Rechargeable Ebike?

[Trakker]

Not knowing much about ebikes i'm sure that this is probably a stupid question,but is there a way of powering an ebike and charging the battery like you would a car?

I would assume the motor would run the wheel,which runs an alternator somehow,which then powers the battery. Apologies if this has been asked many times before!


Regards
Darren

 

[flecc]

Perfectly possible Darren, but not done as it's illegal as an e-bike. It would have to be registered as a motor vehicle.

The bike I'm showing below is a private build and has a crank motor with integrated battery driving through the chain, plus a front hub motor. On the carrier there's a small petrol generator which powers the front hub:

.

 

[Trakker]

Thanks for the reply flecc,I asssume it's illegal due to being a petrol motor, so would it be possible with an electric motor instead?

 

[stokepa31]

now thats what I call "pimp my ride". I bet that could shift and go a fair distance too

Paul

 

[flecc]

There would be no point though Trakker. Using an electric motor to drive the bike as well charge a battery would lose energy, since no energy conversion is 100% efficient or more. The motor would be using much more from the battery than it was putting back in.
.

 

[flecc]

now thats what I call "pimp my ride". I bet that could shift and go a fair distance too

Paul

Yes. It was wired so that the Panasonic drive could be used from the battery for hill climbing, or the Heinzmann hub motor from the battery for speed, or with the generator running, both motors for speed and power.

Very illegal of course, and rather top heavy, but potentially a huge range.
.

 

[Trakker]

There would be no point though Trakker. Using an electric motor to drive the bike as well charge a battery would lose energy, since no energy conversion is 100% efficient or more. The motor would be using much more from the battery than it was putting back in.
.

Hmmm that's stuffed that idea then,told you I didn't know much about these things,infact most of the stuff on here goes way over my head

Thought it may be useful for getting greater distances ,is there nothing else you could do,other than taking a spare battery or using a petrol motor?

 

[stokepa31]

Buy a motorbike!

 

[Trakker]

Buy a motorbike!

Cheers fella,I've never thought of that!

 

[flecc]

is there nothing else you could do,other than taking a spare battery or using a petrol motor?

Spare batteries have proved to be the most efficient way of getting longer range, especially now that newer battery types are lighter.

Some bikes can already achieve 50 miles on a single battery, and with a second battery weighing only 2.2 kilos, 100 miles is possible.

Since they average about 12 mph, that's over 8 hours cycling, and few would want to cycle more than that in a day.
.

 

[Trakker]

Spare batteries have proved to be the most efficient way of getting longer range, especially now that newer battery types are lighter.

Some bikes can already achieve 50 miles on a single battery, and with a second battery weighing only 2.2 kilos, 100 miles is possible.

Since they average about 12 mph, that's over 8 hours cycling, and few would want to cycle more than that in a day.
.

I'm looking to do a trip of about 65 miles in all,which battery would you recommend flecc?


Regards
Darren

 

[stokepa31]

Darren

You would need a second battery or have to turn of the motor for prolonged periods if you want to get away with one. The new panasonics seem to be the only batteries capable of the longer ranges currently.

Paul

 

[flecc]

I'm looking to do a trip of about 65 miles in all,which battery would you recommend flecc?


Regards
Darren

What bike have you got Darren?
.

 

[Trakker]

What bike have you got Darren?
.

I don't currently have an ebike flecc,but I'm getting the Alien motor Kit from Ebay to fit to my current hybrid bike.

 

[flecc]

I don't currently have an ebike flecc,but I'm getting the Alien motor Kit from Ebay to fit to my current hybrid bike.

It's standard 24 volt Li-ion battery is about as good as you'll get for range, none with larger capacity than 10Ah made so far in 24 volt size.

Hub motors like this aren't especially good with range, you might expect about 20 to 30 miles on a battery, but much depends on how much pedal effort you put in and how heavy you are on the throttle.

I doubt you'd get 65 miles with two batteries, unless you were content to cycle at a leisurely pace, sometimes without power when the going was easy.
.