36v vs 48v Ebike: What Is the Difference Between the Two

The options that have been asked about a million times: the 36v vs 48v e-bike discussion. Should you go for the first or second one? To decide which electric bike is the best option for you, you should first find out about the benefits that these types of transport have to offer.

Let’s start with health benefits. These bicycles remove most barriers to cycling. They make it easier to overcome challenges like hills and wind, and they enable a healthy lifestyle. As cycling is the most energy-efficient type of transportation, and it is also a great way to get in shape. Experts say that electric bicycles increase people’s power output by a multiple of 5! This also means that it’s an opportunity to cross longer distances to reach destinations faster.

Specialists claim that riding bikes leads to lower stress levels and lower probabilities of depressions, which are useful in our fast-paced world. You won’t have to wait for hours in traffic just to be stuck in even more traffic. This personal transport is always at your disposal, ready to take you wherever you want—though some physical effort is needed.

Most electric vehicles are eco-friendly. Did you know that an automobile releases a couple of tonnes of CO2 on average annually? Bicycles, on the other hand, are six times more energy-efficient than railway trains or cars. Additionally, bikes do not harm roads the way cars do, and the rechargeable batteries allow you to save significant amounts of money.

Now that the benefits are revealed, you may still be wondering about the 36v vs 48v e-bikes. We hope that this article will help you choose your new steel friend!

What Makes a 48V Battery More Useful?

We should start with the 48V battery. The higher its voltage, the lower the critical current draw for a specified output of power. With a 48V battery, one will draw 10 amp hours. If you start from a standstill or climbing, an electric bicycle of this type will draw roughly a 1kW peak from the power. As for the 36v 48v war, the 48v battery provides up to 40 amp hours (AH), while the 36v batteries can guarantee a bit more than 15 amps.

That said, the 36V battery bicycle requires 1/3 more current for the same amount of power. It means that riders will have to put more strain on their cells in this case.

The less power obtained, the less strain you will put on the electric bike battery and the wiring, and the batteries will be less hot. It makes them run more efficiently as the system voltage goes up. It is possible to use the same or thinner wires for better efficiency. If you get lost in these terms or are new to the e-bike 36v vs 48v debate, we’ll make it simple for you: there is more power in the power assist system from the second case – the 48V battery wins this turn.

The Main Cons of a Bike with a 48V Battery

Where there are pros, there are cons. Looking at the weights of the 36 volt vs 48 volt battery, the 48v type is bigger and heavier because of the larger amount of cells included. What does it mean? Consumers will pay more for electric bicycles of the 48V kind, as these electric bike batteries tend to be bigger and have more cells.

The majority of controllers – that have electronic components at around 63 volt – are okay to use with 48v. There is one condition to keep in mind – in regards to the disadvantages of picking up a 48v system, make sure to check whether or not the battery is protected from deep discharge before purchasing it.

If you would like to upgrade from a 36 volt to get more watt hours (wh), you should purchase both new electronics and a new motor. The lithium battery pack will cost more as well. Therefore, another disadvantage of switching to a 48-volt solution is its cost—the cost is slightly higher for a 48v geared motor than for a 36v geared motor.

Feel the difference when comparing the prices! Here is a hint: you will be better off to sell your current 36-volt bicycle and to purchase a brand new 48-volt transport, rather than upgrading your existing vehicle(s).

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Conclusions

In the debate about the “36v vs 48v e-bikes,” the 48v option provides riders with 33% extra of everything. You can reserve the extra voltage to obtain more range. It is also possible to use the additional torque and speed, but with less range. In case the cadence is sufficiently rapid and can be maintained, you’ll discover 33% more mph when you keep the gearing the same.

We recommend selecting a bike based on these factors:

• Time required for a full charge
• Which one requires higher voltage
• Rear hub
• Pedal assist
• Pricing
• Guarantees
• Drive test results
• Manufacturer (Ancheer, Ride1Up, Ecotric, SwagCycle, Kemanner, Merax, Nakto – some of the top-preferred brands)
• Which one allows you to go faster

Laws and regulations (e.g., they only allow a 250 watt electric motor in most countries in the European Union)

You can buy a 36v 10ah battery by entering keywords like “36v 10ah 360wh”, or a 48v 20ah battery by typing something like “48v 10ah 480wh”, in Google’s search field. Your pick is up to your preferences, what matter is that you should make sure to get one with a printable version of the instructions—that way you can follow them to take care of your purchase the way experts recommend. Oh, and one more thing – enjoy your ride on your high power electric bike!