“How far can you ride on an electric bike charge?” is probably the number one question we get asked. And because there are so many variables, it is a difficult question to answer. It’s like asking, “How long is a piece of string?”
Factors Affecting E-Bike Range in NZ
There are a number of different factors that affect how far you will be able to ride on a fully-charged electric bike. These include:
- The size of the battery: Battery size is typically expressed in watt-hours. Some ebike batteries are as small as 300 watt-hours, while others may be 700 watt-hours or more.
- The amount of power your legs contribute: The average rider can deliver around 200 watts of continuous power from their legs, while ebike motors typically deliver 250-300 watts of constant power. So you can see that your legs are a very important factor. The more leg power you contribute, the further you will be able to travel on a fully charged battery.
- The type of terrain where you’re riding: On paved roads that are flat or mildly hilly, you will be able to travel a lot further on a charge than on steep, off-road trails.
- Your proficiency with using the gears on the bike: Most e-bikes come with an 8-speed or 10-speed gear cassette. Triggers on the handlebars make it easy to shift between gears. The better you are at shifting into the most appropriate gear for changing terrain, the greater the efficiency you will get from your electric system and hence, the further you will be able to ride on a charge.
If you’re looking for an e-bike that suits NZ riding conditions, check out our range of high-performance electric bikes designed for various terrains and battery needs.
Here’s an Ebike Range Calculator that might help
When riding on gently undulating paved surfaces and applying a reasonable degree of leg energy, you might expect to use around 7.5 watt-hours per kilometre.
When riding on hilly and windy off-road trails, where you often use higher levels of pedal assist, you might expect to use around 12 watt-hours per kilometre.
So, a very rough range estimator for riding in urban environments is:
Battery size in watt-hours, divided by 7.5. For example, if the battery size is 500 watt-hours, then 500/7.5 = 66.6 km of range on a fully-charged battery
For riding on steeper backcountry trails, also using a 500 watt-hour battery as an example, you would estimate your range by dividing 500 by 12. That comes to around 42kms of range on a fully-charged battery.
Top 6 Tips to Extend Your E-Bike Range in NZ
- Make sure that you get a large enough battery for the kinds of distances you will be covering and the types of terrain you will be riding across.
- Apply as much leg energy as you can. The more leg energy you contribute, the less drain there will be on your battery.
- Become proficient at changing gears. This is probably the number one challenge we see with older riders, many of whom may not have ridden a bike in many years. If you’re trying to climb a hill in 5th gear, but with your motor set on full-assist, you will drain your battery a lot faster than if you were climbing in 1st or 2nd gear, with your motor set on a moderate level of assist.
- As soon as you are comfortably able, shift into a lower level of pedal assist. Some riders may use maximum pedal assist to climb a hill. However, they often forget to lower it once they reach the summit. That may make for a fast and exhilarating ride, but it will also burn through the energy in your battery.
- Enjoy your ride and don’t focus on maximising your speed. Obviously, for some people, this advice will fall on deaf ears. But, it’s just like in a car: The faster you go, the more fuel you will consume. (In this case, the fuel is the watt-hours of energy in your battery.)
- Shift into Lower Gear before Stopping. A common mistake made by novice riders is not changing down into a lower mechanical gear before coming to a standstill. The higher the gear your bike is in, the harder it is to pedal from a standstill. So, as you’re approaching a stop, shift down into third, second or even first gear so that the bike is easy to pedal when you want to get moving again. This is a helpful tip for conserving battery energy for those whose e-bikes are fitted with a throttle. Many people who have throttles and use their throttle to get moving from a standstill fail to understand how much drain on the battery they’re causing. Such a drain would be largely unnecessary if it had shifted into a lower gear before coming to a stop.
Best Ebikes for Long Distance Riding in NZ
MeloYelo ebikes have always had larger batteries than most. On our current models, the battery size ranges from 630Wh to 720Wh.
A few years ago, three Kiwi ladies, all over 65 years old, rode from North Cape to Bluff on MeloYelo e-bikes (Tour Aotearoa). Towards the end of their journey, one of them was able to ride 95 kilometres and only use a quarter of the 630Wh battery charge. Her secrets were:
- Maximising the energy from her legs while keeping the pedal assist in the lowest setting, most of the time.
- Knowing how to use her mechanical gears effectively, maintains a good cadence at all times.
- Boosting her pedal assist only when necessary, and then returning to a low level of assist as soon as possible.
Why E-Bikes Are Perfect for New Zealand’s Terrain and Lifestyle
Let’s face it: We have a few hills in New Zealand. And as we age, tackling those hills on a push bike becomes more and more of a challenge. This is why there are more than a few bikes gathering dust in garages around NZ.
An e-bike puts the joy back into cycling. You can pedal as hard as you want – you can even set your pedal-assist to zero and ride it like a regular bike. However, we have heard from many of our customers about the joy they’re experiencing. About being able to ride with their kids and grandkids and keep up with them. About being able to explore parts of NZ that they would never have otherwise seen.
They’re also perfect because kiwis love to be outdoors. Health and mobility issues can sometimes limit long walks, hikes, or bike rides. Yet in many cases, an e-bike helps people overcome these hurdles, allowing them to continue experiencing the joy of the great outdoors. It also helps maintain both physical and mental well-being.
Conclusion
Work on growing the power in your legs, learning how to use your mechanical gears correctly, and boosting your pedal assist only when necessary. Do this, and you will have uncovered the secrets of maximising your e-bike range. Oh, and don’t forget, if you think you’ll be riding longer distances, choose an e-bike with the biggest battery possible.
