E-bike in winter – correct maintenance and (battery) storage

Battery care is of great importance for the efficient supply of energy to the bike. Our batteries are made of lithium-ion cells, which have no memory effect. This means that these batteries can be recharged at any charge level, not just when they are completely empty. This battery technology also has a long service life – which depends on the number of charging cycles and the type and duration of use.

Our batteries also have a battery management system – BMS for short. Its main tasks are

• Uniform charging and discharging of the individual cells
• Temperature monitoring of the battery
• Charge protection – charging up to a maximum value
• Discharge protection – discharge to a safe minimum value

However, the self-discharge of the battery cannot be prevented by the BMS. Although the self-discharge rate is very low, it can cause irreparable damage to the battery cells – despite the slow process. It is therefore important to note that the optimum charge level for a longer storage period is between 30 and 70%. We strongly advise against connecting the battery to the charger for the entire storage period (permanent charging process).

If the e-bike will not be used for a longer period of time, the battery in particular should be stored properly. This applies not only during the winter months, but all year round. To do this, it should be removed from the battery rail or the bike. The optimum storage temperature is between 10 and 20°C, whereby the storage room should be dry and the battery protected from direct sunlight. The e-bike itself (without battery) can be stored both indoors and outdoors as long as it is protected from rain and snow.

In a nutshell: Yes! In addition to any necessary winter equipment (spikes), 3 things should be taken into account with regard to the battery:

• Always charge the battery at room temperature
• Only attach the battery to the bike immediately before riding
• Remove the battery after the journey and only charge when it has reached room temperature

If you want to gently “wake up” your battery after a long period of hibernation, you should fully charge it, then drive it empty and fully charge it again afterwards. This will help your BMS to calibrate and calculate the battery capacity.