Not that I do it often or sustained, but I have throttled to start rolling in as high as 5th gear (44t - 17t) with the BBS02B without issue. If memory serves, I think it typically draws about 10a - 12a. I do have my global amp set to 20a and the throttle set to feather in gently starting at 5%
It's either my knees or the controller... and I think I can more easily replace the controller. Though if the controller fails far out on a ride... it may require both
I'm fairly new to this Bafang mid-drive game, but from the experience of many as viewed on these forums, a good deal of the "death by electric boogeyman" in the earlier days of the BBS01 and 02 may not be as huge as it once was. I'm not promoting the constant, abusive flogging of a newer BBS02, but they do seem open to a little more gnar than they used to be.
I recently converted a very good quality full suspension MTB with a BBSHD for real, honest-to-gosh mountain biking where I'm on and off the pedals and not always having the luxury and/or gumption to be johnny-on-the-spot for my gear selection. I'm also on the thumb throttle occasionally in a rock garden or the start-from-stop on a steep trail climb where I need to get clipped into the pedals. Over a little time, I've been able to glance down at the 500C display to see the watt numbers, and this thing has never pushed toward the HD's limit...and wouldn't have done so with a BBS02 model.
Granted, these forums are full of riders and operators of all kinds of use and application. My mountain biking...even with a little abuse...is probably no comparison to a rider starting on a long uphill with a heavily laden cargo/utility bike of some kind. I'm seeing all kinds of types of rigs that mid-drive and hub motors are being applied to. It's a big field and it would take a huge blanket to cover them all with specific directions and advice. I'm getting comfortable enough with seeing my power needs that I'm thinking of converting my other high quality MTB with a BBS02 instead of another BBSHD.