jeronimo479

History teaches us, if we py attention Flecc, the point of my post wasn't to bash eZee for past trash batteries, but to remind them that combining a 6 month warranty with a horrible track record is not a way to maintain a customer base.

I concur I purchased my eZee Torq in July 2007. The battery and charger failed my after 100 charges. I replaced that battery 2 more times under warranty and one more time on my own dime (actually provided by an extended warranty program through my credit card). That one too tied after a very few uses. I worked with eZee on and off. The last battery was down to 4 amp/hrs capacity when the charger started blowing fuses regularly. I was going to buy a new batt and charger, a $650 investment. I looked at the warranty (6 months) and decided that I have no faith or confidence in eZee. If they had any faith in their system, they too would offer a warranty that actually means something. With a 6 month warranty, I might be oblidges to pay $1300 a year to keep my bike running. Right. $1300 a year. I decided to go eBay and bought a 37V 20A LiFePO4 from Cammy. 3 yr warranty. Claims 3000-5000 cycles. Even if it get 300, it will have outlasted the eZee battery by 300%. It arrived in not so great shape, and after testing average current while connected to a 467mA load, the best I have seen is 15A/hrs. But the eZee batteries were absolute trash, and the support to their customers is poor.

10 Year lifespan from How Will Toshiba's SCiB Battery Technology Impact EVs? - DIY Electric Car Forums "Toshiba announced Monday in this press release the commercial release of the SCiB (Super Charge Ion Battery). The battery's selling points are that it can recharge to 90% capacity in less than five minutes, it's safe and it has a 10-year lifespan."

eZee Torq, Lithium Battery S/N Sorry it took so long. I have given up trying to get a free battery so getting the S/N wasn't my top priority. Battery Serial Number: WPR00909A I'm waiting till Spring here to see what my options are. $600 for battery and charger seems really steep, but I read Flecc's review on the latest eZee battery and it is inspiring. I know I shouldn't need a new charger, but the last one kept blowing the internal fuse (not the easily replaceable one, but the one soldered onto the PCB). The last time I slid the PCB into the extruded case, something shorted out and the smoke came out when I powered up. Ah... the joys of electric bike ownership. That makes 4 batteries and 4 chargers (dead).

Maxell sells some REALLY big capacitors. Has anyone tried to implement a capacitor solution inplace of batteries, or used them to supplement high current demand situations that would otherwise decrease the lifespan of a battery? There is another company on the horizon, Eestor, that is making claims of a world changing ultra-cap, the EESU. Any day now they are supposed to be revealing their system and rolling them out to Zenn. It may be a while before this technology makes its way to bikes, but they already have a company lined up for distribution. Wayne

Sccoter vs. E-Bike Here in the U.S. I can't take a scooter on designated bike trails, only streets. I use my electric bike to get to work using a bike trail that reduces my rick of being run over by cars, and it is actually a more direct route to work. The exercise portion is also of significant importance to me. I think Bikes have been around for a long time, and as batteries (or Ultracapacitors) become cheaper and easier to afford, E-Bikes will gain in popularity. I don't want a scooter, it has no benefit over a motorcycle, and MANY downsides. Nobody is going to pickup my 700lbs Honda ST1300 and walk away with it. The same can't be said for a 100lbs scooter.

Thanks for your lazy effort ;-) I tried to not peddle when I first got my Torq so I could compare battery life vs. distances over time, and found it nearly impossible to keep my feet idle. I have gone through 4 chargers and 4 batteries now. My last charger started burning up the internal fuse. I thought at first it physically broke because of bumps in the road, so I replaced it. But three fuses later, the smoke finally came out and the charger is now dead too. I was going to wait till next January and see if any new strides in battery technology have been made. I'm especially excited about EEStor and their supposed ultra cap. If it makes it to bikes, I'll certainly buy one just to see how it works. I'm also waiting to see if LiFePO4 takes hold with a form factor that can fit in my existing case. Wayne

Can anyone tell me what the internal dimensions are of the battery housing? I'm looking to retro-fit my existing battery with LiFePO4 but haven't figured out what dimensions I will need. Wayne

Serial Number of latest LiMn battery I posted a while back that I got $600 from my credit card company to cover the cost of a new battery and charger. I was able to keep that money in reserve since NyceWheels was able to give me a replacement based on Wai Won's willingness to stand behind his product. The current Serial Number is XH370-10J. It has been the worst performer yet. Wai Won has also asked me what my s/n is, maybe he will help me one more time. My company is moving another 1/2 mile away from home, extending my trip to nearly 11 miles (17.7km). My bike now only makes it 6 or 7 miles with moderate peddling. I received an email from Sam at Yesa Battery today that says their LiFePO4 battery has 36V, 10Ahr; is good for over 2000 cycles; and has dimensions: 34 x 70 x 94mm. The outside of my eZee Torq battery is 115 x 72 x 380mm. It seems this might be a good solution! NyceWheels even sells a battery case for $25. What do you think about packing a YESA battery into an eZee case? Has anyone tried this? Would it be better to go with the Ping battery and just create a new battery terminal and holder, say on the bike rack?

