E-bike: Today, a modern e-bike hardly deters a cyclist. Switch on and jet off is the motto. But the e-bike battery remains a big unknown for many e-bike buyers. This roughly three-kilo heavy and incredibly expensive block on the wheel. What do I have to do in order not to have to spend several hundred euros on a new battery in a year – and is there a risk at all? What am I doing wrong? What do I absolutely have to consider?
From storage to charging, from range to service life: Thomas Raica answers the eleven most pressing questions about e-bike batteries. As an engineer at Bosch in the development department, Raica is responsible for working with customers in the field of e-bikes. He is also a passionate mountain biker himself, so he knows what he is talking about in every respect.
What distinguishes lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion batteries are among the most modern and most common batteries for pedelecs. Due to their high energy density, they can store more energy with a relatively low dead weight. Providers like Bosch always rely on lithium-ion technology for e-bike batteries. Weighing around two and a half kilograms, Bosch rechargeable batteries are among the lightest on the market and have the highest energy density.
How long does an e-bike battery last?
Lithium-ion batteries are not only light, but also impress with their long service life. The intelligent, electronic Bosch battery management system protects lithium-ion batteries from excessive temperatures, overloading and total discharge; so they are designed for many tours, kilometers and years of service. However, an exact service life cannot be predicted; this depends primarily on the type and duration of the stress.
How can you influence the service life of an e-bike battery?
In order to be able to use a battery for as long as possible, e-bike owners should follow a few simple rules about protection, transport and correct storage. This includes, for example, storing it in a dry environment and protecting it from direct sunlight at a room temperature of around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. The ideal state of charge for a battery is between 30 and 60 percent. Ideally, charging should take place at room temperature. When transporting, it is important to always remove the battery from the eBike and stow it safely in the car.
How long is the charging time of an e-bike battery?
The charging time depends on the capacity of the battery: With the standard charger, a 400 Wh battery needs around 1,5 hours for half a charge and the PowerPack 500 around two hours. A completely empty PowerPack 400 needs 3,5 hours for this, the 500 Wh battery around 4,5 hours.
How far does a battery charge last? And what does the range of the e-bike depend on?
For many e-bikers, these are central questions to which there are no generally applicable answers. The range is large: Less than 20 to well over 100 kilometers are possible with one battery charge. Many different factors have an influence on the range: the support level, driving behavior, air resistance, rider weight, tire pressure and of course the terrain. How is the soil condition? Am I riding on a paved road, dirt road or trail in the woods? Does my route include climbs and inclines or do I only ride on the flat? This all affects the battery range. If you are planning a tour, it is worth visiting the Bosch website. We have one there Range Assistant set up, which takes various factors into account and gives an indication of how many kilometers can be covered under the specified conditions.
What should you pay attention to in winter?
The following generally applies: cold reduces the performance of the battery. In winter operation at temperatures below zero degrees, it is therefore advisable to only insert the battery, which has been charged and stored at room temperature, into the e-bike shortly before setting off. If the e-bike battery is not used for a long time, such as in winter, it should be stored dry, cool and with 30 to 60 percent of the charging capacity.
What should you consider when caring for an e-bike battery?
To protect the electronic components in particular, a high-pressure cleaner is unsuitable for cleaning. We recommend wiping the battery with a damp cloth. The use of harsh cleaning agents, which can lead to changes in the surface, should be avoided. The battery should always be removed before cleaning the e-bike. The plug poles of the e-bike also need to be cleaned and lightly greased from time to time.
What is the correct way to charge an e-bike battery?
Lithium-ion cells can be charged for any length of time, regardless of their state of charge. The integrated battery management system in the PowerPack in conjunction with a Bosch charger protects the battery from overloading when charging. Interruptions in the charging process do not damage the batteries. An important clue: E-bike batteries may only be charged with the associated charger, otherwise irreparable damage may occur and any warranty or guarantee claims may expire.
How often can a battery be charged?
Even after 500 full charges, the battery has a high capacity. Then 60 to 70 percent of the original battery capacity is still available. In an ADAC test in autumn 2015, a Bosch e-bike battery was fully discharged and recharged 1.515 times before it only had 30 percent of its original capacity and was therefore hardly usable. This means that the battery would have been enough for the equivalent of up to 57.000 kilometers - i.e. for a distance that goes around the world one and a half times.
Where can I have a battery repaired?
High-quality lithium-ion batteries are complex, finely tuned systems that require special expertise and expensive production facilities to repair. A defective battery must therefore be replaced in almost every case. We recommend the following procedure: First, the dealer should determine whether the e-bike battery is actually defective, for example there is a fault in the electronics. Thanks to the battery management system and diagnostic tool, this is possible for the dealer. If the battery is defective, it will be disposed of in compliance with the safety regulations.
How are e-bike batteries disposed of?
Your specialist dealer will take care of the environmentally friendly and free disposal of a Bosch PowerPack. This is handled via the "Common Battery Collection System". In this way, valuable substances get back into the raw material cycle and our resources are conserved.