Good questions. Yes, you can charge the battery from solar panels. If you search on RU-vid, you will see different people who have rigged solar charging options for Himiway bikes. Himiway does not sell a specific solar panel setup for charging, so you will need to do some legwork to make it happen. If you choose to pursue solar charging please research methods and apply electrical safety measures at all times. Lithium-ion batteries are susceptible to fires when you start to explore different charging options, or using third-party chargers could increase fire risk. You can either create a solar array and then connect a DC-DC converter with the same output (54.6V-2-4A) to charge the battery directly from the panels. Solar arrays and charging are an entire topic in and of themselves, so some research and planning will be required. You also must ensure the charger is rated for Lith-Ion battery charging. Some brands like QuietKat sell solar array/chargers that are built with the charger included. You can also use a solar "generator" or similar setup that comes with panels, charger and inverter with its own battery pack. Options would include the Jackery, Ecoflow, or Anker and others. Then you can simply plug the Himway 110V charger into the solar generator. This is less efficient since the panels are charging the generator's battery, and then the generator is inverting the current up to 110V, then the charger is stepping it down to 54.6V. It is less efficient but requires less setup and electrical know-how than rigging a DC-DC charger and matching input/output so you can charge directly from the panels safely.
When will ebike manufacturers include an in-frame 'piggy back' battery socket to plug in 2nd battery mounted on the rack. Could be controlled by the computer display to auto switch to the 2nd battery when the main battery reaches a preset level or a manual selection. I see Wired has this 2nd battery standard on one of their bikes. I say this as the odds of these manufacturers continuing to supplying in frame replacement batteries is questionable, so an after market battery pack maybe the only way to keep an older ebike on the road. Plus it helps eliminate range anxiety as no one wants to peddle these tanks without motor assist.
Yes no one wants to pedal these without assistance! Himiway has another bike which features dual batteries - the Himiway Rhino and I have seen other brands offer dualo battery bikes or a range extender option. Vanpowers offers a hidden "waterbottle" second battery option, and I have also seen EBC offer a second battery pack hidden in the front rack. Those are a just a few options so it is definitely possible!
The motor is Himiway branded - 750W nominal 100W+Peak output with 86Nm of torque at peak. It is similar to the Bafang 750W hub motor, with the same specs. It could be a Bafang motor whitelabeled for Himiway, but I cannot confirm this. The warranty for Himiway is 2 year limited, It is good to note, though, that most of the components are not covered by warranty after 7 days of the first use, so it is mainly the frame and battery covered. This is pretty typical of the bikes. Most warranties like this will cover you when you first buy the bike in case a part malfunction quickly or does not work from the start. It gets challenging after using the bike because many parts are deemed wear items and will be charged to the user for replacment if they break while in use. Heres the warranty info with fill terms. ca.himiwaybike.com/pages/warranty
750w is not legal in the UK although Govt. consulting on increasing legal limit to 500w. This e-bike is popular with deliveroo/just eats riders London Eats and Pompey Bites on RU-vid who use it. This is a hub drive motor driven e-bike.
@@BikeRidecom yes, unfortunately ☹️ A 25 or 28 mph top speed isn't an important requirement for me, but for the same power going through it, a 750w motor will be under a lot less stress than a 250w one, and would last longer. Cheers 👍
Hello thanks for this detailed video! I want a long range battery E-bike for delivery services but im in UK so i need 250 watt 20+A battery. Which E-bike would you recommend? thanks!
Great questions, I am trying to find a 250W e-bike with a 20Ah battery for you, but I am having some trouble! Being based in the USA we do not see 250W motors often except on some of the road inspired bikes we have dealt with like the Urtopia Carbon 1. Did you end up finding any good options? Would love to know more about the types of bikes that are available in the UK
You are correct - this is the first gen Himiway Zebra which only has a cadence and speed sensor. The Zebra for sale currently has now been upgraded to a new version called the Zebra - D5 or the Zebra D5 Pro and are the two Zebra's advertised on the website.
