Want to buy an electric bike? But you don’t know much about the subject?
You should know that what will count the most in the choice of your electric bike is the power of the battery. In the rest of this article, we will tell you everything you need to know on the subject.
What are the power indicators of e-bike batteries?
To begin, you should know that the volts represent the power of the battery of an electric bicycle. You can find 24, 36, 48 and 72V versions. The higher the voltage, the higher the power. Most e-bikes come with 36V batteries as they are cost effective. On the other hand, 72V batteries are much more expensive, and their high power could turn your electric bike into a moped, because so much power could make you exceed the 25km/h limit.
The amps/hour tell you the range of the electric bike. This is the distance you can travel with your engine. The higher the intensity, the greater the autonomy. In the case of e-bikes it is very relative as it depends on the level of pedal assist you are using, the weight of the bike, your own weight, tire pressure, your riding style and the type of route. So the autonomy range of an electric bike battery can vary considerably: from 20km to 70km. Most often, you will find electric bikes that offer 10AH.
Watts/hour is the combination of volts and amps/hour. This indicator allows you to compare batteries of different voltages and amperages when choosing one. A 24 volt, 20AH battery will produce the same 480 watts per hour as a 48 volt, 10AH battery. In other words, it will behave the same way. To easily find a battery for your electric bike, we advise you to go to the website e-bike batteries
How to determine the capacity of an electric bicycle battery?
Thus, to determine the capacity of an electric bicycle battery, you can take as a reference the watts/hour: by multiplying the volts and the amperes, as we saw previously. To give you an idea, a 24V and 8 AH battery has a capacity of 192 watts/hour.
Once you are clear about the type of e-bike you want, you need to consider the price/range ratio. You want your battery, which is the most expensive component of the e-bike, to take you as far as possible.
How long does an e-bike battery last?
It should be understood that the batteries of electric bicycles wear out. The more time passes, the less autonomy the battery will have because it will store less electricity. This is a chemical wear process that starts during manufacture and will increase with use.
The number of refills indicated by the manufacturer is an indicator, but you must also consider that it is not the only valid factor because time is also a relevant criterion. On average, an electric bike battery has a lifespan of 2 to 4 years depending on its level of use.
How to take care of an electric bike battery?
As you will have understood, the battery degrades over time, even if you do not use it. So it’s not a good idea at all to have a spare battery if you don’t plan to use it. You will be able to buy a new battery when the old one has reached its maximum lifespan which can vary between 2 and 4 years depending on several factors, as we have seen. To extend the life of your e-bike battery, if specified by the manufacturer, full charging and discharging periods should be performed periodically. Avoid exposure to the sun and ideally, use the electric bike battery only in addition to pedaling as often as possible.
