HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR E-BIKE BATTERY DURING WINTER

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE AND STORAGE

Both excessive cold and excessive heat are not good for e-Bike batteries. Living in areas where the temperature drops to a minus extreme, you are concerned ‘How to properly take care of your e-Bike battery throughout the long winter?’

Well, the e-Bike batteries need some special care in the winter season. This can be supported by the statement that the gel used in electric batteries tends to stiffen in cold temperatures. Thus, affecting the health and performance of your e-Bike battery.

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR E-BIKE BATTERY DURING WINTER?

Winter riding is great fun so we recommend e-Bike riding at least once in two weeks. Keeping your e-Bike in a running position will alternatively benefit you in maintaining your health. However, some people plan to store their e-Bikes for longer. Here are some tips for e-Bike battery winter care to get the most out of your battery.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 1: REMOVE THE BATTERY IF UNUSED

Don’t ride your e-Bike if the temperature goes below -4℉ or -20°C. Simply power off your battery, unlock it from the frame and remove the battery for storage. Keeping your e-Bike in a cold place will damage your battery. Maybe it’s not convenient for all of you to put your e-Bike inside the house, therefore, you are advised to at least remove the battery for storage when not in use.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 2: BRING THE BATTERY INSIDE.

You may need to go on a ride the next morning. If you keep the battery outside, the gel will become stiff causing it to delay your ride. You should never leave your battery powered on in the cold garage. Take your battery inside the house where you can keep it at around 50-77℉ (10 -25°C). This temperature range is best suited to keep your batteries in a healthy and ready-to-use state.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO.3: CHARGE THE BATTERY INSIDE

Never charge your battery at or below 32℉ (0°C). Charging your batteries below zero may seem fine outside but deep inside the Lithium plates you are causing irreversible damage to the Lithium-ion batteries. Give your battery a couple of hours to warm up at room temperature before plugging it to charge. This will allow a healthier charging at normal speed. Remember to remove the plug on time. Keeping your battery plugged in for a long will damage the battery plates and decrease life expectancy.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 4: MAINTAIN THE BATTERY PARTIALLY CHARGED

You should never store your e-Bike battery in a fully charged or fully discharged state. Simply follow the 30-80 rule. This means keeping your battery level between 30-80%. To prolong longevity, this rule applies to year-round charging. Keeping your battery in a fully charged state all the time will affect the battery range over time. First, you need to charge your battery to 100% then take a short ride to drop the battery near 75% or simply charge your battery to around 75%. Also, check the battery status after 3 months and if necessary, charge it again to 75%.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 5: STORE YOUR BATTERY IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT

While storing your battery, make sure the place is not humid. It must be a safe indoor location where the temperature is controlled at between 50 – 77 ℉ (10 -25°C). Avoid humidity by keeping your battery covered in cloth or an air-tight container/drawer.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 6: CLEAN YOUR BIKE BEFORE PUTTING IT AWAY

Wipe your e-Bike properly and lubricate the chain before storing it. That way your e-Bike will be clean and ready to ride for next season. Wash your e-Bikes with batteries installed. Don’t use a pressure washer on your e-Bikes. Check out How to clean and lubricate the chain of your e-Bike for better performance. 

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 7: CHARGE YOUR BATTERY HIGHER IN WINTER

If you are planning to take some rides to keep your e-Bike in running position then you should charge your battery higher. This may sound counterintuitive to the 30-80 rule. Also, a lot of people don’t like charging above 90% as it can help lengthen the battery life. The problem is that in winters the voltage will drop below what it normally drops to. To get better performance and complete your estimated ride, you need to charge up high before you go out.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 8: START YOUR BIKE INSIDE AT A HIGH TEMPERATURE

If you’re in an area with really cold temperatures, you can still take rides on your e-Bikes. Only you have to do is start your battery inside at a higher temperature. Because of the battery’s internal resistance, it produces internal heat that will keep the batteries warmer. It’s unlikely that the batteries going to drop their temperature to -4℉ or -20°C. Lithium-ion batteries can be discharged to the cold extreme but don’t discharge below this temperature. Also, the discharge mileage tends to shorten below 50℉ or 10°C.

E-BIKE BATTERY WINTER CARE TIP NO. 9: PRACTICE GOOD BATTERY MAINTENANCE

Some Good Practices to maintain the health of your battery include:
• Proper care and storage of batteries in extreme temperatures.
• Follow the 30-80% rule in terms of charging.
• Drain your battery completely at least once every three months.
• Practice the Battery Balancing Process before taking the first ride after long storage.

Additionally, We use a lithium battery, which technically can be overcharged, but if conditions permit, we still recommend that you unplug the power supply after it is fully charged.

WRAPPING IT UP

Both extreme temperatures (Cold extreme at -4℉ or -20°C and Hot extreme at 167℉ or 75°C) are damaging to the batteries of electric vehicles to some extent. Incorrect storage will lead to increased damage and decreased performance. Your e-Bike Battery winter care is important because the warranty will not cover your expenses if the damage is due to improper use, storage, or charging.

VELOWAVE e-Bikes use modified Lithium-ion batteries having excellent charge cycles and the lowest discharge rates. You can comfortably charge your e-Bike 1000 times, significantly much more than other competitors out in the market. Our e-Bikes provide long rides as can hold a charge for much longer than others. Simply, follow the above tips for e-Bike Battery winter care and enjoy VELOWAVE e-Bike rides to the fullest.