Ebike terms
When you first investigate ebikes there is a lot of buzz words, sometime different for each supplier, which are used to describe or specify parts on the ebikes.
This little "glossary" will help you understand in simple terms what they mean and what key things you are looking for when pricing up your purchase, against what you need it to do.
Ebike Terms and Jargon
Ebike Battery
The battery is normally the most expensive component of an electric bike. It’s the part that supplies electrical energy to the motor system. This is the fuel tank and will need topping up by charging at home (or work) from time to time. In very basic terms, bigger batteries = bigger fuel tanks = more range. The following terms are associated with batteries.
Lithium-ion (Li-on) batteries
Most Ebikes use lithium-ion batteries which is the go to battery type for most modern products as they are lightweight for the capacity of electricity they store. You won't have to look far to find a lithium battery in your home they can be found in a range of electrical devices, including smartphones, laptops and even electric cars!
Range
Range is the distance an Ebike can travel with the motor engaged and working in assisting the rider, on a single charge. The total distance of a ride is always going to be greater because there will be times when motor assistance isn’t required like riding downhill. However the theoretical maximum range of an electric bike will be affected by a number of factors. These include the capacity of the battery, weight of bike and rider, the terrain, the assistance levels used (the level of assistance can often be raised and lowered), tyre pressure, tyre tread, air temperature and even wind direction.
Watts
Watts are the energy capacity of a battery as it more accurately determines the energy that can be stored in one and therefore should be used to compare battery capacities more accurately. Described as Watt-hours (Wh) the components to this and the calculation can be seen below:
Volts (V)
A volt is the standard unit of electromotive force to describe the difference in charge between two points. It’s what moves electrical charge from one point to another. For Ebike terms a higher voltage electric bike typically goes faster. In this store batteries are generally specified as 36V or 48V. A higher voltage battery will draw more current which means you can go faster with a 48V bike.
Amps (A) & Ampere-hours (Ah)
Amps are the standard unit of measurement for current, which is the rate of flow of electrical charge. The higher the amps the faster the flow of electrical charge. In this store we have a variety of amp levels ranging from 7Ah to around 27Ah. Ampere-hours is a unit of measure that describes the rate of the flow of current over time.
The pedal assist means pressing hard on the pedals on an Ebike will mean more amps are drawn from the battery to make the motor work harder and match your input.
Watt-hours (Wh)
This is the energy capacity of a battery as it more accurately determines the energy that can be stored in one and therefore should be used to compare battery sizes or capacities.
Wh = V x Ah
Watt-hour (Wh) is the Voltage (V) multiplied by the Ampere-hour (Ah). This can also determine how far you might go on a full charge.
Example: A 48V, 8Ah battery has a 384Wh capacity vs a 36V, 10Ah battery which is 360Wh. The lower Ah battery has a bigger capacity.
Ebike motors
The motor is the key component of an ebike. It takes electrical energy as described above from the battery and converts it into mechanical energy or pedal assistance. The following are terms are relevant for explaining ebike motors.
Power
Power is the rate of “doing work” over time. The more power a motor produces, the more energy it converts each second, power is measured in Watts.
Watts (W)
Watts are a unit of measure used to describe the power output of a motor. In the UK legal ebikes are restricted to 250W output.
Torque
Torque is the rotational power of the motor. The higher the torque, the more turning power the motor produces. That is the conversion of power into assisting the rider. If you want to cycle up hills or pull or carry loads then a a higher torque motor will be better at performing. Torque is measured in Newton-metres. A higher Nm value means a higher torque.
Pedelec (or EAPC)
When investigating which ebike to buy you will see the term "Pedelec" or Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC). This is literally a bike with an electric motor but it will not provide assistance unless the rider is pedalling.
In the UK and Europe, Pedelecs are limited to a power output of 250W and a top assisted speed of 15.5mph (25kph). The motor will cut out when the bike exceeds this. The minimum legal age you can ride one in the UK is over 14.
Philodo H8 has a dual motor, great for steep hills and tough off-roading
Ebike frames
Frame styles such as "step through" or "step thru", trapeze or crossbar sound odd, but they are the same styles as a normal bike. For more details go to our explanation.
Fat Tyres
Often spelt as "Tires" due to a lot of manufacturers coming from the far east, a Fat Tyre is an unusual style of tyre but not unique to ebikes.
A fat tyre on an eBike is a tyre that is wide, bulbous, and ranges between 3-5 inches in width. These tyres provide a more stable ride and act as mini suspensions to absorb bumps.
They are nearly twice as thick and 2.5+ inches wide compared to standard-width tyres. Fat tyres offer enhanced stability, versatility, and comfort, making them ideal for various terrains.