The　dynamic　regimes　and　the　energy　harvesting　of　the　bistable　energy　harvester　based　on　the　bistable　piezoelectric　composite　laminate　are　elaborated　here.　To　identify　the　all-around　dynamic　regimes　and　assess　the　bistable　energy　harvesting　performance,　the　forward　frequency　sweep,　the　reverse　frequency　sweep　and　the　resistance　sweep　are　conducted.　The　peak-to-peak　frequency–amplitude　response　curves　on　the　displacement　and　the　voltage　output　are　graphically　presented.　The　single-well　vibration,　the　limit　cycle　oscillations,　the　intermittency　between　the　limit　cycle　oscillations　and　the　chaotic　snapthrough,　the　intermittency　between　the　multiple　periods　snapthrough　and　the　chaotic　snapthrough,　the　multiple　periods　snapthrough　and　the　chaotic　snapthrough　are　elaborated　by　the　Time　history　diagram,　the　Phase　diagram　and　the　Poincare　map.　The　dynamic　regimes　are　graphically　presented　delivering　the　stability　zone　for　the　dynamic　responses　and　the　optimal　region　for　the　energy　harvesting.　The　RMS　power　output　and　the　Max　voltage　output　are　checked　to　be　the　value　judgements.　Due　to　the　softening　nonlinear　effect　and　the　hysteresis,　the　conspicuous　biases　between　the　forward　and　reverse　frequency　sweeps　are　found　to　exist　illustrating　that　the　limit　cycle　oscillations　expand　the　bandwidth　of　the　double-well　regimes　during　the　reverse　frequency　sweep.　From　the　perspective　of　the　energy　harvesting　capacity,　the　limit　cycle　oscillations　are　demonstrated　to　be　optimal,　the　double-well　responses　generally　outperform　the　single-well　responses　concerning　the　off-resonance　and　the　single-well　responses　concerning　the　primary　resonance　around　the　reduced　modal　frequency　may　outperform　the　double-well　responses　except　the　limit　cycle　oscillations.　The　load　resistance　is　crucial　to　the　power　generation　performance　and　needs　optimizing　with　the　change　of　the　external　excitation.　The　load　resistance,　the　external　excitation　amplitude　and　frequency　are　interrelated　and　can　be　optimized　simultaneously　for　the　maximum　power　generation　efficiency.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd