How Big Battery Do I Need

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Remember those big and bulky 12v lead acid batteries that were used for electric scooter/bike. Long gone are the days where those batteries were the mainstream of power for electronic device. Sure, you will still be able to find devices that used this type of 12v lead acid battery cells. But as our technology advances, these types of battery cells are slowly withering away.

Today we are here to help you narrow what type of battery you should choose and why.

Knowing what type of rechargeable batteries is in the market.

Mainly 3 types for electric device.

Lead Acid Battery

Lead Acid battery
Lead Acid Battery

Lead Acid: A typical lead–acid battery contains a mixture with varying concentrations of water and acid. Sulfuric acid has a higher density than water, which causes the acid formed at the plates during charging to flow downward and collect at the bottom of the battery.

(Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead%E2%80%93acid_battery)

These types of battery are inexpensive but the drawbacks are that they are pretty heavy. We typically stay away from this type of cells as adding additional weight to electric mobility device will increase the gross weight of the PAB/PMD (Unladen weight of electric scooter/bikes >20kg)

Lithium Polymer Battery

Lithium Polymer Battery

Lithium Polymer: This is rechargeable battery of lithium-ion technology using a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte.

(Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_polymer_battery)

This type of battery usually has a soft, bendable foil type case. The advantage of this is that they can be molded into any desired shape. They are lightweight and can have a relatively high discharge rate.

They are however prone to problems such as “bloating”.  Any punctured to its soft casing may lead to rapid combustion due to chemical reaction in the battery.

They are reliable but we recommend using it with care as with all battery.

Lithion Ion Battery

Lithion Ion Battery
Lithion Ion Battery

Lithion Ion: Now these are the ones that we recommend. The ones that are most commonly used are the ones that come in a cylindrical form (commonly known as 18650 cell). They have the longest shelf life, relatively affordable and they come in a decent battery capacity.

They are arguably safer compared to lithium polymer cells and they can hold a higher charge for a longer period of time.

 

Verdict: In terms of reliability and cost goes, we recommend lithium ion batteries over the other 2. As long as you do not overcharge, short circuit or mishandle the lithium ion battery, they remain relatively safe to use.

How much capacity do I need?

We recommend choosing the biggest battery available for the model.

Why?

Choosing the biggest battery available has its benefit. Such as you are able to use the electric mobility device multiple times before it needs a recharge, battery near full charged are able to perform better compared to when the battery is low and lastly with a bigger battery, you won’t need to worry about your device not having enough juice.

Make sure to look out for those units that have an easy detachable battery option. If the device has only one battery capacity, you can always buy a spare battery and swap it out when either one is flat.

It’s too cumbersome to keep having to recharge your battery every day. Having a small battery that will barely last you long enough for a two-way trip will only be a bad investment as you will need to worry about finding a charging station if you need to travel that extra 1-2 kilometers more. Sure it does have a small drawback, carrying a bigger capacity will add additional weight and you will be wasting energy to move both your device and your own body weight, but it outstrips the benefit as you can travel for multiple days before you need to charged it up again.

It will be different for everyone but a good range to start will be those that can travel 60km and above.

The scorpion features a powerful 250w brushless motor powered by a 36v 5.2ah lithium rechargeable battery. On a single charge, the electric bicycle can travel range of up to 60km. The electric bicycle can hit speed of up to 25km/hr. It comes with front and rear disc brakes and it is foldable for storage. The Scorpion is truly a great way to get around Singapore.

The Scorpion battery pack is design in such a way that it can be easily removed. When removed, the battery can be charged separately. You may buy an extra additional battery if you wish to travel twice the distance. The battery pack is small, compact and light-weight and it is easy to carry around. The Scorpion’s frame material is made out of magnesium alloy; this is much lighter than aluminum alloy. Inspired by a running cheetah, this unique streamlined design helps break wind and allows you to ride with ease. The dynamic folding structure makes loading the electric bicycle a breeze.

  • 36v 5.2ah rechargeable lithium-ion battery (detachable)
  • 36v 250w geared motor
  • Top speed of 25km/hr
  • 16” large tires
  • Can travel 60km on a single charge
  • Can hold up to 120kg load.
  • Rear suspension
  • EN15194 Approved. (Pending LTA)

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