@@BikeRidecom thanks for the reply. I thought I'd mention it as it is an important (to me, anyway) difference in features, and both the Zebra and Fiido Titan are bikes that I'm very interested in. I've heard, but am having trouble finding, that Himiway also do a mid-drive Zebra which I'd imagine also has a torque sensor? Thanks again 🚲👍
@@tonypaddler Stay tuned because we will be releasing a review on the Fiido Titan bike in the near future! The new Zebra D5 Pro has a mid drive motor (with torque sensor) and the Zebra D5 has a rear hub motor. Other bikes that have a torque sensor are the Cobra and Cobra Pro, the new Zebra D5 and D5 pro, Rhino Pro to my knowledge, all mid-drive units use an integrated torque sensor to control motor function
@@BikeRidecom oh wow, thanks for that info. I can shortcut straight to those bikes and check out the specs. I'm in the UK and was also looking at a Cube Reaction Hybrid 750 for its large battery and chunky 2.6" tyres but I'm hankering after both a fat-bike and an Ebike so the Zebra and Titan are ideal candidates. Thanks very much again 🙂👍 Yes, all mid-drive motors do indeed use torque sensors. For my use of these fat Ebikes a rear hub motor is fine, as long as it's got torque sensing. Ultimately I just need a big battery range with pedal assist and capable of soaking up disused railway lines and mild gravel.
Check our price tool at the top of this page. It's got the best current price on the Zebra and a 60$ coupon code for you to use! www.bikeride.com/himiway-zebra/
The range test was completed using maximum pedal assist (level 5) and minimal throttle. Whenever a bike can be ridden comfortably we attempt the range test with maximum pedal assist only. If the bike does not pedal comfortably, like the mini or moped style e-bikes we will swap to a throttle only range test.
@@BikeRidecom thank you very much. I have battery range anxiety and I haven't even bought the bike (Zebra) yet! 🙄🙂 I'll probably have to run a second battery in parallel. Cheers 👍
@@tonypaddler The 20Ah batteries with the Himiway bikes are some of the largest so you should be ok for range in most situations! I know after 30 miles in the saddle I am ready for a break at least!
@@BikeRidecom I'd buy the Himiway Rhino, 30Ah, to make sure of range but they don't ship to the UK. The Aniioki AQ177 Pro Max has a single 60Ah battery, that would definitely cover my mileage in one charge but I don't like the style of it and fitting two rear panniers (a necessity) looks impossible. I regularly pedal 50+ miles a day off-road on my clockwork MTB or gravel bike to have a picnic somewhere different each day, and only want an Ebike for the days when I'm struggling to be bothered to go out. A bit of electricity would give me a jumpstart 😁 I'm 6'3" and 240 pounds and judging by the range tests of RU-vid reviews I think I'd get about 45 miles maximum using mainly pedal assist 1, sometimes 2, without throttle. I'll probably just buy the Zebra and see how it goes as I need an Ebike asap. Thanks again for all of your help and quick replies, it's much appreciated 🚲🙂👍
Check out the full review page for all the in depth specs on this bike: www.bikeride.com/himiway-zebra/ The original Zebra does not have a torque sensor, only a cadence/speed sensor. The new upgraded version (Zebra D5) does come with a torque sensor on the upgraded version. Stay tuned; we are going to release a review of the new Zebra D5 soon!
@@ScomelbassesYes, you are correct the battery is 11lb. We have had the bike on the Thule T2 Pro XTR rear rack with no issue despite the bike being over the recommended limit for the rack of 65lb per bike. With bikes this heavy though a rack featuring a ramp, or a pivot action to bring the bike closer to the rack would be helpful!
I see that with my non plug-in hybrid vehicle of taking extra gas engine hp/tq to recharge the battery with the extra power left over from powering the electric motors. I don't think we have enough extra leg power on average to recharge and power the electric motor with ebikes? The best we can do is regenerative braking or coasting downhill regen function with certain types of ebikes.
The Zebra was a "one size fits all" style bike and should fit users up to approx 6'5". I found the bike comfortable at 6' tall and could see additional space for taller users. It is a large bike by definition so I can see it fitting someone your size. As with all bike sizing, it could be best if you have a chance to check out the bike in person and see how it feels for you, or check the geo measurements against a bike you currently own which is comfortable for you.
