Range
The range of a vehicle is the distance it can travel on a single battery charge.
Note that the range usually indicates the value for perfect operating conditions: driving at optimal speed with a small load, flat road, no ups and downs, etc. The actual range may differ from the claimed one, sometimes quite noticeably. In addition, to improve range, manufacturers can deliberately use low-power motors that consume little energy.
Wheel size
tThe diameter of the wheels used in the vehicle. For models with wheels of different sizes, the largest diameter is usually indicated, other data can be specified in the notes.
For electric scooterbikes, the traditional size is a modest 10"; larger sizes are also found — up to
16". Among minibikes, large
18" wheels are more common. Electric motorcycles have small wheels — an average of 12 – 14". Among electric tricycles, a combination of a large front wheel with small rear wheels is often found — for example, 16 "and 4" each, respectively.
The large diameter allows you to roll over the bumps on the road, overcome rather large obstacles and maintain speed longer when coasting; on the other hand, such wheels require more torque from the engine, they accelerate worse and reduce the maximum speed of the unit. Small wheels, on the contrary, accelerate well and also provide good manoeuvrability, but they are intended mainly for flat roads.
Max. climb angle
The maximum incline that the vehicle can overcome.
Most vehicles, even the most inexpensive ones, can cope with angles of 10 – 12 ° without problems. So you should pay special attention to this parameter only if you have to deal with very steep slopes.
It is also worth mentioning that on road signs the angle of elevation is usually indicated not in degrees, but as a percentage. This means that to evaluate the capabilities of a particular unit, it may be necessary to convert degrees to percentages or vice versa. For this, there are special tables and calculators.
Power
The motor power of a vehicle, in horsepower.
In general, the power of electric motors is indicated in watts. However, in electric transport, this designation is also often indicated. This is done for the convenience of comparison with internal combustion engines: for internal combustion engines, especially in vehicles, horsepower is traditionally used, and it is more convenient for some users to evaluate the power of motors by this designation. At the same time, if the need arises, some units are easily converted to others: 1 hp. ≈ 735 W.
For the power value in general, see the relevant paragraph below.
Power
The motor power of a vehicle, in kilowatts. In addition to them, horsepower is also used (for more details, see above).
Let us clarify that in this case, we are talking about
maximum power; the actual power can be adjusted while driving with the help of the accelerator. And in some models, it may even be possible to set a limit on the maximum power.
A more powerful motor allows you to carry more weight, reach higher speeds and/or have more torque. However, the energy consumption from the battery will also be high, and the battery life, with the same battery capacity, will be correspondingly less than when using a less powerful motor. Also note that in many countries, motor power is a criterion for classifying an electric vehicle as one or another variety. For example, according to this criterion, motorcycles and scooters can be formally separated, requiring different driving licences.
Battery capacity
The capacity of the battery installed in the vehicle, in ampere-hours.
Theoretically, the battery life of the vehicle directly depends on this parameter: a more capacious battery can supply the electric motor longer. However, the actual amount of stored energy depends not only on the capacity in amp-hours but also on the nominal voltage of the battery. A more correct unit in this sense is watt-hours, taking into account the difference in nominal voltages; see "Battery capacity" below for details on this designation. Additionally, the operating time on a charge will depend not only on the characteristics of the battery but also on the power consumption of the vehicle itself — and it is determined by the motor power and several other parameters.
Weight
The total weight of the vehicle without cargo and rider.
The
lighter the unit, the greater the range and, accordingly, the weight of the payload that can be carried on it. On the other hand, too little weight adversely affects the stability, and sometimes the overall strength of the structure.
