Will ABZO VS01's battery performance fare up well in Indian extreme weather conditions?
Known for its various climates, mostly extreme, India is characterised by scorching summers in plains and freezing winters in the mountains. Decades of testing and proving these conditions with traditional internal combustion engines have yielded great results. But electric vehicles, especially their batteries, can be sensitive to extremes of temperature. With a 5.04 kWh lithium ion battery the ABZO VS01 promises a range of 180 km on a single charge. But what will this performance do in a Rajasthan summer with temperatures over 45°C, or a Ladakh winter with temperatures below zero? Adverse effects to the battery's longevity with constant high temperature and humidity conditions? How does the thermal management system of the VS01 compare to other electric vehicles on the market?
The VS01 has ridden in Delhi summers and frankly did better than I expected. It did drop a bit from the range, but not much. The bike has some decent thermal management.
The battery tech is changing very fast. Performance will suffer with extreme temps, but it’s not as bad as people make you think. And you don't have to worry about your engine overheating in traffic jams!
I’m more worried about the long term. Yes, it may work fine now, but think about it in 2 or 3 years with no break from heat. That's the real test.
As someone who's been riding in Ladakh, I am skeptical of how it will perform at these conditions. Battery life is also killed by cold, and you can’t afford to be stranded in those remote areas.
ABZO should be more transparent about what they are doing for thermal management. How does it compete with established players like Tesla? The serious riders need that kind of info.
People are overthinking this, I think. Not many riders are going to 100 mile days all the time. It will be fine for daily use in the normal Indian weather.
The real question though is how it compares to other electric bikes, not petrol ones. I've seen from what I have seen the VS01 seems to handle heat better than some of the cheaper Chinese imports.
For an engineer, I am impressed with their battery tech. Indian conditions seem well suited to cell spacing and the cooling system. It’s not perfect, and it’s far from it, but it’s a good start.
Realistically, petrol bikes don’t work in extreme conditions either. With the VS01 at least you’re not too concerned about your engine oil thinning out in the heat.
I’ve heard they’re making a special “Himalayan Edition” with better battery insulation for cold weather. If so, that would change high alt touring.
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Discussions and Questions Will Abzo Vs01s Battery Performance Fare Up Well In Indian Extreme Weather Conditions
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