How accurate is the Range in the Mahle app

[PlanBee]

Hi there, newbie here

Got my new Orbea Vibe yesterday, fully charged and ready to go and set the motormap to ECO. The Mahle app is showing 100% charge but a range of only 19 miles (30km), a lot less than the 30-80miles quoted. Is this down to the app being useless or does it look like I have a problem. What does your bike show as a range on a full charge before you set off.

I am in the UK and not able to ride because of Storm Eunice; once the storm goes I'll do a relatively flat 12 miles and see what is left, but wondered what others' 'baseline' range is in the meantime.

(NOTE I also posted this in the Orbea Vibe pages, but realised it is more a motor specific question than a bike brand)

 

[JRA]

At the pretty much world wide average of around 15wh/mi with a 248wh battery that is about right. Best way to determine range is to use it as you normally expect to an keep track of how much you use/mile.

 

[Drbike]

In 2021 I’ve kept track of percentage of battery usage per mile on 11 rides covering over 260 miles on flat roads with an average speed between 14 and 18 miles per hour. The cumulative average was 1.23% of battery power per mile. The best single ride was .83% and the worst was 1.67%. Your 19 miles at 100% charge seems ultra conservative. Please note this is U.S. Ebikemotion motor which cuts out at 20mph where the EU motor cuts out much earlier. My ebike is a Bianchi Aria e-road.

 

[CaptainMux]

In 2021 I’ve kept track of percentage of battery usage per mile on 11 rides covering over 260 miles on flat roads with an average speed between 14 and 18 miles per hour. The cumulative average was 1.23% of battery power per mile. The best single ride was .83% and the worst was 1.67%. Your 19 miles at 100% charge seems ultra conservative. Please note this is U.S. Ebikemotion motor which cuts out at 20mph where the EU motor cuts out much earlier. My ebike is a Bianchi Aria e-road.

I did the same for 27 rides, ranging from 9 to 41 miles. I also have the US version of the Aria E-road. The weighted average was 2.33%/mile and the range was 1.02 to 3.27. I concluded there are too many variables (speed, time in each power level & hills, primarily) for this to be a useful metric.

 

[Drbike]

I did the same for 27 rides, ranging from 9 to 41 miles. I also have the US version of the Aria E-road. The weighted average was 2.33%/mile and the range was 1.02 to 3.27. I concluded there are too many variables (speed, time in each power level & hills, primarily) for this to be a useful metric.

A single rider data point of battery usage isn’t a useful metric due to the variables you noted. Now the OP has two data points that conflict with his Orbea Vibe range report of 19 miles with full battery charge. That was my primary response to his concern.

By chance do you use a smart phone app for your Aria E-rode and if so have to loaded the new Mahle app? I find the Mahle app a step backward from the original Ebikemotion app that’s been replaced.

 

[CaptainMux]

A single rider data point of battery usage isn’t a useful metric due to the variables you noted. Now the OP has two data points that conflict with his Orbea Vibe range report of 19 miles with full battery charge. That was my primary response to his concern.

By chance do you use a smart phone app for your Aria E-rode and if so have to loaded the new Mahle app? I find the Mahle app a step backward from the original Ebikemotion app that’s been replaced.

I have experimented with several apps, including the previous version of the Ebikmotion app, and settled on Ride With GPS. I was using the EBM app but found it lacking in many ways. I used it just to log the bike's edata. I have not downloaded the new app yet as it is winter here. But, when I go to the App Store and look at it, the ratings are below underwhelming...less than 2 stars right now.

 

[Pemberton]

Hi there, newbie here

Got my new Orbea Vibe yesterday, fully charged and ready to go and set the motormap to ECO. The Mahle app is showing 100% charge but a range of only 19 miles (30km), a lot less than the 30-80miles quoted. Is this down to the app being useless or does it look like I have a problem. What does your bike show as a range on a full charge before you set off.

I am in the UK and not able to ride because of Storm Eunice; once the storm goes I'll do a relatively flat 12 miles and see what is left, but wondered what others' 'baseline' range is in the meantime.

