If you have to brave subzero temperatures every winter, you may be wondering, “How do I properly care for my e-Bike battery all over the long winter?”
Well, an e-bike’s battery life decreases in both; extremely cold and hot temperatures. However, in the cold, e-bike batteries require some extra attention. Since battery gel hardens when it gets chilly, extra care is essential.
Ignorant nature might have a negative impact on the life and efficiency of your e-bike’s battery. To keep your battery life from falling apart, it is important to keep it warm in winter.
In the spring, you can quickly and easily get your cycle ready for the seasonal ride. All you need to do is take a few preventative measures. How about a ride in the snow? Here comes the real challenge!
Don’t worry, we have some basic knowledge and expert advice for you. Following the upcoming tips, you will be able to take care of your e-bike’s battery like a pro.
Let’s get into this!
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Cold Slows Down Chemical Reactions In Lithium Battery
Temperatures below freezing point can have an adverse effect on lithium-ion batteries, which is an essential part of e-bikes. The battery’s power decreases with the increase in cold weather. This can result in shorter journeys and an overall decrease in the performance of your e-bike.
As temperatures drop, the chemical reactions within these batteries slow down, resulting in decreased efficiency. This slowdown not only reduces the battery’s ability to hold a charge but also diminishes its power output, leading to a noticeable decrease in the range and performance of the e-bike.
Incredibly low temperatures are just too good at compromising your battery’s integrity. In the worst case, it may even stop working altogether.
You didn’t like reading that, yikes! But, we have some good news coming.
Tips for How to Keep Electric Bike Battery Warm in Winter
We think you should go for an e-bike ride at least once every two weeks, especially if you live somewhere with a cold winter. Alternatively, keeping your e-bike in the “running” position can help you keep it fit.
Here are some expert tips for keeping your e-bike battery warm this winter. Following these will make sure you cycle without any issues whenever the mood strikes. Have a look below:
Use a Battery Cover
One of the easiest ways to keep an e-bike battery warm in winter is by using a battery cover. Also, it functions in the same way that a wetsuit does when diving in the ocean.
The cover’s insulating properties keep the battery warm and the damaging elements at bay. Using a battery cover and keeping it inside will allow you to get a lot more miles out of your e-bike’s battery.
Check battery covers from Amazon
DIY Insulation and Heating
An insulated case could keep a battery warm during transit or storage. Protecting electronics from moisture and sub-freezing temps with foam or other materials is a good idea. Batteries should also be stored in an environment free of dampness, as this can cause them to short out or corrode.
Given the remote risk of combustion that comes with all Li-ion batteries, keeping them in specially designed fire-proof bags can be another helpful safety measure. But it usually depends on the length of storage.
Also, wrapping your battery in a cloth or towel can act as emergency DIY insulation. It is a great idea if you ever find yourself stuck in cold conditions. Make sure it’s safely packaged before you head out.
Store Battery and E-Bike Indoors
Keep your e-bike battery toasty and ready to go all winter long by storing it away from the cold. You can preserve and extend the battery’s capacity and lifespan by storing it in a chamber where the temperature is not somewhere around freezing.
Read also: How to Store an E-Bike?
The gel inside the battery will harden if you leave it outside, which will postpone your next day’s trip. According to experts, the outdoors is a terrible place to leave your e-bike or its battery in the cold.
Keep your battery in a warm place, ideally between 50 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit (10-25 degrees Celsius). It is the optimal range for maintaining your batteries’ health and readiness for a sudden ride.
Extra Steps for Keeping E-Bike Battery in Good Condition in Winter
Here are some extra steps to take for your beloved e-bike, in case the above ones are not sufficient:
Charge the Battery Before the Ride
If you own an e-bike and live somewhere too cold to ride in the winter, you should maintain the battery charging between 50 and 80 percent. Also, don’t forget to store at a temperature of 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.
To get your battery down to about 75%, you can either charge it to 100% and then take a short trip, or you can just charge it until it reaches that level. Moreover, every three months, give the battery a test and a 75% recharge if it needs that.
Avoid the Battery Drain Completely
By maintaining a full charge, you can keep the battery from being over-discharged and ultimately dead. There must be an optimal ambient temperature and range for charging to occur without damaging the energy storage system of your e-bike.
Therefore, we recommend waiting until the battery has cooled to optimal temperature before charging it. Avoid draining the battery to zero. Instead, recharge it whenever the percentage drops below 10%.
Conclusion
Now that you have all the basic principles for taking care of your -bike’s battery, let’s recall the cliff notes.
First thing first, you should always keep your e-bike battery in a warm area. Secondly, protect it with a battery cover, and ride your bike less often during the winter. This will ensure that it continues to function even if it is left out in the cold weather all day.
Moreover, it is crucial to insulate or heat your e-bike’s battery during the winter, especially if you want to use it all year long. All you need to do is keep the battery out of the cold, away from moisture, and in an optimum environment. In other words, it’s as simple as counting to three.
Your e-bike’s battery will last longer if you perform routine maintenance on it. For example, charging it regularly, avoiding short circuits, avoiding extreme temperatures, and storing it in a cool, dry location when not in use.
Keep in mind that your e-bike battery may not work as well in the winter due to the colder weather and bad road conditions. But at the same time, with some proper care and upkeep, your e-bike battery can last all year long!
