Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Richard230]

In Issue 1 of 2020, Cycle World magazine interviews Markus Schramm, BMW Motorrad’s director. He is quoted as making the following statement in response to a question asking if “BMW Motorrad will produce electric bikes”.  Mr. Schramm says that:  “In the urban environment, it is possible there will be an electric BMW motorcycle in five years. In the touring, off-road, and sport segments, I am not sure that we will see them.”   

[valnar]

Well he may indeed be 1/3 right on that last sentence.  Touring is going to be difficult without some kind of battery breakthrough.  Posting charging stations every 100 miles is not the answer.

[princec]

He's being extraordinarily shortsighted... not least because petrol bikes will literally be banned from sale from around 2035 or so. They've got 15 years to figure out a 200 mile range at a weight we can lift at a price we can afford. Surely not hard for one of the biggest vehicle manufacturers in the world.

Cas

[NEW2elec]

Germany and Japan have spent over70 years making some of the best and most long lasting gas engines you can buy.
Now the world is asking them to get in the back of the line with electric vehicles.
Don't expect a warm embrace.

[DonTom]

Touring is going to be difficult without some kind of battery breakthrough.  Posting charging stations every 100 miles is not the answer.

But every 50 miles should work! I would take that over more battery capacity, especially if charging is not faster on batteries with more capacity.

For an example, the 13.4  KWH Energica battery gives more range per  hour of charge than their new larger 21.5 KWH battery, especially at freeway speeds, according to their own specs.  With the 21.5 KWH, charge twice as long to get 40% more distance on the freeway. Older smaller KWH battery will give more miles in less time. That means a faster  trip with the smaller battery when there are enough charge stations.
 
-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Crissa]

For an example, the 13.4  KWH Energica battery gives more range per  hour of charge than their new larger 21.5 KWH battery,

We don't know this, Don.

-Crissa

[KuRi]

Haha, of course he won't see it... in 3 years, once they have lost a lot of traction, he will get fired and they will start mass producing electric BMW GS's

[enaef]

Who knows what BMW wants its cempetitors to believe ...

[DonTom]

We don't know this, Don.

-Crissa

But here is what we do know by their own specs:

"SS9    (13.4 KWH) DC Fast Charge 0-85% SOC 20 min."

"SS9+  (21.5 kWH) DC Fast Charge 0-85% SOC 40 min."


Hwy Range spec  on each:

"SS9 (13.4 KWH) highway=   80 miles"

"SS9+ (21.5 KWH) highway=112 miles"

Above shows it takes TWICE the charge time to go 40% more distance (but they do not give a spec for time to 100% charge).

Those are Energica's own specs.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Crissa]

That would assume the bike is less efficient than the prior bike.

And published stats aren't 'knowing'.

...And one would expect it to take longer to charge 13KWh than 21KWh on the same charger.

-Crissa

[DonTom]

That would assume the bike is less efficient than the prior bike.

By their own specs, at freeway speeds, it is.

And published stats aren't 'knowing'.

Be sure to let them know!

...And one would expect it to take longer to charge 13KWh than 21KWh on the same charger.

Why is that? And why do their specs say the opposite?

-Don-

[princec]

Is it not the case that the charging rate is a curve? You don't get a linear time based on the battery size. And the curve is different depending on chemistry and arrangement?

Cas

[DonTom]

Is it not the case that the charging rate is a curve? You don't get a linear time based on the battery size. And the curve is different depending on chemistry and arrangement?

Cas

Look at Zero specs. Any model. Double the battery KWH and get double the range to the mile. Double the charge time and get twice the MPH of charge. Unlike Energica when comparing their newer battery to the older. Charge twice as long for a 40% range increase on the freeway.

What makes the big difference is that with a battery a  KWH is only a KWH at the current draw  where they rate it. No such thing a a true KWH with a battery, but  Energica rates theirs at a current of a lower speed to get that higher number. That higher number lowers at higher speeds where the load is a lot more.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[princec]

Methinks manufacturers are instead going to have to quote figures in ranges-at-speeds instead in future.

Cas

[DonTom]

Methinks manufacturers are instead going to have to quote figures in ranges-at-speeds instead in future.

Cas

That's what Tesla does. All type of charts to show range at various speeds.

I wish they would do this with  electric motorcycles.

-Don-  Auburn, CA