Some things in the universe are constant. Gravity, the slow march of time, and the same three questions that every new electric bike owner will get from friends, family, and strangers. Those questions are always “How fast is it?,” “Does it pedal when you charge it?,” and the most difficult of all to answer, “How far does it go?”
The range that any e-bike gets is a tricky question to answer because it depends on how the e-bike is used. Two e-bikes with the same size batteries could get very different ranges depending on whether the rider is pegging the throttle or taking a chill ride on low-power pedal assist.
It’s like how if I gave you a food allowance of $100 and asked how long you could survive, the answer would be different depending on if you ate at Red Lobster or sustained yourself on ramen and tap water.
In the same way that it’s better to judge that question by your food budget and not how you spend it, it’s easier to compare long-range e-bikes based on their battery capacity (measured in watt hours or Wh) than by the manufacturer’s stated maximum range.
So with that in mind, let’s take a look at the longest-range electric bicycles on the market today, judged not just on their stated maximum ranges, but also on their battery sizes.
FUELL Flluid 2
Motorcycle legend Erik Buell’s electric bicycle brand FUELL just launched two new electric bikes, with one of them being referred to by the company as the “World’s longest range electric bike.”
The Flluid-2 is described as an “ultra-long-range powerhouse” with its two removable battery packs totaling 2 kWh of capacity. That doubles the battery capacity of the first-generation FUELL Flluid-1 and enables an impressive range of up to 225 mi (362 km) on a single charge.
The company also released an easier-to-mount step-through option known as the Flluid-3. That bike offers a single 1 kWh battery that should be enough for anyone that can live with a still-impressive 110 mi (177 km) range. But for those seeking serious range, it’s the Flluid-2’s dual 1 kWh batteries that are worth taking a second look at.
Both models offer throttle-enabled 750 W continuous-rated Valeo mid-drive motors, though the throttle is limited to just 6 km/h or 3.7 mph in Europe for regulatory compliance. The motor will also carry a 250 W rating in Europe, though both the EU and US versions are listed at 130 Nm of torque, making the motor one of the strongest mid-drives available on retail e-bikes.
Optibike R22 Everest
Colorado-based Optibike is one of the oldest electric bicycle companies in the United States, and so they know a thing or two about building high-performance e-bikes. But the company’s Optibike R22 Everest seems to step it up several notches with an e-bike that supposedly can climb Mount Everest on a single charge thanks to its massive battery pack.
Just how much battery does an R22 pack into its carbon fiber frame? There’s an impressive 3,260 Wh of lithium-ion cells stuffed into the bike. The battery is designed in two packs that are removable from either side of the frame.
To put that in comparison, 3.26 kWh of battery is more than 6x the capacity of a common low-cost electric bicycle in the US.
Of course, the $18,900 R22 Everest also costs around 27x the price of that $799 low cost e-bike, so I’m not sure these things track linearly. But if your goal is to climb up Mount Everest on an e-bike, price probably isn’t your first concern. If it were me, riding across those ladders might be higher on my “big worries” list.
Watt Wagons HOUND
Watt Wagons, a US-based manufacturer of high-power and high-end electric bicycles, has a new model designed for serious off-roaders and adventurers. In fact, the Watt Wagon HOUND has several keys specs that sound almost foreign in the electric bicycle industry, such as a 200-mile range and built-in chargers compatible with electric car charging stations.
The Watt Wagon HOUND is actually available in two models, the base model and the “Supercharged” model. It’s the Supercharged model that you’ll want for the extra-long range.
While the base level HOUND has a respectable 52V 17Ah battery with 884 Wh of capacity for a real-world throttle range of 30 miles (51 km) and a pedal assist range of 80 miles (130 km), according to the company, the Supercharged model more than triples the battery capacity.
The massive battery on the higher-spec model is a gargantuan 52V 60Ah pack with 3,210 Wh of capacity. The company claims you’ll get 100 solid miles (160 km) on throttle-only riding or 200 miles (320 km) on pedal assist.
And not only do you get a massive battery, but you also get both a 52V 5A fast charger and an EV charger with a J1772 connector, giving you multiple options for quickly recharging that big battery. Not too shabby!
EUNORAU Flash
Some companies like Watt Wagons above use a single massive battery to create long-range e-bikes. Other companies simply slap on more and more individual batteries to reach higher total capacities. The EUNORAU Flash offers up to three batteries for riders that want the ultimate in long-range possibilities.
With its three large batteries, EUNORAU claims that this electric bike can have you cruising for up to 220 miles (354 km) on a single charge.
Fully maxed out, that means riders can have up to 2,808 Wh of total battery capacity across the three packs.
They leave the bike looking a bit overladen, but it’s an effective way to increase the bike’s range!
Juiced HyperScrambler 2
The Juiced HyperScrambler 2 is on its way to being sunsetted after a trademark dispute, but it is expected to be replaced by a similarly specced bike under a new name. And if the specs remain the same, that means it will come with the same pair of 52V 19.2Ah batteries for close to 2,000 Wh of total capacity.
The bike has a number of other impressive specs, too. It features a 1,000W Retroblade motor with a peak power output of 2,000W and a maximum speed (in unlocked mode) of a published “30+ mph.” The true top speed has been shown by numerous riders to actually reach closer to 35 mph (56 km/h).
The HyperScrambler 2’s pair of high-capacity batteries are still one of its biggest claims to fame, ensuring that the power-hungry motor and controller can go the distance. In fact, that distance is listed as 100 miles (160 kilometers) of range per charge.
Even just one of the 52V 19.2Ah batteries on the HyperScrambler 2 offers more capacity than most other e-bikes, coming in at 998 Wh per battery. But the pair of them pushing close to 2,000 Wh is one of the highest-capacity battery load outs we’ve ever seen on a moped-style electric bike.
Electric Bike Company Model J
The Newport Beach, California-based Electric Bike Company recently launched its newest e-bike, the Model J. Not only did the launch reveal some impressive specs and massive battery capacity, but the introductory pricing bordered on unbelievable.
The Model J rolled out with an MSRP of $1,499 and an even more impressive pre-order price of just $1,199, though with a five- to six-week wait for delivery. Even without the promotion, $1,499 is a very fair price. But at $1,199, that makes this bike a steal.
That’s especially true when you consider how customizable the bike is, offering dozens of custom paint colors and thousands of color combinations, not to mention the three 48V batteries options to choose from: 14Ah (672Wh), 28Ah (1,344Wh), and 42Ah (2,016Wh). Those three batteries options offer maximum ranges on pedal assist of 65 miles (104 km), 130 miles (208 km), and 195 miles (314 km). All of the batteries even come with a five-year warranty, which is one of the longest battery warranties we’ve ever seen in the e-bike industry.
We’re excited to test a Model J soon and see if the awesome design and specs look and feel as good in real life as they appear on paper.
More long-range e-bikes on the horizon?
These are some of the longest-range electric bikes we’ve seen anywhere, but that doesn’t mean that e-bike companies have stopped innovating.
We fully expect to see even longer-range models with even higher capacity cropping up in the coming months and years.
How far can the industry go? If these models are any indication, the sky is the limit!
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