Battery Discharge Stats

Since late 2008 I've been measuring the performance of the different battery packs available to get a better idea of range and total power output (Ah) - the results are shown below:

  1. Standard 36Volt 12Ah SLA battery pack - ride time: 20mins

    when constantly discharging at 15-25Amps (approx 7Ah measured)

  2. 36Volt 12Ah LiFePO4 (3Amp Optimum 26650 cells) - ride time: 30mins

    when constantly discharging at 15-25Amps (approx 9Ah measured)

  3. 36Volt 10Ah LiFePO4 (10Amp Headway cells) - ride time: 30-35mins

    when constantly discharging at 15-25Amps (approx 9Ah)

  4. 36Volt 15Ah LiFePO4 (3Amp Optimum 26650 cells) - ride time: 45 mins

    when constantly discharging at 15-25Amps (approx 12Ah measured)

  5. 36Volt 20Ah LiFePO4 (Prismatic Cells) - ride time: 70 mins !!

    when costantly discharging at 15-25Amps (approx 15Ah measured)

  6. 36Volt 7Ah SLA (800watt Brushless Motor) - ride time: 20 mins

    when constantly discharging at 15-30 Amps (approx 5Ah measured). Note: the brushless motor draws less current - resulting in comparable stats for the smaller SLA pack...more extensive stats and performance information to be published soon....

Note: Measurements captured using the Watts Up! battery meter.

Important Note: The ride times shown above are generally at top speed, and hence reflect the minimum ride time....cruising at medium speeds would result in an extended ride

How far can I ride on a charge?

As a general rule of thumb, range can be calculated as follow ....

  1. A brushless motor uses ~ 1 Amp Hour every 2 kms 
  2. A brushed motor uses ~ 1 Amp Hour every 1.7 kms
  3. An SLA pack generally delivers 70% of its AH rating
  4. A LiFePO4 pack generally delivers 80-85% of its AH rating

Therefore - a 7AH SLA pack on a board with a brushless motor will travel ~ 10 kms

(0.7 x 7 x 2)

and, a 20AH LiFePO4 pack on a board with a brushed motor will travel ~ 29 kms

(0.85 x 20 x 1.7)

Important Note: The ranges shown above are generally at medium to top speed, and hence reflect the average range....cruising at lower speeds would result in an extended range

Happy Riding!