48V battery: how many cells? Voltage to S count chart
Short answer: a 48 V pack is 13 cells in series (13S), so the cell count is 13 × P — 39 cells for 13S3P, 52 for 13S4P, 65 for 13S5P. The voltage tells you the S number and nothing else; the capacity you want tells you the P number.
Short answer: a 48 V pack is 13 cells in series (13S), so the cell count is 13 × P — 39 cells for 13S3P, 52 for 13S4P, 65 for 13S5P. The voltage tells you the S number and nothing else; the capacity you want tells you the P number.
The confusion is that motor and controller listings advertise voltage while battery listings advertise configuration. Both describe the same thing. Here is the conversion:
| Nominal voltage | Series count | Full charge (4.2 V/cell) | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 V | 10S | 42.0 V | Original and commuter e-bikes |
| 48 V | 13S | 54.6 V | The dominant modern voltage; most conversion kits |
| 52 V | 14S | 58.8 V | Higher-performance conversions, some cargo bikes |
| 60 V | 16S | 67.2 V | Fast commuters, heavier cargo |
| 72 V | 20S | 84.0 V | High-power builds, some tricycles |
Our own housings are rated across 36 V to 72 V, because the case is an empty shell — it does not care about the voltage, only about whether the cell block and the BMS fit inside it. That is worth stating plainly: a housing has no electrical rating at all. What varies across the range is capacity, and that is a physical question.
Why 48 V became the default
Almost every conversion kit sold now is 48 V, and it is the voltage our range is most often specified for. The practical consequence for anyone ordering a case is that 13S is the series count to plan around, and 13S boards are longer than the 10S boards that most moulds in this industry were drawn against — which is the origin of a great many fitting problems.
What the voltage decides about your case
- The BMS length. 13S and up needs more internal length than the 10S figure on the drawing. Budget 30–50 mm above the 10S allowance, plus mounting space.
- The number of cell groups. 13 groups of cells, laid out to suit the housing's interior rather than in a straight line, so the shape of the block is determined by the format.
- Nothing else. Cable exits, mounting points and shell material are the same at 36 V and 72 V; the shell does not know the difference.
Working back from the voltage to the case
Take your voltage, convert it to S, decide the P from the range you need, then check the two independently. A 48 V (13S) pack at 4P is 52 cells — that will sit inside any of the larger downtube or Hailong moulds. The same 48 V at 6P is 78 cells and needs a mid-size housing or above. On 21700 the arithmetic is identical but the interior takes roughly 30 % fewer cells: a Hailong-pattern case that holds 117 on 18650 holds 80 on 21700.
The voltage comparison lists what each voltage implies for housing choice, or go straight to the case selector with your numbers.
Common questions
How many cells are in a 48V battery?
How many cells is a 48V 13Ah battery?
Is 48V 13S or 14S?
Does a battery case have a voltage rating?
How many cells in a 72V battery?
Send us the pack and we will confirm the fit
Cell type, series and parallel count is usually enough. If the answer is that none of our moulds fit, we will say so rather than sell you the nearest thing.