Electric scooter battery charging : follow the tips below for a good condition and long life of your battery.
Important remark:
An important part of the price of an electric scooter is determined by the battery.
On cheaper Chinese batteries, with which most scooters are equipped, there is only a 6-month warranty….
Electric scooter battery charging time
Most standard electric scooters come with a charger that delivers 2 amps of charging current.
The average charging time is easily calculated by dividing the battery capacity (Ah) by the charging current.
Example: charging a battery with a capacity of 10Ah with a charger supplying a charging current of 2A is charged after 10/2 = 5 hours.
The most common battery used in an electric scooter is a Li-ion battery.
What is a Li-ion battery ?
Li-ion stands for lithium-ion. A Li-ion battery is made of light metals and has a high energy density. This means it provides a lot of energy for its mass.
That’s why you’ll find it wherever size and weight matter: in your phone, laptop, drills and other cordless tools, and more.
The battery of an electric scooter consists of several Li-ion cells divided into parallel and serial sections. A BMS (battery management system) manages the charging and discharging process and monitors the temperature of the cells.
Electric scooter battery maintenance
Here are some important tips for keeping your e-step’s battery at its best:
Charging the battery on time
Never let a Li-ion battery drain completely. If the charge drops below 5%, the battery may be damaged.
The battery is protected against this, the BMS system switches off the battery when this 5% limit is reached.
Never stock with low battery level
If you are not going to use the scooter for an extended period of time, such as during the winter period. Then make sure your battery still has a charge of +50%. The higher the charge of the battery, the faster it begins to oxidize inside when not in use = not conducive for lifetime.
Never leave your scooter for several months with a battery that is as good as dead ! The battery will always lose some of its charge. There is a very good chance that the battery will go below its minimum level. And the Li-ion cells in the battery can be irrevocably damaged as a result. In addition, the BMS system will prevent the battery from recharging.
Do not open the battery
Never attempt to open or repair the battery yourself. Leave this to specialists! In some cases, a defective battery can be repaired by replacing or reactivating defective cells.
Don’t leave your scooter outside
Don’t leave your scooter outside An e-step is only splash-proof (IP54). So an e-step is only resistant to “water splashes. Water may enter the display or battery compartment during heavy rain. Water in the battery compartment can cause short circuits and fire!
During the winter months, temperatures can drop solidly. Freezing temperatures are pernicious for the battery! With large temperature differences, the cells in the battery expand, causing them to leak.
Li-ion batteries should not be charged at low temperatures (<0°C). It will damage the battery.
Other tips
- Always fully charge the battery to 100% when using it for the first time.
- Under normal use, the life of the Li-ion battery is about 500 charging cycles.
- If the charge can be maintained between 20% and 90%, it has a great effect on the service life.
Up to 1000 charging cycles are possible then! - A good rule of thumb is to charge the battery when it has about 20% of its capacity left.
- Let the battery cool down before charging and do not store it in a place that is too hot, such as in direct sunlight.
- Capacity loss (18-22% per year at 22°C – 26°C) is significantly accelerated at higher temperatures.
Fast chargers
Be careful with fast chargers. A fast charger charges the battery with a higher charging current, allowing the battery to be charged faster. Excessive charging current adversely affects battery life. So be careful with this and preferably always use the included charger!
Most Li-ion cells used in e-steps have a maximum charging current of 5A. Definitely don’t go above this current.
