An electric bicycle, also known as an e-bike, is a bicycle with an integrated electric motor which can be used for propulsion.
There are a great variety of different types of e-bikes available worldwide,
from e-bikes that only have a small motor to assist the rider's pedal-power
(i.e., pedelecs) to somewhat more
powerful e-bikes which tend closer to moped-style
functionality: all, however, retain the ability to be pedaled by the rider and are therefore not electric motorcycles. E-bikes use
rechargeable batteries and the lighter varieties can travel up to 25 to
32 km/h (16 to 20 mph), depending on the laws of the country in which
they are sold, while the more high-powered varieties can often do in excess of
45 km/h (28 mph). In some markets, such as Germany, they are gaining
in popularity and taking some market share away from conventional bicycles, while
in others, such as China, they are replacing fossil
fuel-powered mopeds and small motorcycles.
Depending on local
laws, many e-bikes (e.g., pedelecs) are legally classified as
bicycles rather than mopeds or motorcycles,
so they are not subject to the more stringent laws regarding their
certification and operation, unlike the more powerful two-wheelers which are
often classed as electric
motorcycles. E-bikes can also be defined separately and treated as a specific
vehicle type in many areas of
legal jurisdiction.
E-bikes are the electric motor-powered versions of motorized bicycles, which have been
around since the late 19th century.
Classes of e-bikes
E-bikes are classed according to the
power that their electric motor can deliver and the control system, i.e., when
and how the power from the motor is applied. Also the classification of e-bikes
is complicated as much of the definition is due to legal reasons of what constitutes a bicycle and what
constitutes a moped or motorcycle. As such, the classification of these e-bikes
varies greatly across countries and local jurisdictions.
Despite these legal
complications, the classification of e-bikes is mainly decided by whether the
e-bike's motor assists the rider using a pedal-assist system or by a power-on-demand one. Definitions of these are as
follows:
· With pedal-assist the
electric motor is regulated by pedaling. The pedal-assist augments the efforts
of the rider when they are pedaling. These e-bikes – called pedelecs – have a sensor to detect the pedaling
speed, the pedaling force, or both. Brake activation is sensed to disable the
motor as well.
· With power-on-demand the
motor is activated by a throttle,
usually handlebar-mounted just like on most motorcycles or scooters.
Therefore, very
broadly, e-bikes can be classed as:
· E-bikes with pedal-assist only: either pedelecs (legally classed as bicycles) or S-Pedelecs (often legally classed as mopeds)
· Pedelecs: have pedal-assist only, motor assists only up to a decent but not excessive speed (usually 25 km/h), motor power up to 250 watts, often legally classed as bicycles
· S-Pedelecs: have pedal-assist only, motor power can be greater than 250 watts, can attain a higher speed (e.g., 45 km/h) before motor stops assisting, legally classed as a moped or motorcycle (not a bicycle)
· E-bikes
with power-on-demand and pedal-assist
· E-bikes
with power-on-demand only: often have more powerful
motors than pedelecs but not always, the more powerful of these are legally
classed as mopeds or motorcycles
E-bikes with
pedal-assist only
E-bikes with
pedal-assist only are usually called pedelecs but can be broadly classified into
pedelecs proper and the more powerful S-Pedelecs.
Pedelecs
The term "pedelec" (from pedal electric cycle) refers to an e-bike where the pedal-assist electric drive system is limited to a
decent but not excessive top speed, and where its motor is relatively
low-powered. Pedelecs are legally classed as bicycles rather than low-powered
motorcycles or mopeds.
The most influential
definition which distinguishes which e-bikes are pedelecs and which are not,
comes from the EU. From the EU
directive (EN15194 standard) for motor vehicles, a bicycle is considered a
pedelec if:
1. the pedal-assist,
i.e. the motorized assistance that only engages when the rider is pedaling,
cuts out once 25 km/h is reached, and
2. the motor produces maximum
continuous rated power of
not more than 250 watts (n.b. the motor can produce more power for short
periods, such as when the rider is struggling to get up a steep hill).
An e-bike
conforming to these conditions is considered to be a pedelec in the EU and is
legally classed as a bicycle. The
EN15194 standard is valid across the whole of the EU and has also been adopted
by some non-EU European nations and also some jurisdictions outside of Europe
(such as the state of Victoria in Australia).
Pedelecs are much
like conventional bicycles in use and function — the electric motor only
provides assistance, most notably when the rider would otherwise struggle
against a headwind or be going uphill. Pedelecs are therefore especially useful
for people living in hilly areas where riding a bike would prove too strenuous
for many to consider taking up cycling as a daily means of transport. They are
also useful when it would be helpful for the riders who more generally need
some assistance, e.g. for elderly people.
