Its 9 am Mr. Jimmy packed his bags and got on his electric scooter to reach his office.
As he picks up the speed, the soft morning breeze is running-down through his hair. Jimmy says to himself, “I guess this is called happiness.” And right at that moment, the bike just stopped slowly with a beep-beep tone.
Jimmies heart just skipped a bit as he looked at the notification saying, “You are running out of charge”. Jimmy sat down by the road, thinking about how he’s going to convince his boss from firing him.
Now, do you blame the battery or Jimmy? Well, a battery is just a battery. But you are not a goddam battery? Come on!
He messed up because he was unrealistic enough not to find out how to make electric scooter battery last longer. If you don’t want to be in the same position as Jimmy, this article is for you.
Know Your Electric Scooter Range and Battery Capacity
Before buying your favorite scooter, you should have a transparent idea about its range and battery capacity. You would want to make sure that its range matches your average daily travel distance. Otherwise, you will have to suffer. So, yeah, “know before you go.”
The most vital information that you need to know is ampere-hours. They are also known as Ah and the voltage of your scooter’s battery. You should find such info written on the vehicle’s specification. Well, the easiest method is researching your desired scooter online before you go to buy it.
You will see that some scooters even have their watt-hours described in their specification. Don’t worry if there’s isn’t any, as you can easily get it by multiplying the amp hours by its voltage. The most important thing here is knowing its range means how long it’s able to with a fully-charged battery.
The range of a scooter usually relies on its model, battery type, and motor. A quality scooter should be able to go at least 15.5 miles on a fully charged battery. However, this number may vary on some other matters such as fast acceleration, hilly terrain, max speeds, light uses, and hard braking.
Crafting some good riding habits can help you extend your scooter’s battery life such, as having plenty of stooping time and accelerating minimally.
6 Rules How To Make Electric Scooter Battery Last Longer
The battery of your scooter plays one of the essential roles in its overall performance. The battery defines how far you would be able to go on your scooter and who wouldn’t like to travel an extra mile further.
To get a good backup from your scooter battery, you need to know some basic rules. So now, the question is, how to make electric scooter battery life longer? Here we have come up with 6 rules for you that can extend your scooters battery life:
- How long does it take to charge an electric scooter?
- How often do electric scooters need charging?
- Technical Guide: Electric Scooter Batteries
- Maintain electric scooter battery life
- Troubleshoot the battery
- Buyers Guide to Electric Scooter Batteries
How Long Does it Take to Charge An Electric Scooter?
How long your scooter’s battery will take to charge fully depends on the type of the power source, battery type, and model. Charging on your home’s typical electricity would likely take much longer than a public vehicle charging source. And you should know lithium battery takes much lesser time to charge than conventional SMF batteries.
An average electric battery-powered scooter should take around 5 hours to charge fully. Your scooter should have a battery indicator where you can see how much charge is left. On a single charge, an average scooter should be able to go at least 18 miles.
How Often Do Electric Scooters Need Charging?
You should charge your scooter’s battery once per 30 days. Also, you need to know if you ever decide to leave your scooter idle for a long time. In such a case, keep at least 40-50% charged before leaving it. When you leave your scooter idle for around three months without charging, you may damage the battery.
Technical Guide: Electric Scooter Batteries
In this section, we will be discussing some technical guides you need to know about your electric scooter battery:
Electric Scooter Battery:
In your battery-powered electric scooter or kick scooter, the battery is something like a fuel tank. Nowadays, most electric scooters come up with lithium batteries as they have a great energy density and longevity. Scooters that are designed for kids and other budget models come up with lead-acid batteries. The bigger the battery, the more power it usually has, and the more powerful it is, the further your scooter will go. However, having a bigger battery means the size and weight of your scooter will also be bigger. And that makes it much less portable.
Battery is one of the most expensive parts of your scooter. Generally, there are three types of batteries for a scooter. Down-below we will have a broad discussion.
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Lithium-Ion Battery
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Sealed Lead-Acid Battery
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Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery
Lithium-Ion Battery:
Lithium-Ion is the most advanced battery technology you can find for your scooter. So, they are likely to a bit more expensive than other types, but it’s worth it. They also offer more advantages than others such, as a lightweight design, don’t require a frequent charge, moderate maintenance and, lasts longer.
They come up in two variants one is lithium iron phosphate and the other standard type battery. Comparatively, they are safer.