I have gone though 4 LiMn batteries now in my eZee Torq in the past three years. This last battery was the last one Nycewheels said they would give me for free. It was very generous, even though I feel like each of the batteries were defective. I never got 450-500 charges from any of them. This last one was less than 30 cycles. I got it in September of 2008. I have posted before and continue to hate LiMn batteries as they have not performed as advertised, even though I have followed all advice to atain longevity. Cool storage, short current burst, keep charged. I have been reading about the Ping batteries and feel like I should roll-my-own solution based on the Ping LiFePO4 technology. Is there a drop in replacement yet or any other advise people would like to share with me? I'm sick over having to spend $500 (U.S.) for a battery with a 6 month warranty that I just KNOW won't be 50% usefull next year (given past experience). Wayne

My Experience I received my Torq w/ lithium battery on Sept 8, 2006. I have since ridden 1300 miles on almost completely flat ground, The W&OD trail in Virginia, USA. My first battery reached 50% capacity (9.2 miles @ 20m.p.h average w/ peddling) within the first 6 months. After a winter break, I tried getting the battery replaced. The second lithium battery failed within the first week (turned out to be battery terminal screws), but then after service from Electric Bikes | Folding Bicycles | Powered motor kits | Scooters (New York), the battery reached 50% within 6 months and was out of warranty. I am now in the process of deciding between the "new and improved" lithium with fewer cut-outs, or the tried and true NiMH. I'm 90% certain that I will buy the NiMH, because research has shown that the LiMn batteries lose ~30% of their capacity every year and that they suffer when used to depletion (as I was doing every day). I love the Torq and would buy it again. The front shocks would have been great, since at 25 mph speeds, the little bumps and hard tires wrack body upper body!

Is there somthing going around? I had my original battery die early. I received a replacement that was poor in capacity and intermittent in use. It took them over a year to get these taken care of so now I am out of the warranty period. BUT, my credit card company has extended the one year warranty to two years. I have $600 in cash to buy a new batt & charger. Now my decision... go with another Lithium that may again die in 6 months (the new warranty period) or go with a more proven NiMH technology. Please elaborate on this "new" Phylion battery.

2006 eZee Torq Reviewer: Wayne T. Purchased From: Electric Bikes | Folding Bicycles | Powered motor kits | Scooters Purchase Price: $1815 US, delivered (9/7/2006) Time Owned: Purchased 8/4/2006 Local Terrain: Flat / Moderate Hills ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Strengths: * Goes fast, over 22 m.p.h. (see note 1) * Great Looks, not many people recognize that I have an electric bike * Has a very sturdy frame. * Stop the wheels easy, but the bike does skid for a while. * Has good hill climbing power. (see note 1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Weaknesses: * Lithium battery and charger still need development. User guide should explain ALL the caveats for battery care and use. * Drive sprocket jumps chain at least twice a ride on a fairly smooth path. * Large frame doesn't allow for an upright position, which leads to back-ache on extended rides. (I'm 5'9" and still have to lean over). * Kickstand tends to "hum" every time I go over ANY bump. It isn't held in place securely. * Aluminum water bottle is sturdy, but assumes ambient temperature quickly, leading to warm water. * Headlamp is now driven by main battery, but isn't very bright. * Tail lamp is now driven by main battery, but isn't very bright. * Charge indicator (Green, Yellow, & Red) LED indicator is absolutely worthless. Since lithium batteries have a very gradual slope, it is impractical to display power remaining based on voltage (which degrades over time anyway). An ammeter over time would have been more practical. Since there is a microchip that drives the motor, it could have easily been tasked to track power consumption. A digital readout would have been far more useful. I never know when my system is going to die. It just quits! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary: I bought the eZee Torq because I wanted a commuter bike. I live next to a bike trail that used to be a railroad bed. I travel 10.3 miles one way. I have logged over 1300 miles now. My original battery lasted one season, 600 miles. The next Spring I barely got 50% out of it. I complained to eZee about this and they told me that the battery life and charge cycles are highly dependant on surge current, temperature, discharge levels, charging rates, and average speed. I paid $150 extra for the Lithium because I was told I could expect 450 to 550 charge cycles before reaching 60%. I didn't even get 50, before I reached 50%. They sent me a new battery. I used it a few times to see if it was going to work. It completely failed. I sent it back and kept using the original. Then the charger burned up. They returned the replacement battery after a month or so and said they couldn't find anything wrong with it. I went over a curb and it failed completely again. They sent me a replacement charger. It burned up the internal fuse the first time I used it. The 3rd charger also failed, but not completely. The Green Light came on after 20 minutes. WOW, what a supper duper charger. A 4 hour charge in 20 minutes. I was doubtful! Seems they got something wrong. The unit does charge (I measure the input current), but the indicator doesn't work right. This all took more than a year to get resolved and the warranty finally expired. So I have a crappy battery with 70% capacity that intermittently quits and a charger that doesn't tell you when its done. Twist: I bought the bike with a credit card that will double the one year warranty. So, they sent me $600 to buy a new battery and charger. Of course I'm still out the shipping costs, they won't pay for that. So here is what the Singapore engineer from eZee told me: Don't go full speed all the time. Avoid quick starts, or hill climbing. Don't deplete the battery. Turn the bike off after the first time the low voltage protection circuit trips. Don't ride in hot weather. Keep it charged over the winter. So here are the gotchas: * I want to go full speed, that's why I bought it for commuting!!! * Hill climbing is this things claim to fame!! * You can't actually tell when the battery is depleted until it quits! * If you use the bike for 10 miles, then hit a small hill, the low voltage circuit trips and you can't trust that after that, you aren't damaging your battery. I'd love to know If I am the only one having these Lithium battery troubles. I want to run it hard and go fast. If that means using a NmH battery, fine. I can trade distance for speed. I only have to go 10 miles before I can recharge. I kept good records, of mileage, temperatures, and charge cycles. I'm an engineer and thought this information would be useful. I'd be willing to share with people who asked for it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall Rating (out of 10) :7 note: 1) These systems only work when the battery works.

Shut off problem I had that problem with my 2nd battery. I found that the contacts between the screws and the battery terminals were bad. The battery always worked intermittently. That battery failed eventually, and I haven't yet bought another. If the contacts on the battery show voltage, you don't have that problem. If they show no voltage, try placing the meter probes right on the screws deep in the contacts area. Wayne