How to calculate the road slope? How to calculate the road slope?

How to calculate the road slope?

Very useful parameter when selecting an electric vehicle is the maximum slope overcome. Here the explanations on the types of ascents and type of vehicles to be used.

To calculate a percent slope simply you apply the following formula:

  • Just take a one meter shaft, a spirit level and a plumb line. Put the rule horizontally checking with the level, and then write down how long is the plumb wire, this distance will be the searched percentage.
  • Make attention don't confuse percentage and degrees. A 100% slope is a 45° slope (try with the just explained method!).
  • WARNING: Gradeability for vehicles is measured in percentage, and it differs from the slope in degrees, for example, a 100% slope is a 45 degrees slope. The slope in percent and the slope in degrees are DIFFERENT.
Alke' - How to calculate the road slope?

Table of correspondence between percentages slope and degrees slope:

Slope in percentages Slope in degrees Vehicle type
5% 2,86 degrees all electric vehicles
10% 5,71 degrees all electric vehicles
15% 8,53 degrees all electric vehicles
20% 11,31 degrees Alke' electric vehicles
25% 14,04 degrees Electric utility vehicles ATX340E
30% 16,70 degrees Electric Vehicles ATX320E
35% 19,29 degrees Off road electric vehicles ATX330E
up to a 100% up to a 45 degrees Off road 4x4 vehicles

 

Alke' Electric Utility Vehciles - How to calculate the road slope?

 

Is maximum slope the only important parameter?

No, we must also consider how long it's such an uphill climb to overcome a 10-15 meter such as a ramp to the garage or in hospitals is very different from facing a climb of a hill with an electric car.

Incredible off road electric utility vehicle challenging the hills

 

Vehicles and slopes:

Very often our customer ask us what is the best vehicle that best fits depending on the terrain and climbs to be tackled, we here a brief summary:

Garage ramp All ATX 310E and ATX 320E have no problem, because they are optimized for that situation.
Slope of an embankment An electric vehicle is able to deal with departures from standstill uphill smoothly.
Dunes slope or sandy soils must have an Alke' off-road electric vehicle ATX 330E with trim and off road kit "Alkè sand".
Hilly paths uphill 400mt n this case it becomes necessary to have an ATX 330E and we must analyze the length and terrain characteristics.
Dirt up and down For the dirt road you must have an ATX 330E and you have to go and analyze the slope of the most insidious that should not be above 35%.
Off Road - up to 100% gradient In this case the best vehicle is an 4x4.

 

Alke' electric vehicles - Slope percentage

Recommendations to better tackle the slope with different road surfaces

In addition to the percentage of gradient of the slope that you have to face with the vehicle, another important element to know in order to make the right evaluations on the most suitable model, is certainly the type of terrain, because the dirt road has some difficulties more than a paved road.

Slope Description
Slope asphalt This slope is the easiest to address because the power required is constant.
Slope on dirt with holes The presence of holes increases the slope so if you stop inside a hole is required in the event missed departure to go back.
Ascent steps The steps increase the slope of the hill so if you are greater than 7 cm. necessary to construct the tracks so that the slope is constant.
Ascent steps with hairpin The hairpin is the critical point of a climb as it is missing a run and also it has the maximum slope, so it is here that we must calculate the slope of the hill.