Empulse Motor Efficiency
The peak efficiency on of the Empulse's electric motor depends on the RPM. The peak power depends on two factors; the mode and the RPM.
| Mode | Peak Efficiency | Peak Power |
|---|---|---|
| Sport | 5,000 RMP | 5,000 RMP |
| Normal | 5,000 RMP | 7,000 RMP |
Contents
Efficiency
In order to get the most range at a given speed, the motor should be run at it's peak efficiency RPM, which is 5,000 RPM. Note that vehicle speed is the most important factor when determining energy consumption, so going slower will usually provide more range. However, for a given speed, selecting a gear to keep the motor at 5,000 RPM will give the most range.
Power
When the motor is operating at peak power, the bike will be able to accelerate fastest. Peak power depends on the mode and the RPM.
- Sport Mode
- 5,000 RPM
- Normal Mode
- 7,000 RPM
That means that acceleration as fast as possible in Sport Mode, the gear change should happen soon after 5,000 RPM, while in Normal mode, the gear change should happen closer to 7,000 RPM.
Notes:
- During the break in period, the motor should not be operated at more than 3,500 RPM or 5,000 RPM (See Empulse Break In Schedule for details).
- In Normal mode, the shift light will start lighting up at 6,000 RPM, so when running in Normal Mode at peak power, expect the shift light to be lit.
Acceleration
Aaron Frank (Motorcyclist Online): The torque output is digitally restricted until 4500 rpm, when it enters what Brammo refers to as a "continuous power region' where the curve remains essentially flat, without peaking or falling, right to the 8200-rpm redline. This makes the Empulse feels like it accelerates significantly harder, and for significantly longer, than any ICE bike with a similar torque output. It might only have a 100-mph top speed, but it feels like it gets there as quickly as any superbike.1
References
Brian Wissman (Brammo):
You should see the shift lights on the dash progressively light up from left to right after you pass about 6,000 rpm.2
You should target about 5,000 rpm in either Normal or Sport modes for peak efficiency. Just know that in Normal mode, you'll need to run to about 7,000 rpm to hit peak power. In Sport mode, the peak power and peak efficiency coincide at that same 5,000 rpm. This is simplifying things a bit as the efficiency is also related to the load on the motor, but I think this is a good "rule of thumb" for riding the Empulse effectively.3
