E-MOTORCYCLE RANGE ANXIETY: HOW CAN IT BE IMPROVED?

Learn what’s being done so far to improve electric motorcycle range anxiety, to help e-motorbikes be viewed as a more viable, sustainable transportation option.

In recent years, more and more motorbike enthusiasts are considering making the switch to e-motorbikes. In comparison to their ICE counterparts, they are more environmentally friendly because they are powered by electricity and have fewer components which makes them easier and cheaper to maintain. However a common painpoint for potential e-motorbike riders is range – the distance an e-motorbike can go on a single charge without running out of battery power. Minister Law asked 850 motorbike riders about using electric motorbikes, and 60% said limited distance is a key barrier to taking up this mode of transport. 

The e-motorbike industry and governments are working on enabling these electric vehicles to go further so that more people can feel confident in using this sustainable form of travel in their lifestyle. In this blog we will look at electric motorbike range anxiety and how it is being addressed in our current climate.

Motorcycles and range capabilities 

Greater range gives riders more flexibility & longevity in their riding plans, allowing them to travel further, with less time required for topping up their vehicle. Many motorcycle riders want to go for long rides and/or venture to remote locations, and do not want to be limited by worrying about their electric motorbike running out of battery.

The range of these electric rides varies very much based on the scenario that they are designed for (e.g. off-road, commuter, touring or other scenarios). For example, touring e-motorbikes are specifically designed for longer trips and are equipped with range-enhancing features to maintain their high performance for longer, whereas range isn’t as important for commuter bikes as its riders don’t need hundreds of kilometres for shorter rides around the city.

T&D’s Fire drive system is for touring electric motorbikes that are built to handle as much range as possible while sustaining supreme performance:  Fire HU06 has a recharge range of 200km and is set to be rolled out in May 2024.

Battery charging infrastructure

As electric travel has only become more popular in recent years, regional governments and transport planners haven’t had a great deal of time to strategize and implement EV charging networks, unlike conventional motorcycle support infrastructure (i.e gas stations), which has been around for decades. 

However, as society looks to facilitate sustainable mobility increasingly to reach climate change targets, there have been recent promising developments to support more EV charging infrastructure, such as the EU committing to have fast EV charging points every 60km on motorways part of the main trans-European transport network (TEN-T) by 2025.

The fast-charging part of this initiative is also a great step in the right direction to promote electric travel that’s more flexible. Many owners charge their vehicles overnight, but during the day between trips or on a longer journey, they can’t wait for that long to top up their ride. 

Latest research has shown that 90% of Europe’s EV charging network is Level 2 or Mennekes-Type 2 plug type which takes 1-4 hours to charge. There is also a Level 3 type that takes up to an hour to charge, which makes up the remaining 10% of this network. 

Good changes have been made, but more needs to be done on a larger scale to make e-motorcycle fast-charging stations more accessible to help alleviate range anxiety concerns on a global scale. 
 

Motorcycle design characteristics that improve e-motorbike range capabilities 

Components

Riders can look out for well-designed e-motorcycle components to help them go as far as possible. Manufacturers design e-motorbikes with features such as larger batteries that unlock more capacity for power touring motorcycles to travel for longer periods of time. It’s important to consider other aspects than battery alone, however. The way other components interact with the battery will have an effect on its performance and the amount of energy used – which in turn will affect the range.

Also important is the bike’s battery management system (BMS), which in T&D systems will protect against overcharge, over-discharge, overcurrent, overvoltage, overtemperature and short circuit, helping to keep the battery running at optimum energy efficiency. 

T&D systems include a DC-to-DC converter, which regulates the voltage to various components on the bike (including the battery), ensuring that each component receives a suitable level of power. 

T&D systems also include EV-level MTPA (maximum torque per ampere) controller technology. Among many benefits for the bike and riding experience, this tech helps to protect the battery by avoiding the peak currents associated with brushless control. This tech is typically used in electric cars, but is not used in other electric motorcycles. It enables a greater efficiency of power output in the same physical size of motor. 

E-motorcycle overall characteristics & system

It’s not just down to specific components but also overall characteristics such as the vehicle and load weight to help determine how far an electric motorbike can go. Heavier bikes and/or extra passengers will require more energy to accelerate and maintain speed, which will have an impact on range. 

Electric motorcycles also need to have an aerodynamic design to maximize vehicle energy usage effectively for as long as possible. This would also help to decrease noise levels and improve performance.

T&D ensures its Storm, Forest, Fire, and Mountain systems  are as lightweight as possible to boost electric motorbikes to perform at their most optimum capability.  

It’s also advisable to check e-motorcycle products for system efficiency. Components that have higher efficiency ratings will use up less energy over distance when compared to systems with lower efficiency ratings, as they are able to covert more energy efficiently into usable power.  The greater efficiency an electric motorcycle system has, the more it can use its characteristics to travel further. 

T&D’s Storm FE01 system for off-road adventures has a system efficiency of 90%, reaching 50km/h in just 2.8 seconds. And the Mountain complete powertrain includes a motor with a  PTC high-precision temperature sensor that ensures energy-efficient conversion for entertainment riding scenarios.   

Conclusion

It’s evident that good progress has been made to improve range anxiety concerns but more needs to be done to alleviate them, whenever and wherever. There need to be more quick EV battery charging stations on a global level for all types of e-motorbikes to reassure riders they are getting the most convenient, versatile and sustainable transport option for their lifestyle. 
At T&D we’re proud to have innovated state-of-the-art systems that boost and sustain outstanding electric motorbike performance for as long as possible. We’ve also recently received a CNAS accreditation that demonstrates the strict compliance to international standards of our product development for different rider scenarios globally. Our team looks forward to answering questions about our offering on our inquiry page.