Battery for Carrera Subway E

[Jam-jam]

Hi all, sorry for newbie questions but I'm brand new to ebike world. Just bought Halfords Carrera Subway E, and I'm not 100% happy with range. I'm squeezing 30 miles out of it when on steady setting (2nd assist level) and if I go to high it drops down to 20 miles only (halfords wepage claims 60 miles range! That must have been on eco setting with a rider strapped in with helium balloons). So I was wondering are there any battery upgrades for this bike. I wouldn't like to change battery mounting bracket, so I can possibly still use oryginal battery and just swap it when it's dead. I asked at halfords but they only have stock ones and they want £499 which is outrageous.

 

[Nealh]

Nothing wrong with your battery 30 miles is pretty good for 300wh and works out at about 10 - 10.4wh per mile usage rate. The figures quoted for range are like saying how long is a piece of string , as for the figures we haven't clue how they are calculated. Most quoted figures are minimum assist setting for flat terrain riding.

The battery type it self is used and are available but yours has the Suntour system so is closed (a bit like Bosch only dealer friendly ) another may fit but likely will not work because of communication (hand shaking ) between battery and motor controller.

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[vfr400]

I don't think Suntour uses comma between the battery and controller unless they changed it on the latest version. The previous version used a standard Santroll controller. There was some sort of handshaking between the charger and battery.

I'm fairly sure, but I would need to see it to be certain, that you can use any battery. You have to overcome the problem that the controller is housed in the battery receiver, which would probably mean a lot of wiring to relocate it. All things considered, it's probably easier to buy a spare battery.

 

[sjpt]

As others have said, probably about expected range (sadly).
Halfords says: Maximum Range - Up To 60 Miles .

If you look at https://bosch-ebike.com/en/service/range-assistant/ you will see the effect of different settings and conditions. I know yours isn't a Bosch but it remains a very useful guide with a little interpretation for your bike. As you start with the most optimistic settings, and then add a little extra assistance or slight hills you will see that estimated range drops off quite dramatically; maybe even from over 100 miles to 30.

 

[peter.c]

Unfortunately you are stuck with halfords unless you swap the battery and controller

 

[Nealh]

I don't think Suntour uses comma between the battery and controller unless they changed it on the latest version. The previous version used a standard Santroll controller. There was some sort of handshaking between the charger and battery.

I'm fairly sure, but I would need to see it to be certain, that you can use any battery. You have to overcome the problem that the controller is housed in the battery receiver, which would probably mean a lot of wiring to relocate it. All things considered, it's probably easier to buy a spare battery.

I new there was some hand shaking somewhere and as you mention I now recall the battery/charger have it.

 

[vfr400]

There's dutch shop that sells Suntour stuff cheaper than anywhere else. They're mentioned in a couple of threads about chargers for these Carrera bikes. Maybe they sell the batteries cheap too.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Batteries for this new generation of Halfords Carreras are made by STL Technology (Taiwan), not Phylion (China) who made the previous generation. The cases/mounts are different, as are (I'm sure) the charging plugs/sockets. I've not seen this current battery style anywhere else previously.

There's also some confusion on Halford's website: The OP's picture shows 8.7Ah/313Wh, yet Halfords shows the battery rated at 374Wh (implying 10.4Ah) in "Description", 313Wh/8.7Ah in "Battery", and both 10.4Ah and 317Wh in Specification. I think I might be a bit miffed if I'd expected a 10.4Ah and only got an 8.7Ah instead.

 

[Jam-jam]

Thanks guys. Didn't expect so many replies so quick. As I'm not feeling comfortable changing battery mount not to even mention controller, and this is new generation of batteries as cyclebuddy says looks like I have no other option than stick with getting halfrauds 500quid battery.

 

[vfr400]

There's also some confusion on Halford's website: The OP's picture shows 8.7Ah/313Wh, yet Halfords shows the battery rated at 374Wh (implying 10.4Ah) in "Description", 313Wh/8.7Ah in "Battery", and both 10.4Ah and 317Wh in Specification. I think I might be a bit miffed if I'd expected a 10.4Ah and only got an 8.7Ah instead.

I think that's the difference between the Crossfire and Vulcan from the cheaper Vengeance and Subway.

 

[Michael Price]

You could try asking a specialist company like BGA-reworking - if it is possible to do it they can tell you
When I got my old ebike recelled they increased the Ah a lot - and used better cells

 

[cyclebuddy]

I think that's the difference between the Crossfire and Vulcan from the cheaper Vengeance and Subway.

I think so too. Maybe the £499 Jam-jam has been quoted is for the higher capacity 10.4Ah version?

As an aside, here's an amusing tale regarding the range of a Carrera Crossfuse 400Wh (Bosch) battery:

The car-less Bar Manager in my local pub was complaining about his exhausting 28-mile cycle to and from work every day. It's a cross-country ride I've done a few times, and consists of long draggy upward inclines pretty much all the 14 miles there (although it's all downward sloping going home).

"An electric bike is your answer!" I drunkenly proclaimed, having already sunk quite a few pints.

He cogitated for several weeks considering the benefits and costs, before one day excitedly announcing "I've bought a Carrera Crossfuse! It's transformed my cycle to work!"

At the end of the week, he proudly announced "I've done that ride every day this week, and I've only used one bar on my battery!"

Simple maths - despite being well drunk yet again - confused me. 28 miles x 5 days = 140 miles. "You've cycled 140 miles and used just ONE bar on your 400Wh battery?" I quizzed. "That's incredible range!" After a little more thought thinking how impossible that was, I enquired "What speed are you cycling at?"

"Oh, about 20mph on average" he replied.

"Mmm" I mused. "You do realise that the motor only assists your pedalling up to about 15.5mph? Above that speed, you're on your own!". That took the fizz out of the beer rather quickly. "Ah!" he said having considered my beer-mat maths.

A week later, he'd taken the bike back to Halfords for a refund, and was back on his normal bike!