I have to say that I don’t think the Panasonic batteries have a much longer life than the other brands we represent. I personally have 2 Panasonic batteries just over 2 years old, they have both done good work but after 2 years they are down to 6 LEDs capacity and are measuring under half capacity.
I have to directly disagree with Andy here on the battery life. Apart from anything else, I cannot understand how a 5 LED battery can be down to 6 LEDS at just over two years or at any time.
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If that are actually showing half capacity, it's abundantly clear they need a full discharge to the fast flashing stage when they'll then show at least 4 LEDS (80% capacity) again at two years old, often 5 LEDs (full capacity).
The same is true for my colleague. I have been contacted by other Panasonic users who are finding exactly the same. I do always measure at a similar temperature before anyone asks!
Our forum members who include very many Panasonic users don't experience this and I've had no such feedback through my Panasonic unit support site.
In short from my experience the "modern good Quality” batteries are lasting a similar length of time if used in a similar manner.
And that's the crunch, the Forza and a Panasonic unit cannot use their batteries in a similar manner. The very powerful Forza motor has a peak power of around double that of the Panasonic unit, hence it's speed, and that markedly increases the amount the battery has to do if its performance is used to the full. Since Martin clearly does use it to the full, his batteries have to work harder than the Panasonic one has to.
How that works out in practice is that some members have reported the new generation eZee 10 Ah battery cutting out by 18 months and the one I've had on test for eZee had it's first cutout at 19 months. No user of one of the new generation Panasonic units has ever reported a single near-end of life cutout, and I've been running the unofficial
support site with plenty of feedback for four years now. I've also owned Panasonic equipped bikes for five years and eZee bikes for four years. However I would expect the 14 Ah eZee battery to do better than the 10 Ah one due to the greater capacity, but it's very early days yet for this new battery so there is no proof of that.
Andy is quite right that the Forza is faster overall than the standard Panasonic unit bike witn average journey speeds about 3 mph faster, but as you've said, it isn't measuring up to your hills. The only type that will is the Panasonic or Yamaha type, though as said, at the cost of slower overall speed and more constant input from you. You should of course try out any new type before buying as Andy has said, but that's not easy on the Isle of Wight, you'd need to go to the mainland.
If you use the link below you'll see the Gepida dealer page with two Hampshire locations where it may be convenient for you to try out the Yamaha version of this sort of drive through the gears system. Ring first of course to ensure a demonstrator is available:
Gepida in Hampshire
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