E-bike battery care

The care of your e-bike battery is one of the most important things you as an e-bike rider can do: correct battery care maximises the range, capacity, and service life of the battery. The number of charging sessions your battery will give you is high, but if you take good care of the battery, you can make that number even higher. In this entry of the Lexicon, you will learn how to charge your battery correctly, what you need to keep in mind when caring for your e-bike battery, and how to prevent it from being damaged.

How do I charge an e-bike battery correctly?

The lithium-ion battery typically installed in e-bikes will give you between 500 and 1,000 complete charging sessions, depending on the model. In order to maintain the charging capacity in the long term and to generally take care of the battery, you should do the following things when charging your bicycle's battery:

  • always use the original charger
  • never completely charge or discharge your battery
  • if possible, charge after every journey
  • store at room temperature (between 10 and 20 °C)
  • store your battery at a charge level of between 30 and 70%

When charging, be sure to use the manufacturer's original charger, as this is best suited to your battery. In addition, you should never completely discharge and recharge your e-bike battery; if possible, charge your battery after each ride. If you do not use your battery for an extended period of time, for example if you do not ride in winter, you should remove the battery and store it at room temperature (between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius). Try to keep your battery at a charge level of between 30 and 70%. The battery may gradually lose its charge over the course of prolonged storage. This means that while you are storing your battery, you should check the charge level regularly and recharge it if the charge level has fallen below 30 percent.

What do I need to keep in mind about the care of my e-bike battery?

An important part of battery care is to avoid exposing the battery to extreme temperatures. Both extremely cold and extremely high temperatures can have a negative effect on the battery. If possible, remove your battery from the e-bike in winter and store it at room temperature; likewise, do not park your bicycle in direct sunlight in summer. Battery care also includes cleaning the battery. Do this with a damp cloth only and avoid using abrasive cleaning products. Immersing the battery in water or using a high-pressure cleaner can damage the battery. If the contacts are dirty, have them cleaned by an e-bike specialist dealer. 

If you suspect a defect in your battery, you should also consult your specialist dealer or workshop. Under no circumstances should you open the housing of the battery itself, as this could damage the battery cells. The e-bike professionals in the workshop can diagnose any problems through the diagnostic jack. If, after a few years, you find your battery’s performance starting to deteriorate, buy a replacement battery from the original manufacturer.

What can damage an e-bike battery?

A big part of battery care is to avoid the things that can damage the battery. These include the following:

  • extreme temperatures
  • storage outside room temperature
  • allowing the battery to completely discharge (even by self-discharge)
  • cleaning with large amounts of water or high-pressure cleaner
  • using third-party chargers
  • always using high assist level while riding
  • demanding terrain

Additionally, your riding style plays a major role in battery care. If you are always riding your e-bike at a high assistance level, this demands that your battery put out a lot of energy and so puts a greater burden on it. Likewise, the battery needs to work harder in higher gears. Steep inclines in mountainous terrain or poor road conditions and surfaces such as sand or gravel also place a greater strain on the battery. If you want to save your battery, you should choose an economical assistance level as a rider and, if possible, ride on well-paved roads. 

Can an e-bike battery leak?

Unlike a conventional battery, it is not possible for the lithium-ion battery of an e-bike to leak. There is no battery acid in the bicycle battery that could leak. The e-bike battery contains only dry battery cells. If you still have the feeling that something is wrong with the battery of your e-bike, have it checked by a specialist dealer. Regular maintenance and inspection can also extend the life and range of your battery, and with it your riding pleasure. 

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