How Long Do Electric Scooter Batteries Last? 5 Tips to maximize the battery life
- Read Time: 13 min
The battery is the heart of the electric scooter and the single most expensive part. How long battery life you can expect from your electric scooter is a relevant question many have. Your battery pack will have x amount of lifecycles. Once those have been reached it will start to lose potency.
How long does an electric scooter battery last?
Typically, and with proper maintenance, an electric scooter battery will have an average lifespan of 300-500 full charge cycles. This usually takes 2-3 years for the average user. If you ride much more than that, then time is not as relevant but rather how many times you can charge your battery.
Knowing how to properly charge and take care of your battery will make sure you prolong your lifecycles.
Lower-quality batteries might run out of puff after 1 year and a good quality battery can last up to 5 years.
A battery can only be recharged and deliver max power x amount of times. After a few hundred times of recharging, it starts to lose its potency.
A full charge cycle means charging a fully discharged battery, i.e from 0% to fully charged 100%. This is rarely the case for the average user.
Most likely, you will charge from half full to full. That means you will do 600-1000 cycles.
If you ride every day, expect between a year and two years before it's time to change the battery.
If you ride less than that and charge it every second or third day, it will probably last longer than 2 years and maybe even double that, if you take care of it properly.
What does battery life depend upon?
A battery works best at room temperature, 20°C/68F.
Below 0°C/32F and above 40°C/104F you will see the performance drop significantly.
Let your battery cool down after usage, half an hour or so before charging. It will prolong the lifespan.
Never charge it in direct sunlight, as the heat might start a chemical reaction that in the worst-case scenario might cause an explosion or in other ways totally ruin the battery.
How can I prolong my electric scooter battery life?
First on this list is to never let your battery become fully discharged. Every time a battery gets fully drained, it loses some of its battery lifespans and wears out faster than it would otherwise.
Charge it frequently, meaning every time, even after shorter rides, unless your manual says something else. In any case, charging it every day when used, is recommended according to experts.
And as mentioned above, let the battery cool off after usage before recharging.
Know Your Scooter’s Range and Battery Capacity.
Knowing your scooter properly means knowing what range you should expect and what battery capacity you have. If the range drops it's time to charge the battery.
Don’t Overcharge Your Battery.
Leaving the battery charger unattended for longer periods of time is not recommended. Even though many chargers have a cut-off mechanism when the battery is full, there is still a chance that the battery might get damaged or cause a fire.
Charge Your Electric Scooter Battery Before Storing It Long Term
For longer storage, detach your battery, keep it at dry room temperature and charge it fully before stowing it away.
Always Use the Correct Charger for Your Scooter Battery
If you ride longer distances you might need to charge more than once per day. It might be tempting to get a fast charger. Make sure to get an original one from your manufacturer. Never ever charge with a different volt or charge capacity than your battery is specified for.
Additional good to know stuff about batteries
A battery needs attention and the right maintenance to perform at its best. Some specifications like voltage and charge capacity can affect the lifespan. F.e. a battery with a larger charge capacity will be able to keep more power so you might not need to charge it as frequently. That means fewer charge cycles and prolonged battery life.
The higher the Ah measurement (Ampere hours) the longer the lifespan. But the motor is also a factor to consider. If the battery has a higher output voltage the faster it will release the power to the motor. And if the voltage is close to the motor's limit, the motor will drain the battery as fast as it can.
And the faster it gets drained, the sooner you need to recharge it using up more cycles, which shortens the battery life, and so on.