Battery Lifespan

How can you improve your battery lifespan?

After asking (*A) how many kilometers you can ride your bike on a full battery, the most frequently asked question we receive is: how long will the battery of my (*B) electric bike last? To give you the short answer: about five years. However, there are methods to make the battery of your e-bike lasts a lot longer. By the end of this article, you will know how long a battery lasts, how to properly maintain your battery and how to extend its life!

How long does a battery last?

Just like any electronic device, our batteries also suffer from wear and tear. This means that the capacity of your bicycle battery slowly but steadily decreases no matter how well you take care of it. In addition, after each charging cycle, the battery ages a bit and loses capacity. This is because slowly draining (discharging) and charging the battery accelerates the aging process. All in all, a Li-ion battery lasts about 500 charging cycles. This means that you can charge the battery from 0% to 100% 500 times which equates to about five years of normal use. 

Fortunately, there is good news as well: in fact, you can extend your e-bike's battery life by taking good care of it! You can do this in several ways. The most important thing is that your battery is always sufficiently charged and that you store it properly. But you can also put as little strain on your battery as possible while cycling. We are happy to explain it to you.

E-bike battery charging

Use the original charger

It’s always encouraged to read the owner's manual first. Our e-bikes are always delivered with a (*C) compact manual. This manual describes exactly how to handle your battery and how to charge it. Always use the supplied charger. It has an integrated BMS to protect against overcharging. If you use a charger from another brand, you may damage the battery.

Recharge after every ride

Because our Li-Ion batteries do not suffer from the so-called "memory effect," you can recharge the battery at any time without sacrificing battery life. Our advice is therefore (*D) to charge your battery after every ride. This way you ensure that the battery can make full use of every ride and prevent your battery from secretly draining.

While riding your bike

Want to maximize (*E) range and enjoy the battery for as long as possible? Then there are a few things you can do while cycling.

Tire pressure

Make sure your tire pressure is in order. This is because too low tire pressure means higher rolling resistance and a battery that drains faster. We recommend inflating your tires to about 4.5 bar. 

The right gear

The higher the support and heavier the gearing, the more energy the bike needs from the battery. This is why it is important to adjust your gearing to your riding. Think of it as shifting gears while driving a car. The ideal pedaling rate while cycling is around 50 revolutions per minute. This means that your pedals make 50 rotations per minute.

Driving off from a standing still

In any case, make sure that when you stand still, you pedal away in a light gear and set your assistance level to one for a while. Pedaling away from a standstill requires a lot of energy from the motor. By doing a little more work yourself, you put less strain on the system. This increases your radius and ultimately you can cover more kilometers.

Ensure proper storage

Because your e-bike battery discharges slowly (self-discharge), it is important to store it properly. If you do not do this (*F) deep discharge can occur. This means that the battery goes into hibernation mode and is damaged beyond repair.

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To avoid this annoying condition, there are a few things you can do:

1. If you are not going to use your e-bike battery for two months or more, charge your battery between 60% and 80% and do this again every two months.
2. Also, make sure you have a well-insulated environment with the right storage temperature of between 20° and 25° Celsius.

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My battery is dead suddenly - now what?

It may happen that your battery runs down faster than expected. Due to the natural aging of the battery cells, you will be able to travel fewer and fewer miles with a full battery. Cold temperatures will also reduce your range. If your battery fails irregularly with no logical explanation, please contact (*G) one of our dealers.