Vol.

16(1)/53-57, January-June 2020

ISSN (Print) : 0973-0338
Central Power Research Institute DOI : 10.33686/pwj.v16i1.146321 Power Research

Electric Bike-Advantages and Challenges: A Review

Yogesh B. Mandake* and D. S. Bankar
Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) College of Engineering, Pune, Maharashtra – 411043,
India; [email protected], [email protected]

Abstract
In daily life travelling becomes vital for human being. Time taken for travelling should be less; it should be economical and
easily available. The growing use of travelling vehicles has increased the problem of air pollution, global warming issue and
increased use of petroleum1. The human awareness for energetic and environmental problems is encouraging the research
in alternative solutions for the automotive field, as multiple fuelling, hybridization and electrification. Electric bike can be
considered good alternative for both personal and good transportation especially for small and medium distances. Electric
bike is normally powered by rechargeable battery and their practical performance is influenced by motor power, battery
capacity, road type, operation weight, control etc. Electric bike can be classified into two main categories: First one is pure
electric bike which integrates electric motor into bicycle frame or wheels and driven by motor force just using a handle
bear throttle. Second one is human-electric hybrid bicycle that supports the rider with electric power only when the rider
is pedalling. This paper focus on concept of electric vehicle, major constructional parts, manufacturing companies, market
survey, advantages, problems, government initiatives in India, future scope etc.
Keyword: Advantages, Challenges, Electricbike, Electricvehicle, Motor

1. Introduction
The electric bike is nothing but the bike which is driven
with the help of battery which is coupled to electric motor.
Portable Electric Bike (PEB) was first developed in 1890’s
in US and also documented in various US patents. On
31st Dec 1895 Ogden Bolton designed a battery powered
cycle. Six pole brush and and Commuter DC hub motor
connected to the rear wheel used to design cycle. He was
also granted US Patent. Couple of years later, Hosea W.
Libbey invented electric bike driven by double electric
motor. This motors design was such that it was attached
with the crank setaxle. Later in 1990’s torque sensors and
power controls were developed carrying modifications in
bike version with NiMH, NiCd and/or Li-ion batteries. Figure 1. Electric bike.
But this bike faced decrease in production when petrol
and diesel resources came in existence2 Initially e-bike 2. Major Components of E-Bike
manufacturers failed because of supplying motors of
less than 250 watts which found to weak and to slow
for consumers. Also these motors were brushed motors
2.1 Electric Motor
which further reduces the efficiency of motor by 20-25%3. Electric motor is used to drive the bike. Presently the
Now trend is again going to change and electric vehicle is trend is to supply larger powered brushless motor of
in demand to solve major problems related to pollution, larger wattage which can keep an e-bike travelling with
economy and fuels availability. higher speed and easily go up high skills3. Induction

*Author for correspondence

© Power Research
Electric Bike-Advantages and Challenges: A Review

motor, Switched reluctance motor, Brushed DC motor Table 2. 

Specifications of battery as an example are
and BLDC motors are preferred for electric bikes. given below5
Induction motor drives are best suited because of their Parameter Value
low cost, high speed, high reliability, low torque ripple/ Type Li-ion
noise, established converter/manufacturing technology
Number three Batteries
and absence of position sensors4.
Voltage 12 V
BLDC motor is preferred because of no maintenance,
Expected cycle life 2000 times
high efficiency, low noise, high starting torque, high
no-load speed and also because of the absence of brushes Max. Continuous
15A
Discharge current
we don’t find sparking in BLDC motor which increases
the life of motor5, 6. Hub motors are preferred for light Max charge voltage 14.6 V
weight electric vehicle. It is the compact electric motor Connection Series
placed inside the wheel and is directly connected to the Amp-Hour Rating 20 Ah
rotating wheel. It generates high torque at low rpm7. Discharge cut off voltage
Table 1.  C omparison between different types of
motor is given below7 The specification of BLDC motor as an example are
given below:
Type of
Advantages Limitations
motor
Higher cost of
controller than
that of DC motor,
Simple construction, Presence of
Low Maintenance, High breakdown limits its
Induction
reliability, Low cost, extended constant
Motor
Ability of operating in power operation,
hostile environment Less efficiency than
Permanent magnet
and Switched
Reluctance Motor
Simple control, Simple
Figure 2. BLDC motor.
and rugged construction,
Switched Fault tolerant operation, Suffer from Torque BLDC Motor specifications:
Reluctance Higher starting torque, ripple, Acoustic Power rating: 500W
Motor can operate with an noise is present
Rated voltage: 36V
extremely long-distance
power range
Weight: 5kg
Efficiency (%):80
Low efficiency,
Bulky construction, Torque: 12 N-m
High initial torque, Easy Speed (rpm):3005
Brushed High maintenance
to control and suitable to
DC Motor cost, Low reliability,
propel the vehicle
Heavy and 2.2 Battery
expensive
High initial cost,
Battery is the heart of electric bike. It supplies the energy
High efficiency and power High magnet to motor. Battery acts as a condenser by storing the electric
density, Longer life, cost, Suffer from energy produced by generator due to electrochemical
Brushless Higher starting torque, field weakening transformation and supplying it on demand. It is also
DC Motor High power to volume capability, Poor high known as accumulator of electric charge. This generally
ratio, No load speed is speed capability,
occurs while starting the system. Lead-acid, Nickel-
high, Small energy loss. Mechanical strength
of magnet is difficult
Cadmium. Nickel-Metal Hydride and Lithium-ion
batteries are currently used for electric bike6. Battery
should deliver high energy during its discharging period.

