E-bikes battery care during the winter – everything you need to know

E-bikes are currently popular and their popularity is rising from day to day. This exceptional vehicle, which comes as a much more advanced and upgraded form of the traditional bike, has taken over the streets all around the world. And this boom comes from the innovation and the benefits that the bike itself provides to the riders. The pedal-assisted mode as well as the E-bike battery that powers the motor, is a great option for riders of different age groups.

Caring and maintaining E-bikes' good shape comes down to regular services and care. One thing that concerns many when it comes to winter and the E-bike is the proper care of the battery. During the wintertime, depending on where you live, the temperatures can remain below freezing for a long time. For some, this is enough of a pointer that the E-bike should go in storage. Although this might be true, maintaining the good shape of the bike comes down to carrying about its very important part – the e-bike’s battery. That is why the debate over the proper care comes down to if you should bring the electric bike’s battery inside, r you should charge the bike several times through winter.

An important thing about batteries is to know that most of them are lithium-ion. These batteries are not good when it is freezing outside not with extremely high temperatures. Here are some useful tips that will help you properly care for the E-bike’s battery during the wintertime.

Store the battery inside

Storing the e-bike outside, in places such as the garage or shed, which is not heated, can reflect poorly on the battery. The low and cold temperatures get the battery cold too. The gel that can be found inside the battery will stiffen up and that will result in the range availability. This is truly inconvenient if you are planning a long-distance ride. As storing the bike inside might not be a very convenient choice, due to the lack of space, a good option to preserve the life of the battery during the wintertime is to remove the battery from the e-bike and bring it inside, in your home. This should be done when the bike is not used anymore. The E-bike itself can remain in the shed or the garage and it will not have problems with the cold weather, but the battery should be inside. When the time comes to ride the E-bike, just re-charge the battery as normal as you do.

Charge the battery inside, with the matching charger

Another important point, connected to the storage of the battery inside, is charging the battery inside too. If you charge the battery in the cold space or outside during the wintertime, the charging process will not move as freely as smoothly as it should. Because of the temperature, the battery will struggle to achieve the full capacity with the charge. It will most defiantly affect the range of the battery, and it will never again reach the full charge. This will also reduce the lifespan of the battery. When charging inside, make sure that the battery should be left at room temperature for several hours. If you are keeping it inside, then you can immediately proceed with charging. Also, always use the matching charger for your battery. Other chargers are not good for the battery and they might damage it.

Remove the battery if you are not riding the E-bike

If you decide that you will give your E-bike a pause during the wintertime, for whatever reason, then, it is best to remove the battery from the bike and store it inside, at room temperature. For the best possible battery care, when removed, charge it to around 60% capacity. This is the best percentage to keep the battery life, when not using it.

Keep the battery well-maintained

Another important thing that is not so connected to the temperature is battery maintenance. The well-maintained battery comes down to having regular practice to run the battery completely flat. This should happen at least once every three months. This practice will help, keep and protect the maximum charging capacity as high as possible.

Don’t let it get wet

Preserving a good E-bike battery life depends on keeping it dry. That means that should be aware and careful so that it does not get wet. Getting wet here refers to it submerging into water, not getting wet by the rain. The snow melting in winter can form ponds of water, and when riding you need to be careful and avoid them. When the E-bike is stored inside, the battery itself should be stored in a dry place.

Winter riding

Too much cold or too much heat is very bad for the E-bike batteries. That is why riding an E-Bike below 4 degrees F is not suggested. The lower temperature decreases the range capacity, so, you will cover less distance with the same charge you used compared to the summertime.

These are just some regular useful tips that will save and prolong the battery's life during the wintertime. It is always good to be extra careful when it comes to e-bikes and their batteries in winter. Carrying for the battery means carrying for the bike too. So when you do store the battery do not forget to clean and check the bike too. Your E-bike should get a winter check over. Make sure that the lights are working properly since the days become shorter and the night falls quicker than in the summertime. Also, keep the bike as clean as possible from the dirt that might accumulate. This can happen in the dry areas that allow free movement. Use oil to keep the chain in the best possible condition after you perform the cleaning.