Batteries

[karen]

What is the difference between 36V12A and 36V16A? I know its a difference in Amp, but how will I know/feel the difference on the bike? Is it the same range?

[Hardcore]

More range and maybe faster acceleration. But also more weight

[dirk pitt]

to be clear, you have to understand how it works:
This is not 12A or 16A but 12Ah or 16Ah
the voltage of a battery being (nearly) constant, the "volume" of energy it is able to contain is described by the current it is able to deliver over 1hour
obviously then, delivering 12A for 1 hour is less energy than 16A for 1 hour
but is the real current you need is 4A, then the first battery (12Ah is able to deliver it for 3hours(12/4) when the second (16Ah) is able to deliver it for 4 hours(16/4)
last point the real max current that the battery is potentially able to deliver for a short time does NOT really depend on the capacity (12Ah or 16Ah) but on the type of battery. some 10Ah batteries are able to deliver 100A for a very short time, some are not.

I hope this clarify things.

[Cornelius]

But continuous Max Power are also important in our case with these batteries from GM I think...

The single cells in the GM batteries are rated at 10A continuous, there is 3 paralleled series strings in the 12Ah battery, giving 30A continuous, and 4 paralleled series strings in the 16Ah battery, giving 40A continuous.

Some of the GM motors can often use up to 30A continuous, but never 40A continuous, so the BMS might shut off the battery because of overheating when the 12Ah are pressed hard... (A long uphill ride for example...)

Edit:
Another point:
One has more range with the 16Ah than the 12Ah battery, but it also takes longer to charge. (For most of us, since GM delivers the same 2A charger for both 12Ah and the 16Ah battery. )

Everything has its Pro's and Con's...