Simply put e-bikes are awesome on multiple levels.
They make getting exercise easier, are fun as heck and just generally help people get out of the house for more outdoor time. But before you run out and purchase an e-bike there are several things to consider.
Today we’ll touch on what to know when it comes to the different voltages offered by various e-bikes.
As a rulethe more voltage that is offered by the e-bikes battery, the more electrical potential energy the battery can store… which translates intomore acceleration and anincreased range between necessary charging of the e-bike itself. So as an example a60 volt battery will have more power than a 36 volt battery, and therefore it will have a higher top speed, accelerate faster and go further* before it requires a re-charge.
It should be noted that e-bikes are speed governed to 32km hour.
*One caveat to what we just said was that increased power can lead to decreased efficiency since higher voltage systems can consumer more energy. So if we extrapolate this, smaller voltage batters can in some cases provide more range. All of this depends upon many factors including how big you are, the terrain you are riding on and other factors.
So now that we have the basics out of the way, lets touch on the various voltage sizes that e-bikes typically come in.
The main voltage sizes are 24, 36, 48 and 60 volts.
Further to what we mentioned a moment ago, as a frame of reference, a 24 volt battery may be better for smaller riders on flat terrain with shorter ranges. Alternatively a 60 volt bike would be better for larger bikes, rougher terrain, better acceleration and longer distance.
One thing to remember is that while the bikes voltage definitely impacts its performance as discussed, it is not the only variable that comes into play on overall performance.
Other factors that will impact all performance include things such as the actual motor size, the weight of the e-bike itself and even the batteries capacity.
Another consideration is that the larger the voltage and battery will often have longer charging times than lower voltage batteries will.
So now you have the basics when it comes to e-bike voltages and how they relate to overall performance. We would encourage you to speak with the Kawartha TV and Stereo team if you have any other questions or want to know the best voltage option based on your specific needs.