How fast will electric bikes go?
Depends on the type of ebike. Most Smartmotion city ebikes have a top speed around 35kph. Fast ebikes such as the Pacer can reach 45kph+ with moderate pedaling.
Will your bikes move without pedaling, or have a throttle?
Depends on the brand. Most European brands will only supply motor power when the rider pedals. Smartmotion electric bikes vary between model – some have a throttle (like the MidCity, eCity, XCity, etc) Others do not, but have the ability to toggle between torque sensor mode or cadence mode (XCity, Hypersonic).
I have seen cheaper electric bikes, what’s the difference?
Similar to cheap bikes vs quality bikes… cheap electric bikes have low quality components. Additionally, cheap ebikes use non branded, made in china lithium cells, and low quality cell packing and wiring techniques – this greatly increases the risk of battery fire and short battery life. Same for motors and wiring loom – cheap components
Should I completely drain the battery before charging?
Not required for a modern lithium battery.
How should I look after my battery?
Firstly, any lithium battery must be treated with care as they do pose a fire risk. All major ebike brands use cell brands such as Panasonic, Samsung, etc, which greatly reduces fire risk. But fires can still occur (same for Lithium batteries in laptops, cell phones, etc). Charge your battery in a fire safe area,
How long does it take to recharge the battery?
Around 5 hours for a full charge, but a lithium battery can be topped up anytime too.
Does the electric bike recharge whilst I am pedaling?
No. early ebikes had this feature, but it proved ineffective and the loss in efficiency uphill of a regen style motor depleted more battery energy than regen inputted when braking on downhill sections.
Do I need a license to ride an electric bike on the road?
As long as your motor is below 300 watts, then you do not require a license and your electric bike can ride anyway a bike is allowed to ride.
Where can I ride an electric bike?
An electric bike is simply a bike with a small motor and battery, so, anywhere you are comfortable riding a bike you can also ride an electric bike, as long as the electric bike is fit for purpose – note, if you are riding off-road, you will need a mountain bike styled electric bike.