Ebike Range Calculator (2022 Update) DEV

Introduction To Ebike Battery Range

One of the most common questions we get is how to calculate the geographic range of an electric bike. In essence, how far will an ebike go before it runs out of battery power.

There are many factors that affects an ebike's range, including battery capacity, terrain, and the level of effort of the rider. If you’re in a rush, and just want a rough estimate, simply multiple the battery's Voltage (V) and Amp-Hour (Ah) specifications, which equals its Watt-Hours (Wh) then divide by 20. This will give you the approximate range per fully charged battery, in miles. 

For a more precise estimate of electric bike range, we have developed a detailed ebike range calculator (below) which has 16 separate inputs and over 100 variants. This includes battery and motor specs, average speed, level of effort, drive mode, surface conditions, weather conditions, and stop frequency.

Feel free to jump ahead and use the ebike range calculator. But if you want to learn all the details about how far can electric bikes go, and how to get the most range from your ebike battery, keep reading.

To learn more about ebike batteries beyond simply their range potential, check out our Ebike Battery FAQ.

 

Ebike Battery Myth Busting

First, a little electric bike battery myth busting. All ebikes can be ridden like conventional bikes, simply by pedaling and using the standard gears if your bike is not a single speed. If you ride your ebike with the electronics turned off, there is no loss of battery charge. Likewise, if you ride your ebike without turning on electronics, there is no drag or resistance from the turned-off motor.

That being said, ebikes do tend to be heavier than standard bikes, due to the added weight of the motor, battery and controller. But there are also lightweight ebikes that fold up and are highly portable. 

The lithium-ion battery is the fuel tank for your ebike, not unlike the batteries that power your cell phone and laptop computer. In the olden days a few years ago, some legacy ebike brands would use sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries on their ebikes.

You can still find these types of batteries in cars and on mobility scooters. But with improvements in battery technology, the denser and more energy efficient lithium-ion battery was adopted as the standard for all ebikes. These batteries will vary in their chemistry, as well as their operating voltage and capacity. 

Like the lithium batteries powering your personal electronic devices, ebike batteries will not last forever. After about 1,000 charge cycles, you will notice that the battery is not holding a full charge. For the average rider, it takes about 2-4 years to charge and discharge an ebike battery 1,000 times. These timeframes could be greatly reduced if you expose your electric bike battery to extremes in heat or cold. So it's best not to leave your battery in the trunk of a hot car, or in a garage that might reach freezing temperatures overnight.

When you finally need to get a new battery for your ebike, have no fear. Usually replacement or spare batteries are available from the original manufacturer, but even if they are not, there are reputable 3rd party battery companies that can provide a high-quality replacement. Our go-to favorite company for this is the Ebike Marketplace in Las Vegas. 

Non-Electrical Factors that Affect Electric Bike Range

There are many variables that affect ebike range, including the bike design of bike, rider weight and riding style, terrain, weather, surface moisture, tire inflation.

Bike Design & Maintenance. Electric bikes, like conventional bikes, come in many flavors. You have fat tire mountain ebikes, small folding ebikes, and laid back cruiser style ebikes. There are several key factors in bike design that affect range.

First, the weight of the bike is a major factor, but also the width of the tires. Fat tires, for example, have more surface area in contact with the ground, and more traction (friction) compared to a road bike with narrower tires. This adds resistance which can deplete energy reserves more quickly.

Second, it’s important to note that a poorly tuned or maintained ebike will have a shorter range than a properly maintained vehicle. Low tire inflation, poorly aligned gears and brakes, and high wind resistance due to a lack of aerodynamic design will all contribute to reducing the range of an ebike.

Payload. The weight of the passenger and any cargo will also have a dramatic effect on ebike range. All things being equal, a 225-pound rider with a fully-loaded trailer will place a much higher demand on the battery than a 125-pound teenager with a fanny pack. The distribution of the payload on the bike will also affect range, especially if a bike is unbalanced due to heavy loads placed on the rear rack.

Weather & Terrain. Headwinds and wet roads each will reduce the potential range of an ebike. Likewise, how hilly your ride is, and if you go off-road on gravelly trails will impact how far you can travel on a single charge.

Electrical Factors that Affect Ebike Range

All electric bikes have 3 essential components that set them apart from conventional bikes. These are the motor, the controller and the battery. Each of these electrical components plays a critical role in the performance of an electrical bike, and if any of them are not working properly, it can adversely affect your ebike performance range.

If you struggle with the concept of electrons running through wires to power a motor, you're not alone. Check out the Water Pipe Analogy graphic below. 

We use watt-hours to measure the energy capacity of a battery pack, and this will help you figure out how long you can ride your ebike before fully discharging the battery. But before we get into watt-hours (symbolized Wh), let’s first review what a watt itself is.

A watt (W) is a unit of power, and power is the rate at which energy is produced or consumed. Think of watts as a measure of electrical flow. Does an electrical device need a big flow or a small flow to work? For example, a 100W light bulb uses energy at a higher rate than a 60W bulb; this means that the 100W light bulb needs a bigger “flow” to work. Likewise, the rate at which your solar energy system “flows” power into your home is measured in watts.

A watt-hour (Wh) is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt (1W) of power expended for one hour (1h) of time. A watt-hour is a way to measure the amount of work performed or generated. Household appliances and other electrical devices perform “work” and that requires energy in the form of electricity. Utilities typically charge you for electrical energy by the kilowatt-hour (kWh), which is equal to 1,000 watt-hours.

An ebike battery is measured by its voltage (V) and amp-hour (Ah) rating. To calculate the Wh of an ebike battery pack, we simply multiply its V and Ah to get the Wh.

• A battery rated at 36 V and 10.4 Ah will have a 417.6 Wh capacity (36 x 10.4 = 374.4), like on the Eunorau UHVO All-Terrain Ebike
• A battery rated at 48 V and 21 Ah will have a 1,008 Wh capacity (48 x 21 = 1,008), like on the Bakcou Mule.

 

 

Ebike Range Calculator

Coming Soon: our 16-input range calculator that has been custom built to provide the most accurate estimated ebike battery range. Until we launch, check out the simplified version below, which uses the Wh of your battery to give you the average estimate.

Now, just plug in the battery voltage and amp-hour ratings below to get an estimate range. And if you want another expert's opinion about ebike range, check out Micah Toll at Electrek.