How long lasts the battery?
This is definitely the most frequently asked question about our ben-e-bikes.
And it is the most difficult one to answer at all.
Actually the battery range depends on several factors - thus it is almost impossible to make a general statement.
The following key factors influence the battery range:
- Weight of the driver - it makes a huge difference whether 25 kg or 45 kg have to be assisted
- Which assist level is chosen? If your child predominantly uses assist-level 1 then it should be no problem to achieve ranges of 60 to 70 km. But if your kid prefers the assist-levels 3 to 5, you shouldn't wonder when the display on the handlebar signalizes an empty battery already after a 30 - 40 km trip or even less.
- The terrain profile as well is an important factor - the steeper the hills the faster the battery will be drained. Of course this correlates with the chosen assist-level, but e.g. level "3" requires more power going up hills than using it in the plain.
We are no fans of "fantasy figures" - we know that it is usual practice to promote battery ranges of 150 km or even more for adult bikes. So here we like to give you two "extreme" examples from our three-years experience:
- If our chief test driver Ben (age: 8) has a "bad day" and isn't in the right mood for biking, then he will drain the battery within a trip of 25 km with an altitude difference of approx. 800 m (system weight bike + driver: 43 kg)
- On the contrary our alpine expert Emilian (age: 9) hasn't managed to fully discharge the 175 Wh battery during a 60 km trip with an altitude difference of 2,000 m (system weight: 45 kg)!
So the effective range lies somewhere in between these above mentioned extremes.
For those who fear to break down due to an empty battery we recommend the "Twin Power Option". In that case the ben-e-bike will be shipped with a second battery that simply doubles the trip range. And due to its low weight of 970 g and its compact dimensions (200 mm length, 63 mm diameter) it is predestined to be carried in the backpack of the parents :-).
175 Wh battery
250 Wh battery
