It’s disconcerting enough when you’re riding along and all of a sudden your bike starts to misfire. But when you’re riding uphill, it’s much more dangerous because you’re already working harder on the bike. And if your electric bike suddenly cuts out while you’re cruising uphill, it’s likely to cause you to lose control and fall off.
There are a couple of reasons why that could happen. For one, a faulty battery pack could be the culprit. In some cases, the motor and controller could be the reason why your electric bike is giving out.
Why Is My Electric Bike Cutting Out? (Common Causes and Solutions)
The first step to fixing the problem is figuring out what’s causing it. As stated earlier, there are several possible causes of an E-bike that won’t pedal. Most of which point to how these bikes are used. Find out the various reasons below.
Here’s what you should remember
- The most common problem with E-bikes is a faulty or damaged battery pack or wiring system. A failing cell in the battery can cause a loss of power or even a total failure. If you’re experiencing problems, try to isolate the electrical issues by testing the bike on flat ground with the motor running, then again on hills to see if you have more power and less lag.
- The motor and controller are the heart of your E-bike. A bad controller could cause a loss of power at any time, while a bad motor might result in a delay before cutting out. Try replacing the battery first as this can be an easy fix if you are sure that your issue is with the battery itself.
- Battery and charger: If your battery has died completely, then it’s time to charge it up and get back on track! While you’re charging, take some time to check all of your connections for corrosion or damage.
In most cases, this will be a quick fix. If a low battery is to blame, jump start your bike or replace the battery. If the cutoff comes and goes in short cycles, check your throttle switch. And if it doesn’t matter how fast you are going, check all of your connection cables and make sure they aren’t loose or damaged in any way.
What to Do When Your Electric Bike Motor Is Cutting Out?
Often, the solution to a power cut-out lies in repairing or replacing the faulty component. However, if you’ve checked all these and still can’t find a solution, it’s time to take your electric bike to a professional or repair shop.
Batteries
Is your electric bike battery old? If so, it might not have the power needed to climb a steep hill. So check your battery first. Verify that the battery is charged by attempting to start the bike, especially if it has been in storage for a couple of days. If the motor kicks in without hesitation and without cutting out, then the battery is at least partially charged. The problem could be related not just to low battery charge but also to a weak or broken drive belt or other components. If the bike has trouble starting after being stored for a week or longer, then it’s likely time to replace the batteries.
Temperature
A second possibility is that your electric bike motor is overheating. If it isn’t able to get the cooling air it needs, its performance will drop off markedly. This could be due to the windscreen or fairing on your bike being too close to the motor or you having ridden faster than what’s recommended for the conditions. In this case, try opening up some of the vents on the bike to give it more cooling airflow.
Acceleration
Another reason why an e-bike may cut out when going uphill is because of how the motor is geared. Some motors are geared with more torque at lower speeds, which means they can climb hills more easily at these speeds. However, if you shift into a higher gear and pedal fast, you may outrun the motor’s ability to supply enough torque at these higher speeds and then it will start cutting out. In other words, your e-bike will work perfectly well at lower speeds, but when you try to accelerate quickly or come to a sudden stop, it may cut out. If this is happening to you as you ride, try shifting into a lower gear and pedalling slower until you find a point where the motor performs again.
Affected Components
The next step is to check that all of the wiring connecting the battery with other parts of the bike is secure. Loose connections can cause intermittent problems with power delivery and can also lead to wires being damaged if they rub against moving parts on the bike. Check all connectors for corrosion, which can prevent them from making proper contact with neighbouring components. Corrosion can also reduce electrical connectivity, so it’s important to clean off any rust or grime that may have developed on connectors over time.
Type of Bike
The type of bike you ride also determines how long your motor will last. A mountain bike is going to be used differently than a road bike. You don’t want to jump curbs with a mountain bike or ride it on rocky terrain if you have a road bike. Both bikes are usually easier to ride than a hybrid or cruiser bike because they often have gears that make pedalling easier.
Terrain
You can extend the life of your electric bike’s motor by avoiding any manoeuvres that could result in a sudden stop or by slowing down before you need to stop completely. Avoiding rough terrain will also help your electric bike’s motor last longer.
Load
If you are riding on flat surfaces with your electric bike, avoid putting too much weight on it by not carrying heavy items in bags attached to your rear rack or hanging from your handlebars. This could cause excess strain on the bicycle.
Weather conditions
If you live in an area with a high amount of rainfall or high humidity, this will decrease battery life. The type of terrain affects the longevity of electric bike motors as well. If you live in an area with a lot of gravel roads or grassy paths, your motor will likely wear out faster than if you were living close to a highway.
