EP8/630wh poor range – Nukeproof Megawatt

I know it’s all down to individual weight, ascent, conditions etc but….   I had a Vitus E-Sommet and now a Nukeproof Megawatt, both with shinano motor and 630wh motor. Riding the same trail I used to on the Vitus the nukeproof is substantially worse. Is this right?

some numbers: I’m 110kg. Riding 20km/500m ascent of mixed trail riding inc some road, in Trail mode, almost flattened the battery. The same ride on the Vitus would use c. 50%.

The bikes are pretty similar. Big heavy DH casing tyres and 5mm more travel but otherwise not much difference.

I never used to bother fiddling with settings in e-tube but I’ve tried dialling back a bit but didn’t seem to make any difference

Any suggestions? Thanks

Change the tyres

Are you sure you’re working as hard?

Not a great help, but as a comparison…

My Ridgeback hire e-bike hybrid (basic suspension fork) last week at Center Parcs weighed ~25Kg, with kit and water I was an additional ~100Kg.

G One Bite 50mm front, 50mm semi slick rear.

On tarmac, using low assistance on inclines and turning assistance off elsewhere, I got approx 50 miles and 5000 feet from 80% of a full battery over first three days.

Typically ~12mph average, no power meter, but I’d guess at 100-125W (heart rate average ~120, my zone 1).

With a fresh battery, 20 miles with ~1500 feet on day 4 using mid assistance almost all ride, used 50-60% iirc.

Definitely got a 630 battery in the Megawatt?

Change the tyres

+1 My heritage recovery Levo has markedly better range with a fast-rolling rear tyre. Also, messing about with the assistance settings – if you can – makes a noticeable impact on battery snaffling, just reduced eco and trail – or whatever they’re called – by 10% or so and make a little more effort.

The bikes are pretty similar. Big heavy DH casing tyres and 5mm more travel but otherwise not much difference.

Just re-read this part – are you saying that both bikes had DH tyres are just the Mega? If the latter, then yes that’ll be making a fair difference

I can get 30 miles out of my 6yr old tech Kenevo with a 2.8 Eddy Current on the back and a 504wh battery (@92% health) so 464wh. This is with the right settings to manage the battery

Using higher mode percentages and in trail all the time it will be well below 20 miles.  Most of my rides are between 2-3k ft climbing

It’s a 25kg plus bike and I’m 80kg kitted.

So weight, settings and use of modes does make a massive difference. As will tyres

I’m roughly the same weight as you and ride a 2021 Levo with a 500w battery. I’ve extended the range of my bike by a good 25% by dialling down the Eco and Trail modes. My last biggish ride covered 50km with 800m of climbing and was pretty much a 50/50 split between Eco and Trail modes ( I use Trail mode predominantly on the long ride home from the trail), and I got home with 15% battery to spare.

Like others have said, I think tyre choice / pressure makes a bit of a range difference, but by far the biggest boost I’ve given to my e-bike’s range has been by significantly reducing the assist and making my chubby wee legs take up the difference.

Definitely got a 630 battery in the Megawatt?

the lower level models only have the 504wh battery. Comp version for example

Is it the difference between an EP801 (they still say EP8 on the casing) and an EP8? From demoing them in Santacruz’s the EP801 had noticeably more top end power at the expense of battery life.