(NOTE I also posted this in the Orbea Vibe pages, but realised it is more a motor specific question than a bike brand)

 

[Pemberton]

Hi did you resolve your problem.
I’ve just replaced my Orbea Gain with a new internal Mahle battery. At 100% it’s only showing a range of 28 miles. When I fitted my Rangecextender which was giving me 30 extra miles that’s now down to 20?
Something wrong.

 

[CaptainMux]

Maybe your bike will learn.

I’m starting to think the firmware adjusts its range predictions based on recent usage. I live in a hilly area and ride hard, either alone or with a buddy who is younger and stronger than I am. Normally, I ask a lot from my motor. Normally, my range at 100% battery is predicted at 39-41 miles. Last week, I went on 4 rides between 30 and 37 miles each on less hilly roads and at slower than my usual pace. Hence, I used less power and placed a much lower demand on the motor. When I got home and charged my battery, the predicted range was 46 miles at 100%—the highest ever.

 

[GoWater]

I have an Orbea Gain M20i. At 100% charge, my range is 59 miles. What's interesting is that it does not change when I change the motor maps. I have emailed Orbea and Mahle, both say it should.
Mahle did say that you don't get much assist if you are below 30%.
I have my motor maps at 100% level 1, 70% level 2 and 75% level 3.

Also - I have a 250 watt motor. Level 1 = 100 watts. Level 2 = 175 watts, level 3 = 250 watts.
70% of level 2 is 70% of 175 watts (122.5 watts), not 100% of level 1 + 70% of the additional 75 watts (152.5 watts), and so forth with level 3. Level 3 at 75% is 75% of 250 watts, not 175 watts + 75% of the additional 75 watts. This is per Mahle.

Both Orbea and Mahle responded the same day as my emails.

Hope this helps.

Oh - as far as range. For me, it is difficult to say. I do not constantly ride in "ON". I use the level assist like changing gears. If I am over 19 mph I turn it off, as you are just using the battery and getting no assist past 19 mph. In reality, I think it is 18 mph that the motor cuts out, I know they advertise 20 but I can feel it at 18.

I have never run out of battery, even on 55 mile rides. I live in the mountains of California (Santa Barbara County, not Tahoe), very hilly by any standards.

 

[GoWater]

I have an Orbea Gain M20i. At 100% charge, my range is 59 miles. What's interesting is that it does not change when I change the motor maps. I have emailed Orbea and Mahle, both say it should.
Mahle did say that you don't get much assist if you are below 30%.
I have my motor maps at 100% level 1, 70% level 2 and 75% level 3.

Also - I have a 250 watt motor. Level 1 = 100 watts. Level 2 = 175 watts, level 3 = 250 watts.
70% of level 2 is 70% of 175 watts (122.5 watts), not 100% of level 1 + 70% of the additional 75 watts (152.5 watts), and so forth with level 3. Level 3 at 75% is 75% of 250 watts, not 175 watts + 75% of the additional 75 watts. This is per Mahle.

Both Orbea and Mahle responded the same day as my emails.

Hope this helps.

Oh - as far as range. For me, it is difficult to say. I do not constantly ride in "ON". I use the level assist like changing gears. If I am over 19 mph I turn it off, as you are just using the battery and getting no assist past 19 mph. In reality, I think it is 18 mph that the motor cuts out, I know they advertise 20 but I can feel it at 18.

I have never run out of battery, even on 55 mile rides. I live in the mountains of California (Santa Barbara County, not Tahoe), very hilly by any standards.

Also, as far as range - I am pretty sure range is calculated off of the rider information. I am 5-10 and 190 lbs. I would think range would be different if I had entered 160 lbs for my weight?

 

[Dadam]

Seems quite low. I did my first ride back from collecting my Gain from the shop, about 23 miles with a couple of steepish long hills. I'm aroung 15 stone (200lbs, 95kg). I started with the bike in L1 and went up to L2 for small hills and L3 for the bigger ones. When I got home the bike had been in the green on the iWoc controller (50-75%) for the last few miles (including the last hill). I didn't have the app at the time but I guess it was around 2/3 full. Currently it's at 100% charge and the app is saying range 61 miles which tallies with that. I think it does learn from accumulated data in the bike and app.

My levels are still at the default 100% on each.