Tires
Tire quality also has a large impact on how long electric bike motors last. If you purchase tires that are higher quality and made from better materials, they won’t wear out as quickly as cheaper ones made with less durable material.
To ensure that your electric bike motor’s lifespan stays functioning for as long as possible, avoid buying one with a wattage that is too high for the speed limits in your area. Higher-wattage motors draw more power, necessitating the use of a larger battery. Moreover, having a powerful motor has a disadvantage these days: most individuals are unable to go at high speeds due to local speed regulations.
Lifespan Of An Average E-Bike Motor & Battery
Anyone who has owned an electric bike for a while has experienced the disappointment and frustration of running out of battery life with nowhere to plug in the plug. It’s especially disappointing when you go somewhere interesting and want to take your electric bike there but are unable to because you have no way to charge it.
As you shall see below, several factors will determine how long your hub motor battery will last. Some motors such as hub motors and mid drives will burn out quicker than others. The quality of the motor will cause the life expectancy to be shorter or longer.
Here are a few examples of e-bike motors:
Hub Motor – A hub motor is similar to a regular bicycle hub, but instead of having one large permanent magnet, it has several smaller ones spread around the rim which allows for more torque. The downside to using a hub motor is that it can be heavier than a mid-drive. Also, if you take a fall while riding the motor may bend or break because it is so close to the ground.
Hub Motors can last anywhere from 500 to 8000 miles depending on the quality of them and how well they are taken care of.
Mid Drive – A mid-drive is a combination between a hub and rear-drive, which means that it’s in the middle of both of them in terms of weight and power. A mid-drive offers two different power settings and as such can be used in hilly areas where most hub motors would struggle but would not be ideal for flat areas.
The rear-drive bike – This one comes with a motor that drives the back wheel. You get extra power at the start, and you can go faster because the motor cuts in before you hit the rev limiter. It’s also lighter, simpler, and cleaner than most scooters, which use a front-drive setup.
The life of an electric bike motor and battery depends on many factors:
- How often do you ride
- How fast you ride
- How far do you ride
- How long the bike has been in use
- The temperature of the environment that the bike is in most of the time (a hot garage will wear down a battery faster than a cool basement or an outside parking spot)
- The size of the battery pack on your bike (the bigger, the longer it lasts)
- Whether or not your electric bike battery is lithium-ion or lead-acid (lead-acid will last longer)
- The strength of your electric motor (the stronger, the harder it will be on your battery).
- Your weight (heavier people put more strain on their bikes’ motors and batteries).
- How often you thoroughly charge your e-bike’s battery (if you only charge it partway, over time that will drain out some of its power). The most important thing to remember is that as long as you ride your bike regularly, engaging your battery properly, it should last for years.
- The power output of the electric bike motor;
The more powerful your motor, the greater its ability to overcome resistance from hills or wind and hence the greater distance you can travel before it runs out of power and needs recharging. Powerful motors are made of better materials that are likely to last longer than weaker ones. A powerful electric bike will also be able to carry more weight than one. As explained earlier, however, more load will shorten battery life.
You need to keep track of these two things:
- Power level: If you find that the power level in your battery is decreasing over time, even after charging it fully, then it’s time for a new one.
- Charging time: If you find that your bike takes a lot more time than usual to charge fully then this might be an indication of a dying battery.
With a high-quality lithium-ion (Li-Ion) battery and a powerful motor, you can expect to get several thousand miles out of it before the performance starts to degrade.
Battery Capacity
The capacity of the battery depends on the size and it varies from bike to bike, and moto to moto. The bigger the capacity of the battery, the longer it can run before recharging.
Battery Type
There are three types of batteries for electric bikes: lead-acid, lithium and Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMh) batteries. Lead-acid batteries come at different voltages and prices. These batteries have a lifespan of about three years and can be easily damaged due to overcharging, undercharging or riding with a low charge. Lithium batteries are expensive but they do not easily get damaged and they can run for up to five years before they need replacing. NiMH batteries are recommended if you ride frequently as they do not get damaged easily. However, these batteries cost more than lead-acid ones.
Conclusion
These tips should help you get your electric bike running smoothly. If you’ve already started having problems, fix them as soon as possible. Nothing is worse than spending a ton of money on a new model electric bike if it breaks down on you every week. With that in mind, we hope we have helped you. Be sure to share this post with friends and family if you find it helpful.
Hello, this is Evan Larry. The chief editor of this site, “eBikeBuster.” After completing my graduation in mechanical engineering, I worked for a renowned e-bike manufacturing company as a technician. I had worked there for almost six years, and later I quit the job and started my own business where I sell different types of e-bike and their tools and accessories. I created this site, eBikeBuster, to guide people, who are new to an e-bike and don’t have proper knowledge about its tools, accessories, and maintenance.