S-Pedelecs
More powerful
pedelecs which are not legally classed as bicycles are dubbed S-Pedelecs (short
for Schnell-Pedelecs, i.e. Speedy-Pedelecs) in Germany. These have a
motor more powerful than 250 watts and less limited, or unlimited,
pedal-assist, i.e. the motor does not stop assisting the rider once
25 km/h has been reached. S-Pedelec class e-bikes are therefore usually
classified as mopeds or motorcycles rather than as bicycles
and therefore may (depending on the jurisdiction) need to be registered and
insured, the rider may need some sort of driver's license (either car or
motorcycle) and motorcycle helmets may have to be worn.
E-bikes with
power-on-demand and pedal-assist
Some e-bikes
combine both pedal-assist sensors as well as a throttle. An example of these is
the eZee Torq and
Adventure 24+ by BMEBIKES.
E-bikes with
power-on-demand only
Some e-bikes have
an electric motor that operates on a power-on-demand basis only. In this case, the electric
motor is engaged and operated manually using a throttle, which is usually on
the handgrip just like the ones on a motorbike or scooter. These sorts of
e-bikes often, but not always, have more powerful motors than pedelecs do.
With power-on-demand only e-bikes the rider can:
1.
ride by pedal power alone,
i.e. fully human-powered.
2.
ride by electric motor
alone by operating the throttle manually.
3.
ride using both together
at the same time.
Please note that some power-on-demand only e-bikes can hardly be confused with, let alone categorized as, bicycles. For example, the Noped is a term used by the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario for e-bikes which do not have pedals or in which the pedals have been removed from their motorized bicycle. These are better categorized as electric mopeds or electric motorcycles.
Motors and drivetrains
There are many
possible types of electric motorized bicycles with several technologies
available, varying in cost and complexity; direct-drive and geared motor units are both used. An electric
power-assist system may be added to almost any pedal cycle using chain drive,
belt drive, hub motors or friction drive. BLDC hub
motors are a common modern design with the motor built into the wheel hub
itself and the stator fixed solidly to the axle and the magnets attached to and
rotating with the wheel. The bicycle wheel hub is the motor. The power levels
of motors used are influenced by available legal categories and are often, but
not always limited to fewer than 750 watts.
Another type of
electric assist motor, often referred to as the mid-drive system, is increasing in popularity.
With this system, the electric motor is not built into the wheel but is usually
mounted near (often under) the bottom
bracket shell. In more typical
configurations, a cog or wheel on the motor drives a belt or chain that engages
with a pulley or sprocket fixed to one of the arms of the bicycle's crank set. Thus the propulsion is
provided at the pedals rather than at the wheel, being eventually applied to
the wheel via the bicycle's standard drive train.
Batteries
E-bikes use rechargeable batteries, electric motors and some form of control. Battery
systems in use include sealed lead-acid (SLA), nickel-cadmium (NiCad), nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion polymer (Li-ion), and lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4). Batteries vary according to
the voltage, total charge capacity (amp hours), weight, the number of charging
cycles before performance degrades, and ability to handle over-voltage charging
conditions. The energy costs of operating e-bikes are small, but there can be
considerable battery replacement costs.
Range is a key
consideration with e-bikes, and is affected by factors such as motor
efficiency, battery capacity, efficiency of the driving electronics,
aerodynamics, hills and weight of the bike and rider. Some manufacturers, such as the
Canadian BionX or American E+ (manufactured
by Electric Motion Systems), have the option of using regenerative braking, the motor acts
as a generator to slow the bike down prior to the brake pads engaging. This is useful for extending the range
and the life of brake pads and wheel rims. There are also experiments using fuel cells. e.g. the PHB. Some experiments have also been
undertaken with super capacitors to supplement or replace batteries for
cars and some SUVS. E-bikes developed in Switzerland in the late 1980s for the Tour de Sol solar vehicle race came with solar charging stations but these were later fixed on roofs
and connected so as to feed into the electric mains.
The bicycles were then charged from the mains, as is common today.
Controllers
There are two
distinct types of controllers designed to match either a brushed motor or brushless
motor. Brushless motors are becoming more common as the cost of controllers
continues to decrease. (See the page on DC
motors which covers the
differences between these two types.)
Controllers for brushless motors: E-bikes require
high initial torque and therefore models that use brushless motors typically
have Hall sensor commutation for speed measurement. An electronic controller provides assistance as a function of
the sensor inputs, the vehicle speed and the required force. The controllers
generally provide potentiometer-adjustable motor speed, closed-loop speed
control for precise speed regulation, protection logic for over-voltage,
over-current and thermal protection. The controller uses pulse width modulation to regulate the power to the motor.
