Why does my e-bike show a different range every time I charge it?

Your e-bike is not calculating range from battery percentage alone.Instead, the display is constantly learning how you ride.

The Bafang system estimates range using:

• how much power you have recently been using
• your assist level
• terrain (hills vs flat)
• rider weight & cargo
• wind resistance
• tire pressure
• throttle vs pedaling

Because these conditions change from ride to ride, the estimated range will also change.

Think of it like your car’s “miles to empty” — it changes depending on whether you were just driving on the highway… or climbing a hill with the A/C on.

How does the bike actually calculate the range?

The bike’s controller measures real electrical energy leaving the battery (not just battery percentage).

It does three things:

1. Measures how much current (power) the motor is using in real time
2. Calculates how much battery energy remains
3. Compares that to how efficiently you have been riding recently

Then it predicts how far you can continue riding if you keep riding the same way.

So the display is not guessing — it is predicting.

Why can two identical bikes show different ranges at 100% charge?

Because the estimate is based on recent riding behavior.

Example:

The batteries can be perfectly healthy — the system is simply remembering how each bike has been used.

This is especially noticeable on:

• rental fleets
• family members sharing bikes
• test rides at a dealer

Why did my range drop after I used the throttle?

Throttle uses the maximum motor power.

When you use throttle, the system assumes you will continue riding that way and immediately updates the prediction.

So the range number drops quickly — but your battery did not suddenly lose capacity.

You just told the computer:

| “I plan to ride the rest of the trip using maximum power.”

Why does the range sometimes increase while I’m riding?

This surprises people, but it is normal.

If you:

• start pedaling more
• lower the assist level
• reach flatter terrain
• ride with a tailwind

the motor begins using less electricity than expected.
The system recalculates and the predicted range goes up.

Your bike just realized you are riding more efficiently than before.

Is the range estimate a guarantee?

No. It is a live prediction, not a fixed specification.

The advertised range (for example: “Up to 60 miles”) is measured under controlled test conditions:

• low assist
• steady pedaling
• flat terrain
• moderate rider weight
• no wind

Real-world riding will vary — sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

Does a lower estimate mean my battery is bad?

Almost never.

A weak battery would show:

• rapid percentage drops
• shutting off under load
• failure to fully charge

A changing range estimate is normal operation of the prediction system.

In fact, a constantly changing estimate means the system is working correctly.

What affects range the most?

The biggest factors are:

1. Assist level
2. Throttle use
3. Hills
4. Rider weight & cargo
5. Tire pressure
6. Wind

The two largest by far are assist level and throttle use.

Why does range drop faster near the end of the battery?

Lithium batteries deliver power less efficiently at low charge levels.

To protect the battery, the system reduces available power near empty, so the estimate becomes more conservative to prevent you from being stranded.

Best way to maximize range

• Use lower assist levels
• Pedal during acceleration
• Avoid full-time throttle
• Keep tires properly inflated
• Shift gears like a regular bicycle

The Most Important Thing to Know

The number on the display is not telling you:

| “How far this battery can go.”

It is telling you:

| “How far you can go if you continue riding the way you have been riding recently.”

That is why the number changes — and why it is actually a very smart system.