Design approach for electric bikes using battery and super capacitor for performance improvement

The market for electric bikes, scooters and bicycles is growing. There are numerous brands of E-bikes emerging locally. All most all incorporate a rear wheel BLDC (Brushless DC) hub motor; lead acid battery pack, a light weight chassis, and a controller. The Vehicle achieves average speed of 30-50km/hr, range of 70km/charge. The other drawback is the long charging time of 6-8 hrs and short lifespan of battery pack i.e. around 2 years. Considering these limitations authors are modifying the existing design of an electric bike which will give a better performance with the use of a hybrid system of battery and super capacitor. The authors in this paper have tried to address the drawbacks observed in e-bike operations and have presented the results of their experimentations. Super-capacitor modules are used to provide the high current required during starting and acceleration, and eventfully will help increasing lifespan of battery. A secondary source, like regenerative braking or a small solar panel module could be availed onboard so as to charge battery/ super capacitor.