence sensor to measure how hard you are pedaling.
When you pedal harder, the electric motor provides more power. So you don’t need to work as hard as on an electric bike compared to a normal bike. Ultimately, the more you pedal, the faster you run, the more energy you generate, and the longer your battery life will last.
As a rule of thumb, if you ride an e-bike with pedal assist, it will go farther than in throttle mode alone. Pedal assist allows your e-bike to go farther and faster with less effort. The pedal assist is good value for money compared to a non-pedal assist bike.
Does riding an e-bike charge the battery?
Riding an e-bike usually doesn’t charge the battery. However, some types of e-bike models use regenerative braking for charging. With this type of braking system, the power you generate from pedaling is regenerated and reused.
However, with most e-bikes, you must periodically plug in the battery to charge it for your next ride.
If that’s important to you, check out the RadCity e-bikes that allow regenerative braking!
Factors affecting the cruising range of electric bicycles
In addition to pedaling, many factors can affect the range of your e-bike, so it’s important to understand how an e-bike battery works, among other things, before starting any long ride.
Battery capacity refers to the size of the battery in an e-bike. The exact range of an e-bike depends on how big the battery is and how much power it can supply. Battery capacity is measured in amp-hours (Ah), and it affects how far you can ride your e-bike on a single charge.
The volts (V) on the battery are related to the speed at which the e-bike travels. Multiply volts and amp-hours and you get the total energy output, also known as watt-hours.
Multiply battery volts by amp-hours to get watt-hours
You can calculate watt-hours by multiplying the battery’s volts by amp-hours
Essentially, the battery is the most critical part of an electric bike. E-bikes with larger capacity batteries, such as those with 500 watt-hours and only 350 watt-hours, allow you to ride longer distances before needing to recharge.
An e-bike with up to 350 watt-hours should be enough for short trips around town or commuting in cities where finding a charging station may be difficult.
It’s important to note that most e-bikes have an LCD display that shows the mileage of the e-bike’s battery in real time. The LCD helps you know when to recharge the battery so it doesn’t run out when you’re riding away from home.
Electric bikes can be purchased with a bike computer that can help you calculate how much power your electric bike’s motor needs at each assist level.
If you’re going on a long ride and need to know how much energy your bike will be using, it can be helpful to have an e-bike computer that will tell you what level of assistance your bike is using at any given time.
When riding downhill or flat terrain, your electric motor helps you move forward rather than hindering you by expending energy. The motor of an e-bike allows you to run faster, so you use less energy to cover a distance.
So if you’re riding downhill or flat terrain and using a higher assist level, the battery will last longer than when climbing hills or rough terrain.
weight resistance
The weight of the rider and the weight of the e-bike can both affect your travel speed and overall battery life. The heavier you are, the more you need to pedal or use the motor to maintain a consistent speed. This means that if you choose not to pedal hard yourself, you’ll also decrease the range faster.
The weight difference between an e-bike and a regular bike is also important. Electric bikes are at least 20 pounds (9 kg) or more heavier than standard bikes, depending on their configuration, features, and battery size. So there’s a lot of weight resistance, which will make it harder for your e-bike to move, especially if you’re not using any electric pedal assist or throttle.
shift
Electric bikes behave differently than regular bikes and need to be adjusted to your riding style accordingly.
If your e-bike has non-electric gears, one of the adjustments includes replacing the non-electric gears. It helps shift gears at the right time, as lower gears allow you to go further with less battery power. Also, the high gear setting may not get you uphill or provide enough speed on certain types of terrain, such as gravel or dirt.
Here’s how to use gears on an electric bike!
weather
Using an e-bike in a tailwind will increase the range it can reach. Wind power propels e-bikes without adding power from the motor or rider, allowing them to travel longer distances.
However, severe weather, such as wind, rain, snow and sleet, can affect the battery and how far it can go on a single charge.
Temperature also plays a vital role in e-bike range, reducing the amount of energy stored in the battery and limiting how far you can travel.
How to Improve the Range of Your Electric Bike
Many riders struggle with electric bike range. Poor riding range can be a serious problem for those who need an e-bike for long distances.
There are several things you can do to improve the range of your e-bike, including:
Properly Maintain Your Electric Bike
The most critical thing before going out for a ride is to make sure your e-bike is in good working order. Maintenance tasks include:
Make sure the e-bike is clean and well lubricated.
Keep the tires inflated.
Monitor the e-bike for damaged parts or anything loose.
Store the battery in a cool, dry place.
Make sure you stay up to date with all software updates for your e-bike.
Don’t overuse the throttle
Using the throttle quickly can shorten the battery life of an e-bike. While you can use the throttle exclusively (making it more like a moped), you won’t be using pedal assist at all.
Plus, the throttle often causes unwanted acceleration. You can tell this by noticing the battery life remaining on the e-bike when going up steep hills or starting from a dead stop. If you use the pedal assist option, you’ll notice that once your legs start moving, it doesn’t require more input and power to climb steep hills.
Use regenerative braking
Regenerative braking is a great way to save some battery power when you stop. You can use them with pedal power or throttle (depending on your e-bike).
When braking, regenerative braking produces energy. The brakes help recharge the battery and save some precious power for future use.
Shortcomings? It can cause a slight delay in stopping times, as they work by temporarily slowing down or reversing the motor before engaging the traditional friction-based braking system to bring you to a complete stop.
keep spare batteries
Most high-end e-bikes come with batteries that you can remove and charge separately. Removable batteries are a great way to extend your ride time and make sure you have enough power to get the ride done.
The best way to charge a spare battery is to use the mains outlet in your home or office. If you’re going for a long ride the next day, you’ll likely be charging overnight.
Regularly charging the battery will ensure you get the most out of your e-bike (and won’t get you into trouble). Still, it’s always a good idea to invest in a second battery for longer rides. You can even buy extra battery chargers to charge them before every ride.
Precautions for Carrying Spare Batteries for Electric Bikes
The best way to carry spare batteries is to use a special battery pack. A bag will ensure the battery is well protected and you won’t have to worry about water or dirt getting into the terminals while you ride.
Battery packs are necessary for spare parts, as they provide perfect protection and keep the terminal safe. In addition to this, you can store different spare parts for your e-bike in one place.
I recommend finding a bag that is made of easy-to-clean materials and has straps or handles so you can take it with you when you need it.
If you’re looking for a bag to carry your electric bike’s spare battery along with your bike tools and other sundries, here are Amazon’s highly recommended bike trunk bags. The waterproof material makes it ideal for transporting the battery while on the move.
Adding a second e-bike battery in parallel
You can also add a second battery to your e-bike so you don’t run out of charge on long rides. Learn how to parallel batteries here.
Use a Portable Solar Charging Pad
Do you use solar energy to charge your home or swimming pool? You can also use the sun to charge your bike!
If you’re willing to carry the extra weight, you can add small foldable solar panels directly to your e-bike. Read how to add a solar system to your bike and learn about alternative solar charging options.
Rebuilding old electric bike batteries
If you’ve been riding an e-bike for a while, you probably won’t be able to ride as far on a single battery charge as you used to. When you can no longer charge the battery or the battery is damaged, you can consider repairing or rebuilding it.
In conclusion
Pedal power is one of the most important factors in how far an e-bike can go on a single charge. E-bike pedal assist and/or throttle can help you when you need a break or need to get to your destination quickly.
If you are looking for a new way of commuting or want a healthier lifestyle, we are here to help you. Visit our website to learn more about electric bikes and electric scooter or please leave information to us.