E-bikes can be loads of fun when you’re flying down the road on them with barely any effort. The only problem is that after a few hours, you have to jump off and wait for the battery to charge up again. The best way to stay out there on the road is to maximise the life of your battery, so here are 6 tips that will keep you riding for as long as possible before needing to recharge.
When you charge it to 100%, make sure you use it as soon as possible so it doesn’t remain at full capacity while not in use. Zoomo electric bikes take 7-8 hours to charge on average, so try and time the charging of your battery to be full as soon as you’re ready to hit the road.
Taking a break after the lunch rush? Having a quick bite to eat before the dinner shift? Get into the habit of taking your battery and charger inside with you whenever you can, and find somewhere to plug it in. Charging your battery for even an hour here and there can extend your time doing deliveries.
Some e-bike rental companies, such as Spark Bikes, have a small battery at 11ah. At this size, you might get 30km out of a single charge if the terrain isn’t too tough. The biggest batteries available on the market are used by Zoomo ebikes, who use massive 17ah batteries for their bikes. At this size, you can get over to double the distance (potentially 100km) and stay riding and earning money for much longer. Make sure you pick the right e-bike for you if you are looking to rent one, and consider a company that offers extra batteries with the rental.
Batteries work best when their charge level stays between 20-100% at all times. Every time the battery level drops to 0, the maximum battery life decreases. That means if you want to stay out there on the road for as long as possible each shift, It’s best to try and plug in when the battery gets to around 20% power, so that you can be sure that next time you unplug, you’re above 80%.
A large 17ah battery will last around 3 hours when used at full speed. This is perfect for a quick nightly rush and to maximise your earnings during a promotional period.
If you’re looking to stretch your shift for longer, switch down to a medium level speed, and your battery should last you 6-8 hours before needing to recharge. So your schedule could be:
Option 1: Ride at full speed for 3 hours during the lunch rush between 11-2, recharge your battery, then head out again for the dinner shift from 6-9.
Option 2: Ride at medium speed for the entire night shift, from 5-11pm
A critical factor with batteries and their chargers is to make sure you plug and unplug your charger right. You don’t want power in the charging brick when you’re unplugging or plugging in, so, turn off the power supply (power-point) first, then plug in or unplug your battery to charge. Doing this wrong could result in a broken charger, leaving you without a working e-bike, until you can get yourself a new charger.
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