Specialize needs to tandardize the batteries and chargers within the same company.

[Ferg1]

Hi, I enjoy long distance touring over multiple days and recently bought an electric bike from Specialized to expand the landscape opportunities. My ebike uses a 710 wh battery that is good for about 80 km’s on echo mode, no challenging grades over longer distances, and carrying two fully loaded 27L rear pannier bags.

The concern arises as the day grows longer of where to get a charge during the evening and having enough reserve charge to get there. My ebike, a Tiurbo Vado uses a 4 amp charger taking 6 hours to fully recharge. However the Specialized Turbo Levo 4, besides the regular 4 amp charger, also can be charged by a 12 amp charger in 1 hour. Giving up an hour during the day while taking a break from cycling is a lot different than giving up 6 hours unless it is while sleeping. Being able to charge during the day relieves some of the pressure from finding a place to charge each night.

The Specialized 12 amp is called a Smart Charger 3.1. It will not work with the 710 wh Turbo Vado battery. Why? Why would Specialized want to have different charging systems when one would work for more than one of their models with similar sized batteries and needs?

 

[jabberwocky]

I think the new Levo 4 is a unique 60v system, where the Vado is a 36v. So unless the charger can adapt to different voltages it makes sense that it isn't compatible. Its easier to dump power into a higher voltage battery quickly (which is why electric cars have been moving to higher voltage systems).

 

[mschwett]

Why? Because engineering and physics.

The SL bikes use 48V batteries, quite small ones (not sure what the C rating is). Most of the other non-SL bikes use 36v batteries, larger ones that are presumably more parallel to support higher current. The new Levo 4 is 60v to support the very high power motor, likely has a new BMS and battery architecture to allow very fast discharging and charging.

Over time they likely could standardize some aspects of the charging system, but you’re asking why something designed and made 6+ years ago isn’t the same as something brand new. They also used the same batteries and chargers for a whole bunch of bikes (tero, levo, kenovo, Vado - and creo SL, vado sl, levo sl) for many, many years.