Sometimes support is provided for regenerative
braking but infrequent braking
and the low mass of bicycles limits recovered energy. An implementation is
described in an application note for a 200 W, 24 V Brushless DC (BLDC)
motor.
Controllers for brushed motors: Brushed motors are also used in e-bikes but are becoming less common due to their intrinsic lower efficiency. Controllers for brushed motors however are much simpler and cheaper due to the fact they don't require hall sensor feedback and are typically designed to be open-loop controllers. Some controllers can handle multiple voltages.
Design variations
Not all e-bikes take the form of
conventional push-bikes with an incorporated motor, such as the Cytronex bicycles which use a small battery
disguised as a water bottle. Some
are designed to take the appearance of low capacity motorcycles, but smaller in
size and consisting of an electric motor rather than a petrol engine. For
example the Sakura e-bike incorporates a 200 W motor
found on standard e-bikes, but also includes plastic cladding, front and rear
lights, and a speedometer. It is styled as a modern moped, and is often mistaken for one.
An Electric Pusher Trailer is an
e-bike design which incorporates a motor and battery into a trailer that pushes
any bicycle. One such trailer is the two-wheeled Ridekick.
Other, rarer
designs include that of a 'chopper' styled e-bike, which are designed as more
of a 'fun' or 'novelty' e-bike than as a purposeful mobility aid or mode of transport.
Electric cargo bikes allow the rider to carry large, heavy
items which would be difficult to transport without electric power
supplementing the human power input.
Electric trikes
have also been produced that conform to the e-bike legislation. These have the
benefit of additional low speed stability and are often favored by people with
disabilities. Cargo carrying tricycles are also gaining acceptance, with a
small but growing number of couriers using them for package deliveries in city centers. Latest designs of these trikes resemble
a cross-between a pedal cycle and a small van.
Various designs
(including those mentioned above) are designed to fit inside most area laws,
and the ones that contain pedals can be used on roads in the United Kingdom,
among other countries.
Folding e-bikes are also available.
Electric self-balancing unicycles have also been built, although these
do not conform to e-bike legislation in most countries and therefore cannot be
used on the road.
Health benefits
E-bikes can be a useful part of
cardiac rehabilitation programmes, since health professionals will often
recommend a stationary bike be used in the early stages of these.
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation programmes can reduce deaths in people
with coronary heart disease by around 27%; and a patient may feel safer
progressing from stationary bikes to e-bikes. They require less cardiac
exertion for those who have experienced heart problems.
Environmental effects
E-bikes are zero-emissions vehicles, as they emit
no combustion by-products. However, the environmental effects of electricity generation and power
distribution and of manufacturing
and disposing of (limited life) high storage
density batteries must be taken
into account. Even with these issues considered, e-bikes will have
significantly lower environmental impact than conventional automobiles, and are generally seen as
environmentally desirable in an urban environment.
The environmental
effects involved in recharging the batteries can of course be minimized. The
small size of the battery pack on an e-bike, relative to the larger pack used
in an electric car, makes them very good candidates for charging via solar power or other renewable energy resources.
Sanyo capitalized on this benefit when it set up "solar parking
lots," in which e-bike riders can charge their vehicles while parked under photovoltaic panels.
The environmental
credentials of e-bikes and electric / human powered hybrids generally, have led
some municipal authorities to use them, such as Little Rock, Arkansas with their Wavecrest electric power-assisted bicycles or Cloverdale, California police with Zap e-bikes. China’s e-bike manufacturers,
such as Xinri, are now partnering with universities in a bid to improve their
technology in line with international environmental standards, backed by the
Chinese government who is keen to improve the export potential of the Chinese
manufactured e-bikes.
A recent study on
the environment impact of e-bikes vs other forms of transportation found that e-bikes are about:
·
18 times more energy
efficient than an SUV
·
13 times more energy
efficient than a sedan
·
6 times more energy
efficient than rail transit
·
and, of about equal impact
to the environment as a conventional bicycle.
One major concern
is disposal of used lead
batteries, which can cause environmental contamination if not recycled.
Road traffic safety
China's experience, as the leading e-bike world market, has raised concerns about road traffic safety and several cities have considered banning them from bicycle lanes. As the number of e-bikes increased and more powerful motors are used, capable of reaching up to 30 miles per hour (48 km/h), the number of traffic accidents has risen significantly in China. E-bike riders are more likely than a car driver to be killed or injured in a collision, and because e-bikers use conventional bicycle lanes they mix with slower-moving bicycles and pedestrians, increasing the risk of traffic collisions.