Flow-e Electric Bicycle

The battery of an electric bicycle is a kind of energy tank for the assistance system. The bike’s range is completely tied to the bicycle and depends on many parameters and factors that have a direct influence. It can vary by two to three times (or even more) depending on:

• Urban: with many stops/starts that consume energy
• In the countryside: rather smooth and linear
• Mountain trails with climbs where electric assistance will put the battery to the test over a sustained period, with routes where the total elevation gain can be very significant

• Example: A 25 kg Dutch-style bicycle with a very upright rider position that creates significant air resistance will “consume” more with a 90 kg person than with a 70 kg person.

• Rubber compound, structure, size—but above all the optimal tire inflation! Using an e-bike with underinflated tires can represent a 30% loss of range (in km).

• In cold weather, a battery naturally loses range. The optimal temperature is between 15 and 25 °C.

• If the user rides in Eco mode, they can of course cover a greater distance than in Turbo mode.

Integrating the battery into the frame gives additional stiffness and a better weight distribution, making the bike more dynamic. The battery is also better protected in case of impact.

48V 13Ah (624Wh) battery = 120 km* – Person of 70/75 kg in Eco mode.

36V 16Ah (576 Wh) battery = 80 km* – Person of 70/75 kg in Eco mode.

36V 10Ah (360 Wh) battery = 70 km* – Person of 70/75 kg in Eco mode.

The first and main factor regarding the range of a fully charged battery is the energy stored in it, which we quantify in watt-hours (Wh), obtained by multiplying the battery’s volts (V) by amp-hours (Ah). For example, a 48V13Ah battery has 624Wh of energy at full charge, and a 36V16Ah battery has 576Wh.

Once the energy concept is clear, we must look at the motor power, which determines the consumption of that energy. A bicycle for legal use in the EU may have a maximum nominal power of 250W, but it does not consume the same when working at the limit of its capacity on a climb of more than 20% (it can have peak consumption close to 150% of its nominal power) as when we use it leisurely on flat terrain.

Once this is understood, we can also say it doesn’t help if the rider tackling a 20% climb does so in a low assistance level and does most of the work by pedaling, while the rider on flat terrain uses a high assistance level and makes no effort, leaving all the work to the motor… This factor is obviously key to range. To this we can add, to a lesser extent, factors such as the rider’s weight, position, cadence, and the number of starts and stops, since starting causes consumption spikes.

The type of terrain (hill or flat), surfaces (asphalt or gravel), even wind (headwind), and the tire type and geometry also have consequences.

For all these reasons, it is very difficult to provide precise and reliable information about a bicycle’s range. The information we provide about the range of our products is for a 75 kg person under normal use: mountain bikes with mixed routes including climbs and descents, city bikes with many start/stop cycles in urban commutes, etc.

We do not advertise maximum ranges but real ones, based on tests without specifically aiming for low consumption. We have achieved ranges of more than 200 km when seeking maximum efficiency, but we believe it would be dishonest to advertise them since the usage conditions were not normal.

We can only add that what sets Moma electric bicycles apart from the competition is precisely the range. 100% of professionals who have tested them have been impressed by this figure. For us, it is the essential aspect of this type of vehicle, and we work every day to improve it as much as possible with batteries with high energy storage capacity and very efficient motors that consume as little energy as possible.