You should know how to care for your lithium-ion batteries in the cold. This is an essential skill to avoid having to replace the whole battery unit. Whether you’ve got an electric bike or a smaller vehicle like an electric scooter or skateboard, the treatment in cold weather remains the same. Extreme temperatures have adverse effects on the moving parts of a vehicle and reduce their efficiency. So, it is good to learn the best ways to care for your battery before reaching the cold times of the year.
I turn to a group of e-bike lovers from Snapcycle. Snapcycle is established in California with a variety of fat-tire electric bikes suitable for all terrains including snow. Below are a few tips from the team to help you maintain your battery health during the winter.
1. Charge your battery higher in cold weather to get better performance
It might sound counterintuitive because many people don’t like to charge above 90% or even 80% because they think it can help lengthen the lifetime of their battery, and that’s true. When your battery gets cold in the winter, this leads to a drop in performance. Therefore, the voltage capacity might start falling below the normal range. So, if you start with an already lower charged battery, you’re going to get extra low performance, and it might be worth your while if you need that performance to charge up to 100% in winter.
If you are concerned about preserving the battery’s health, charge it up to 200% before going out. This way, you are not leaving your battery at full charge all the time.
2. Now the second tip is about discharging
When you expose the battery to cold, it discharges, especially below -4°F or -2°C. So, in this weather, you should store the battery inside to avoid discharging. Due to its internal resistance, it is unlikely that the battery’s temperature drops below the dangerous level, at below -4°F or -2°C. Anytime you are using a lithium-ion battery, it generates some heat all by itself.
So, bikers can use this to their advantage in those colder temperatures. If the battery stays above the bottom cut-off, or you are unsure of where it is, carry out some tests. You can try a laser or infrared thermometer to check the battery temperature during a ride and make sure it’s staying above the bottom cut-off.
3. Never charge a lithium-ion battery below zero degrees Celsius or 32 Fahrenheit
If it is freezing, do not charge the battery. The best way to deal with this is to bring the battery in if you can. For instance, if it is removable like the Snapcycle R1/ R1 Step-Thru/ S1 bikes, you should take it to charge inside at room temperature. The issue with charging when it is too cold is that this affects the lithium plating inside the battery. Therefore, while the battery might charge, you are doing irreversible damage to the cells. It is not advisable to power up the battery below freezing conditions.
If it is below 5 degrees C or 41 F, you do not want to charge fast. It is best to charge as slowly as possible until the temperatures are above about 5 degrees C or 41 F. A fast charge could result in damage to the battery unit, which you discover when trying to start your electric bike.
4. Do not leave the battery charged at 100%
A lot of people do this without realizing it. They usually leave the e-bike with a full-time charge from the last ride, then forget about it all winter. This is bad for the battery because it sits at full charge for a long time, degrading the lifecycle capacity. So, it is advisable to drain some of the e-bike’s battery power through simple activities before storing the vehicle. You can discharge it to about 90% by running it around for a few minutes.
However, the most ideal battery level is about 50% charge because that is an excellent storage voltage, and it’s not going to cause long-term damage. Strict compliance to this could be just what saves you from that trip to the technician.
Lastly, tip number five is not really about batteries, but all of these personal electric vehicles in general. We understand that you have to take extra caution in the winter
5. Do not push it too hard or put yourself at risk knowing it is icy out there
Every skilled biker knows safety is of paramount importance. This is why you should consider slowing down or even leaving one of these vehicles at home and finding another alternative, once you find the conditions aren’t great. It’s never worth pushing through if the weather conditions are extreme. Ride safely out there, folks!
Riding in the snow can be some of the most rewarding and fun rides you can do. It gives you a chance to exercise and stay fit, while also seeing new places and making new friends. We advise all bikers to protect their e-bike battery from cold weather to avoid unnecessary expenses. So, if you enjoy the outdoors; hunting, fishing, boats, ATVs, Quads – Anything like that, you could check out the Snapcycle fat tire electric bikes and contact them if you want to know more.
Also read: Are Road Bikes Faster Than Hybrid Bikes?
