E-BIKE MOTOR LIFETIME:
HOW LONG DOES YOUR E-BIKE DRIVE LAST?
Like all everyday objects, e-bikes are high-end technical devices that must be regularly serviced and repaired if necessary. But when do you get to the point when the electronic components of an e-bike have come to the end of their lives? We discussed this with our FIT e-bike expert Lukas Kaufmann.
Hello Lukas, before we talk about the lifetime of e-bike drives, first of all a personal question: What is your professional background and what exactly do you do at FIT?
Lukas Kaufmann: I have been at FIT since the start of 2020 and originally started as a project manager. I have now been heading up customer projects for around two and a half years. On the one hand, I am the contact person for OEM bicycle manufacturers on technical issues, and on the other, my team is responsible for project management for motor integration, battery development and the entire cabling. I originally trained as an electrical engineer.
Thank you very much. So you have a wealth of experience in the field of e-bike drives. Can you first explain to us how the lifetime of an e-bike motor is actually defined?
Lukas Kaufmann: The lifetime of an electric motor is usually described with an MTTF specification. MTTF stands for “mean time to failure”, i.e. the time until a malfunction occurs. This information thus includes the reliability of a drive. Usually, the time information can also be used to infer the performance in kilometers.
Let’s take our FIT e-bike range as an example. How long does an e-bike motor last here on average before it reaches the end of its life?
Lukas Kaufmann: E-bike motors are generally designed to run 10,000 to 20,000 kilometers. However, some models can also achieve much more than that, especially if they are regularly serviced. It is also important to note that the lifetime of an e-bike motor depends not only on the number of kilometers, but also on the type of use and maintenance.
You are already addressing the factors that can influence the lifetime of an e-bike drive. What exactly are these?
Lukas Kaufmann: The lifetime of a drive strongly depends on the load collective acting on it. The term “load collective” refers to the totality of all stress occurring on a component over a certain period of time – such as torque, acceleration, temperature, etc. If, for example, a drive is operated in an urban environment where the torque is rather moderate, it tends to experience less wear than in off-road operation. In mixed operation, such as 80% city and 20% mountain biking, the load collective is mixed. When testing and developing a drive, the load collective is determined and tested in a healthy mix.
How can operating conditions such as riding style, ambient temperature and humidity affect the lifetime of an e-bike motor?
Lukas Kaufmann: Operating conditions such as riding style, ambient temperature and humidity can have a significant impact on the lifetime of an e-bike motor. An aggressive riding style, in which the e-bike often reaches high speeds or performs frequent acceleration and braking, can cause the motor to wear faster than a gentler riding style. A motor can be subjected to high torques and loads, particularly when riding uphill.
The ambient temperature also has a major impact on the motor’s lifetime. Motor operation at high temperatures may result in overheating and damage the motor. It is important to ensure that the motor is adequately cooled, especially during longer journeys or in hot weather.
Humidity can also affect the lifetime of the motor. Moisture can penetrate and cause corrosion in the motor if the e-bike is often used in humid conditions or environments. It is important to maintain your e-bike regularly and ensure that the motor remains dry and protected.
How important is regular maintenance and inspection for the lifetime of an e-bike motor?
Lukas Kaufmann: Overall, it is important to use the e-bike in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and to maintain it on a regular basis to ensure a maximum lifetime of the motor. If an e-bike is operated in unfavorable ambient conditions, this can cause the parts and components to be stressed more quickly and thus fail faster. This premature component failure can be caused by stressful operation in unfavorable environmental conditions.
As a customer, how do I know when it’s time to have the motor serviced?
Lukas Kaufmann: The service specification is usually listed in the Technical Customer Documentation. In addition, the service requirement is displayed in the bicycle’s HMI or cockpit. Service intervals may vary depending on the drive manufacturer. It is also possible that a drive manufacturer may make a technical modification during the lifetime of the product. In this case, the technical change is carried out during a service.
What type of damage can occur if an e-bike motor is not properly maintained?
Lukas Kaufmann: A motor that is not maintained may deteriorate in performance over time. This may result in reduced performance during acceleration or a reduced top speed. A motor that is not sufficiently cooled can overheat and be damaged. This may lead to premature failure of the motor. And if the motor is exposed to moisture and is not kept dry, that can lead to corrosion. Corrosion can also affect the performance of the motor and lead to premature failure.
By the way: If the motor is not properly maintained, the battery performance may also be impaired. A poorly maintained motor may consume more power and run the battery down faster.
Lukas, thank you for the informative interview!
You can find more information about our motors on the following page:
11.07.2023