What's your Wh/mile or Wh/km

[erth64net]

The last thread I saw discussing eBike power-over-distance efficiency was back in 2009, and I'm really curious where numbers have gone over the past 5 years.

I've consistently drawn 12-15Wh/mile while zipping the Recchetta around. What's your efficiency?

 

[DAND214]

Where you've been for the last 5 years?

Mine varies from 16 to 26 per mile. that all varies on speed and wind.

Good luck and better Happy New Year!

Dan

 

[erth64net]

Where you've been for the last 5 years?

Hiding

I suppose I should have said that I have an itch to scratch, as I re-evaluate my power-assist design. Despite finding plenty of casual references when searching the forums, I couldn't find a specific thread since 2009.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[amberwolf]

There's another from 2012
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=36626&hilit=usage

and another from 2009
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5146&hilit=consumption

more data in these
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=32843&hilit=efficien%2A
http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=28474&hilit=efficien%2A

also data in many people's build threads, including my various bike builds.


I know there is another recent thread but can't find it right now, with TIny and Yogi climbing on top of me trying to hide from the fireworks and gun noises.

 

[999zip999]

33-45 wh/mi. for 22-28 miles. Boy is it fun. I also have a high mileage mode, but haven't use it in 3 yrs.

 

[opperpanter]

12Wh / km throttle only, no pedaling, flat terrain. Front hub motor 36V350W.

 

[KINNINVIEKID]

My Dillenger 1Kw front hub does 30Wh/Mi on average.
My BBS02 averages around 13-14.
I am a fat twat though and dont pedal a great deal.

 

[amberwolf]

Keep in mind that unless you post all the info about your vehicle, terrain, and usage, including weather/wind/etc., none of the data is directly comparable to any other.

 

[John in CR]

Keep in mind that unless you post all the info about your vehicle, terrain, and usage, including weather/wind/etc., none of the data is directly comparable to any other.

I wouldn't say "none", because when you break thru 200wh/mile it's exhilarating on almost any ebike.

 

[amberwolf]

I doubt I'd argue about the exhilaration, but it still doesn't make the power usage directly comparable without the other info.

 

[made_in_the_alps_legacy]

This is somehow where the e-board crew stands (consumption assumed as measured on flat)
for comparison since you ask for e-bikes
rough guess is 300W for 30kph, so about 10Wh/km @ 30kph

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=58661&start=50

 

[Arvicola Terrestris]

You should take a look at this informative page:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/aero/formulas.htm


And as said earlier i doesn't make sense to compare Wh/km without a long list of parameters. In the above Sheldon Brown example, 36% of the power usage is used for acceleration at traffic lights

My numbers for my Grace bike is around 12Wh/km with acceleration at every 500m (city commute), while my Christiania trike uses 15Wh/km, with traffic lights for every 2km and x3 the surface (long trips and large box).

/philip

 

[arkmundi]

Just did this stat for myself, for my new MAC/Trek build. 0.67 kwh for 14 miles, or about 0.05 kwh per mile, or 50 wh/mi, or about 1 amp-hour per mile, my preferred stat, a common battery metric.

 

[izeman]

i'd like to contribute as well, but as i do heavy mountain biking only my numbers would be useless. crawling up a 20 or 30% hill at low speed gives really bad efficiency. over all my mid drive mac 45A@48V takes 25Wh/km at an average speed of just below 30km/h.

 

[dogman dan]

My wh/mile numbers are very consistent. 15wh/mi to 60 wh/mi. As said several times above, It depends on all those other variables.

The one that never changes is my weight, about 185 pounds. Bike weights and wind drag change plenty, ride speed changes, weather changes, and of course lots of difference between up a mild grade or a steep one.

But in general, I get at best 25 wh/mi, going 15 mph average, on my huge pig of a cargo bike carrying 50 pounds or so. This is a total weight close to 400 pounds. Up over a mountain, the average may still be 25 wh/mi, due to the free ride down. But a headwind will kill me on that thing, with its gigantic panniers. Going just 20 mph, I'll get 35 wh/mi or worse. Going 30 mph, 50-60 wh/mi.

On a more normal commuters bike, I got about 25-30wh/mi, traveling at least 25 mph. But riding slow you could hit 15 wh/mi if you wanted to. At 15 mph at least 30% of the power used is coming from pedaling. At 25 mph, more like 10%. Me on this bike would be 250-275 pounds total weight depending on groceries aboard or not.

Riding in dirt with a powerful bike, running 72v and 40 amps controller, always at least 40 wh/mi. Sometimes 60. You can use much less, but only by lessening the fun. This is rarely pedal ever riding. Just hanging on and grinning. Total weight on this bike about 230 pounds with me and the battery on it.

 

[arkmundi]

Ahhh, weight matters huh? :lol: So you're saying I need to lose weight to get more range out of my bike? :lol: You calling me a fatty?

 

[izeman]

Ahhh, weight matters huh? :lol: So you're saying I need to lose weight to get more range out of my bike? :lol: You calling me a fatty?

you wouldn't believe how my all (european standard) legal front geared hub bike performs when ridden by my 12 year old daughter that weighs 34kg. the bike performs really nice and has no problem at all to climb the steepest hills w/o pedaling.

 

[BVH]

82 lb Prodeco Oasis (2 batts and 2nd cargo rack) riding btw 12 and 20 mph, pedaling full time with light to moderate load on legs, some very significant grades in the mix of flat terrain, I average between 12.5 and 15 Wh per mile. I weigh 150 with clothes and helmet on.

Even though I just increased my battery capacity by 1.6 times over my last bike, I am still a miser with the throttle. Old habits die hard.

 

[dogman dan]

I never called anybody anything. I just wanted to point out that weight is one of the many variables. To seriously compare wh/mi, you have to have all the variables the same, except one. ( usually the speed) Two variable experiments are junk science. So you can't compare how my cargo bike performs at all with other bikes, it's just too different. Vastly different weight, and drag. It can somewhat compare with other longtails with similar weight and huge panniers.

Variables include
Weight (rider and bike+ any cargo)
motor type
controller amps
voltage
weather
type of bike (wind drag)
speed (which also affects wind drag)
Clothing worn by the rider ( again, the drag)
watts input from rider on the pedals