Sealed Lead-Acid Battery:
Sealed Lead-Acid technology is usually found in older models of the scooter. Using this battery can bring down the price significantly. Because of their heavier weight, they have lost their popularity. However, they are still doing well in the auto industry.
Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery:
Compared to the sealed lead-acid battery, they are much lighter still, nowhere near the Li-ion batteries. They are the 2nd most popular battery choice for scooters after Li-ion batteries. When it comes to getting a scooter under budget price, this can be an ideal choice.
Maintain the Electric Scooter Battery Life:
Scooters’ batteries don’t require much maintenance and, that’s the best thing about them. You don’t have to tune-up, apply grease, or top up with oil in an electric vehicle making them a perfect choice for short trips.
However, if you don’t handle them with care and don’t follow the proper charging method, you won’t get their best performance. Here are some tips for you to maintain good battery life:
- Don’t let the battery go down less than 10%. The suggested range is 40%.
- Have a good idea about your scooter’s battery capacity and range
- When it’s done charging, disconnect it from the power source asap
- After a long ride, leave your scooter idle for at least 30 minutes before charging.
- Before you decide to leave them idle for a long-time keep at least a 40% charge
- Use the authorized charger for the model of your scooter only.
- Keep them away from an extremely hot or cold environment.
- Following these guidelines will keep your scooter’s battery good for years to come.
How to Test Electric Scooter Battery: Troubleshoot the Battery
The most common reason your scooters may end up working is the damaged battery. Charging and discharging the battery constantly for a long time reduces its charge holding ability.
Usually, today’s modern scooters will notify you automatically when the battery needs a replacement. But you should inspect the battery connection just to be sure they are secure and connected correctly. Surprisingly, at times, just fixing the loosened-connection or placing the battery at the right place will fix the issue.
If you find no issue with the connection, then the next thing you would like to check the battery voltage by using a multimeter. And if the battery is showing less than 11.8 voltage, the battery has less than 25% charge.
Further charging should fix the issue. But if not, then your battery charger may be defective and needs a replacement. Charging the battery is a piece of cake and you can get a new battery from your local scooters service center.
Best Battery for Electric Scooter – Buyers Guide:
You don’t have to think much when it comes to buying a battery for your electrical-scooter. For e-scooters, there are three types of batteries you can find. The type of battery your scooter needs depends on its model. So, before purchasing a battery for your scooter, you should have an idea about its battery compatibility.
In most, the modern scooter Li-Ion battery is used. The good thing about this type of battery is they are lightweight and lasts for a long time. So, if you want something compact and lightweight, then this is a perfect choice. But remember to ensure it supports your model of scooter.
We wouldn’t recommend you getting any sealed lead-acid batteries as they are pretty much backdated. Also, they are heavyweight and will reduce the speed of your scooter significantly.
In case if you are under a tight budget, then the nickel-metal hybrid battery could be a perfect choice. They are comparatively lightweight than sealed lead and also last much longer than them.
No matter whichever category you select, make sure the battery is fresh. So, how do you know if it’s fresh or not? It’s quite easy; you can find the manufacturer’s info written on the battery body. Just check the manufacturer’s date and don’t buy it if it’s more than 6 months old.
Electric Scooter Battery Replacement Cost
You may already know that battery is one of the most expensive materials of your scooter. It may even cost more than the scooter’s engine! The cost of the battery varies on its category. For example, a Li-Ion battery would likely cost more than others. An average scooter battery may cost you around 150-300$.
Extra Tips On How To Charge An Electric Scooter Battery
Here are some extra tips for your scooter’s battery charging. Following these tips will keep the battery safe and secure:
- Before you plug the battery into the scooter, plug it into the power source and, when done charging, unplug it from the power source first.
- Charge the battery after every ride, whether it’s short or long.
- For a quick charge, you can use a fast rate battery charger (3Amp-6Amp). They can recharge the battery fully within 2-3 hours but you won’t get good longevity.
- To keep your battery safe and secure, use only the recommended charger.
- For a longer battery life-span avoid using fast rate charger
Final Words
You see, taking care of your scooter’s battery is not as difficult as climbing amount. They say, “If you take care of things, they last longer.” and the same goes with your scooter’s battery. With proper care and maintenance, your electric battery can last for years to come.
So, if you know the hacks of how to make electric scooter battery last longer, it gets effortless to get more out of your scooter battery. Keep this piece handy and follow the tips we shared here for maximum benefit. Another article based on electric scooter maintenance, you can check it out!
