What are some of the main things you should focus on and study before buying an electric scooter? It’s the battery. That’s really simple, but what to check which one’s the best, and how long do electric scooter batteries last?
This knowledge is necessary because an electric scooter’s energy is from the battery. A larger battery with high capacity will increase the distance traveled and make your e-scooter last longer.
Now you might wonder what factors play a crucial role in making the battery last longer and the things that drain it quickly.
We’re going to provide the exact details for that. Let’s start!
How long do electric scooter batteries last in general?
An electric scooter’s battery can last from 6-7 months to even 5 years but speaking on average, it can last up to 2-3 years which is a good time span, but you can increase it too.
A better way to know about the lifespan of these batteries is by looking at how many charge cycles a battery can sustain. A good quality battery will have around 400 charge cycles, but some premium ones can also have up to 1000 charge cycles.
Also, these numbers may sound few, but generally speaking, people usually charge their electric scooters thoroughly once or twice a day, so your e-scooters will last longer than assumed.
There are a lot of factors that can increase or decrease these figures. We’re going to discuss them in detail.
Factors on which battery life depends
Given below are the factors on which battery life depends:
1. Type of battery
There are three main types of battery used in electric scooters: nickel metal hydrate (NiMH), sealed lead acid (SLA), and lithium-ion battery (Li-ion). Each type of battery has its own benefits and drawbacks that can affect the lifespan of the battery.
The type of battery you use will ultimately affect how long your electric scooter’s battery will last. If you want your electric scooter to have a long lifespan, you should consider using a lithium-ion battery.
2. Battery brand
The brand of any equipment matters a lot. A battery manufactured by a reputable brand speaks a lot about it. Years of experience and secrets are combined to make the perfect battery for an electric scooter.
That’s why a high-quality branded battery will last longer compared to other local or Chinese companies.
You should always make the right choice and avoid saving just a little cash. Making the right choice, even if it’s a little out of budget, will prove to be the better one in the future.
3. Battery specifications
The easiest way to look at the details of a battery is by reading its specifications. Looking at its voltage and charge capacity is the first thing to do. Having a larger capacity has two positive aspects.
Firstly, your battery will last a long time, and secondly, the number of charge cycles will increase.
This adds up to the quality of the battery, as mentioned above. Another thing is its voltage. A high voltage input from the battery makes the motor more powerful and drives it faster. This greatly enhances the performance of your electric scooter.
All of this makes battery specifications essential to increasing its lifespan, and knowing about them makes the decision process much more manageable.
4. Battery usage
This is a pretty easy one and is basically related to the way you use your electric scooter. The more you use it, the more quickly it will drain.
Charge cycles are often reached quicker than expected because people charge their devices quicker to always have that 100% level. This is not recommended.
Any battery should be charged fully, and then you use it until it reaches its last percentage. After that, you may complete another charge cycle. This makes the battery last longer than usual.
5. Battery care
If you take care of a thing, it automatically has a larger lifespan. The same is the case with batteries.
Make sure that you are an excellent scooter owner that will practice the proper habits and let your scooter rest in between rides so that no extra pressure is put on its components.
The complete tips and guidelines to follow the right way of taking care of your battery are given below.
How to make your electric scooter battery last longer?
Following the proper techniques and taking care of your battery will yield fruitful results.
1. Avoid reaching the dead end
Don’t let your battery get drained to 0%. This is one of the most negative things you can do to your battery. Every time you do this, the next time you use your battery, it will drain faster than before.
Newer lithium-ion batteries are made in such a way that if you take them to 0%, they will appear as if they are nonfunctional now. You’ll need another type of charge to make it normal again.
This saves the battery from having the harmful impact of taking your electric scooter’s battery to a dead end.
2. Charging your scooter after usage
Whenever you use your scooter after you’ve completed your ride, make sure to charge it. Many scooter batteries inform whether the scooters are capable of this or not. If there is no specific warning, charging it this way will be suitable.
However, this doesn’t mean you should charge it immediately after usage. Always leave your electric scooter to rest for 15 minutes to half an hour.
This way, the heated battery gets normal, and afterward, plug the charger so that the battery is cool when you charge it. A heated battery put to charge has adverse effects on its health which is the last thing we want.
3. Keep it away from water
Increasing battery life isn’t achievable, but sustaining or decreasing it slowly can be done. One thing that all brands agree on is to make sure that you don’t ride your electric scooter in rainy or wet areas.
Now you might think they are water resistant, so why this issue? You are right, but this is just a minimum level of water-resistant.
Water contact with the battery can be dangerous as it’s susceptible to water exposure. It may lead to corrosion or wear and tear, draining the battery faster than expected.
4. Avoid using batteries in hot or cold temperatures
Going to extremes with your battery isn’t favorable for it. There is a specific optimum temperature range in which your battery runs the best. If the conditions are too hot or too cold, this can adversely affect your battery.
Around 20 C is an ideal temperature for your battery to work, and when you take your e-scooter in an environment having a temperature below zero or higher than 40 degrees, the performance of your device is compromised.
5. Use an original charger
Like the battery being branded, its charger should also be the original. Cheap copies in the market can be less expensive. Still, they are not built to be suitable for providing the battery with the right charging, affecting its performance.
If your original charger gets damaged, buy another one from the same company. If you can’t do this, at least read the specifications, so you don’t have to face any problems.
Final thoughts
It’s clear that the battery is a vital part of an electric scooter, and its good health has a direct impact on the electric scooter’s performance. A battery will lose its maximum capacity after the mentioned charge cycles.
However, there are a lot of ways that determine this and many habits that can increase it. To have the best experience, make sure to follow these habits.
Happy Riding!
