[BrianG]

To clarify, the wattage ratings that the motor can use/dissipate is the same no matter the number of cells.

When you increase voltage from say, 2s to 3s lipo, current will go up (assuming the same gearing), which will cause wattage to go up as well. If this wattage is higher than the motor can handle, then it will overheat. If you increase the cell count, and reduce the gearing, current can drop to approximately maintain the target wattage.

However, our setups are "peaky" by nature, so you'll have high power bursts, and much lower power for normal running. If you pull 1500w 1 second bursts every 5 seconds (20% of the time), then pull 250w for normal running (the remaining 80% of the time), your average power consumption is 500w.