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oY gesh B. Mandake and D. S. Bankar

Batteries used for electric bike should have following long lasting and better way of transmitting rotary motion
properties: from one gear to another2

• Higher cell voltage.

• High specific energy.
• Higher specific power (kW/kg).
• Higher Specific energy (Wh/kg).
• Low self-discharge.
• Longer life-cycle.

2.3 Frame
Frame skeleton of the E-bike which acts as back bone of
the bike and it is designed in such way that it can sustain
the weight of driver, weight of load to be conveyed and also Figure 3. Chain links.
capable to hold the accessories like motor. It is designed
in such way that it should bear and overcome the stresses 2.6 Braking System
which may arise due to different driving and braking It is convenient to use braking system which consists of
torques and impact loading across the obstacles. Support spring loaded friction-shoe mechanism, which is driven
plates are holded by drilling and tapping. Mild Steel (M.S.) with the help of hand lever.
along with some additional light weight components are
used to build the frame2. Frame of e-bike should be light 2.7 Sprockets
in weight and it must accommodate battery pack6.
Chain engaging with sprocket converts rotational power
Table 3. Following table gives the idea about in to rotary power and vice versa. The sprocket looks like
specifications of frame6. a gear but differs in three different ways:
Sl.No. Specifications Dimensions (mm)
• Gear have only one or two engaging teeth but sprockets
1 Overall length 1400
have many
2 Seat width 250
• Teeth of gear touch and slip against each-other but
3 Seat height from ground 500 there is no slippage in case of sprocket.
4 Wheel base 1210 • Gears and Sprockets are having different shapes of
Overall height from teeth’s2
5 525
ground

2.4 Platform
The platform with robust base is designed so that it can
hold the load along with the weight of driving person.
Platform alignment is kept horizontal irrespective
whether it is loaded or unloaded. This is directly bolted
and welded to the frame2.
Figure 4. Various types of sprockets.

2.5 Chain Drive

2.8 Controller and Throttle
Chain drive is used to transmit rotary motion from one
gear to another. Chain is nothing but an array of links Controller and throttle allow the driver to drive the
held together with each-other with the help of steel pins. motor linearly from zero speed to high speed. Throttle
This arrangement helps to make chain more enduring, which is attached to your right handle on the handle

Vol 16(1) | January-June 2020 www.cprijournal.in 55

Electric Bike-Advantages and Challenges: A Review

bar and it is connected to the controller. Controller is

nothing but variable speed drive that converts constant
DC voltage from battery to an alternating voltage
with variable amplitude and frequency that will drive
the motor at different speeds. It is mainly consisting
of Power Electronic MOSFET transistors and a small
microprocessor. Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors
(IGBTs) are the most suited power semiconductor devices
for AC drive converters at present stage5. Controller
monitors the amount of voltage required by motor and Figure 5. Wiring diagram of E-Bike.
also supply to head light is given through it6.
3. Current Market Scenarios in
2.9 Voltage Regulator India
There are three power levels for e-bike system as follow:
In India government planning to use only electric
• 5V for supply to microcontroller and other devices vehicles only for all transportation by end of year 2030.
• 48V capable to drive the MOSFET directly Government of promoting the mass adoption of electric
• 15V for supply of MOSFET driver IC’s in power bridge. vehicles through the FAME (Faster Adoption and
Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles scheme).
Power levels are oriented from battery of 48V rating. Electric scooters are provided with incentive ranging
from Rs 1700 to Rs 39000.
Table 4. 
C omparison between conventional fuel bike
and electric bike7. Some of the electric bike manufacturing companies in
India are provided below:
Sr.No. Conventional fuel bike Electric bike
• Tork (Tork T6X)
Conventional fuel is used DC Battery is used • TVS (TVS Creon)
1 • 22 Motors (22 Flow)
for operation for operation
• Menza Motors (MenzaLucat)
2
Average High Speed (40-80 Less average speed • UM (UM Renegade Thor)
kmph (20-40 kmph) • Emflux Motors (Emflux 1)
• Tejasgreen Automotive Pvt Ltd
High cost of purchase and Low cost of purchase
3 • Jitendra New Ev-Tech Pvt Ltd
maintenance and maintenance
• Mirakle 5 Automobiles Pvt Ltd,Pune
4 Licenses required Licenses not required • Nibe Motors Pvt Ltd
• Benling India Energy and Technology Pvt Ltd
No taxes need to be • Victory Electric International
5 Taxes need to be paid
paid • Evauto
• Hero Electric (Optima e5)
Environment • Honda (Honda PCX)
6 Pollutes environment
friendly

7 Low efficiency High efficiency

4. Advantages of e-bike
Fuel capacity (300-600 Battery capacity (50-
8
kms) 70 kms)
• Good efficiency: BLDC motors in e-bikes are above
90% efficient than IC engines which are nearby 40%
efficient8.

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oY gesh B. Mandake and D. S. Bankar

• Eco-friendly: Electric bikes are eco-friendly if the 7. Conclusion

required power to charge the batteries is derived from
non-conventional sources8 Electric vehicles are one of the important solutions
• Cheaper: Running cost of e-bike is less as compared to for major problems like air pollution, global warming
conventional bikes8. and increased use of fuels. Government need to take
• Quiet journey: E-bikes are noiseless of all transporta- initiative for mass production of electric vehicles. Electric
tion8 bike production was started by many manufacturing
companies but there is a need for more research work in
this field to improve the performance of electric bikes.

5. Challenges in e-bike
8. References
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