On every electric scooter or electric bike, the battery must be refilled (charged) similarly to the fuel tank. This means that anyone who rides an electric two-wheeler must know the ways of maintaining and prolonging the battery life to assure your ride is a smooth one.Before using the OEM charger, the battery must be charged according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Before connecting the charger to a wall outlet, you must first remove the protective cover from the charging socket on your two-wheeler and connect a charger to the battery to start the charging process.

An indicator light on the charger is included with every electric motorcycle. During the charging process, the battery’s status and full charge will be clearly displayed.

Following the steps mentioned below will ensure your battery last longer:

• Use a dry, well-ventilated space to charge the battery
• Turn off the power switch before charging your bike.
• Charge your battery at least two hours before and two hours after your trip.
• Never leave a battery in a discharged state for any length of time.
• Make sure you are always using the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) charger provided by Etech Motors.
• Avoid exposing the batteries to heat, flame, or water at all costs.
• The charger and battery should not be removed.
• Keep the battery from being subjected to extremes of heat or cold.
• Discontinue charging immediately if you smell burning or notice excessive heating.

Don’t forget these tips if you want to extend the life of your electric bike or scooter’s battery.

What Kinds of Batteries Are Used in EVs?

All of the electric two-wheelers on the market today use lithium-ion batteries, similar to those found in your smartphone or laptop. The types of batteries differ, however: nickel-free LFPs (lithium iron phosphate) and nickel-cobalt manganese oxide NCMs (high-nickel.)

The Tesla Model 3 employs nickel-free LFP, which is often less expensive and safer and has longer battery life. This sort of battery is used in some long-distance two-wheelers, as well as electric taxis and buses that must be low-cost and long-lasting. More expensive two-wheelers, such as electric Cadillacs and Porsches, would employ high-nickel compositions.

Do All EV Batteries Act the Same?

This is when things become difficult. Depending on the two-wheeler, the same battery may have a drastically varied life duration or performance.

There are so many variables and because of all these considerations, it’s difficult to conclude which two-wheeler is superior to another. From the standpoint of batteries, there are only two options: nickel-free LFP or high-nickel NCM.

Can an EV Battery Be Overcharged?

Some EVs will warn you if you have exceeded your daily driving limitations. You definitely don’t want to totally charge it or entirely empty it. You want to avoid less than 10% and more than 90%. You don’t want to go from fully charged to completely depleted.

EVs, like mobile phones, are becoming wiser in managing that issue sensibly and assisting you in avoiding shortening the life of your battery through either overcharging or depletion.

What Causes Battery Degradation?

LLI (loss of lithium inventory) occurs when different processes remove lithium ions from circulation. “Solid electrolyte interphase” (SEI) lithium is plated onto the anode of a new battery during the initial charging cycle, which quickly depletes around 10% of the available lithium. Loss of active material (LAM) occurs when the electrodes deteriorate, resulting in fewer places for the lithium ions to connect to. Capacity fade is solely influenced by the worst of the above, however, the effect of both types is cumulative in creating power fade. Mechanical stress arises when the electrodes’ volume changes by up to 10% due to “lithiation” and “delithiation.” This swelling and shrinking can lead the SEI to “exfoliate” and break, removing additional lithium from circulation as it re-plates.

Battery Aging and Degradation Types

The University of Michigan battery study took into account both calendar ageing and cycle ageing with usage. It also concentrated on two types of battery degradation: capacity fade (when the number of amp-hours of energy that can be stored decreases) and power fade (when the battery’s internal resistance in ohms increases, slowing the pace at which energy can be shoved into or taken out of the battery). Power fading affects an electric two-wheeler’s driving performance—acceleration, gradeability, and the pace at which it can be recharged—either by the brakes or a charger.

Methods to make your battery last longer

Many prospective (or present) electric two-wheeler owners appear to have reasonable worries about the battery life expectancy of EVs. Previous experience with small consumer electronics and old(er) battery-powered equipment indicates that the batteries in our EVs will not last long and will render the two-wheeler uneconomical to run or repair within a short period of ownership.

The truth is that contemporary EV battery management systems are optimised to lengthen battery pack life, which is how certain manufacturer warranties may be extended to as long as 8 years.

Let’s go over the things you may do to increase the battery life of your electric two-wheeler. You may get more information on the tips listed above here.

Whenever possible, only charge up to 80%

If you can cover your usual everyday driving within that range, then 80 per cent is a fair objective. For most individuals, the standard range of EVs is sufficient for daily journeys. For lithium-ion batteries, a full charge is not ideal. Another advantage is that this allows for the storage of energy through regenerative braking.

You may normally reduce your EV’s maximum charging limit via the onboard computer or your EV charger. As needed, consult this guide to enhance the EV range. Keep in mind that there are several free charging stations for your EV.

Control the best battery charge status for long-term storage.

Electric two-wheelers that are parked or kept with an empty or full battery damage the battery. If you don’t use your electric two-wheeler frequently or have a long journey planned, invest in a timed charger and plug it in. If you leave your two-wheeler at full charge while parked somewhere for an extended length of time, the battery will struggle to maintain its level of charge while you are gone. One technique is to set the charger to retain the charge just over the low point, rather than filling it all the way to the full capacity, with an average charge level between 25% and 75%.

When parked, limit your exposure to exceptionally high temperatures.

The most common threat arises when exposed to severe heat when parked disconnected. The automatic temperature management system placed in your electric two-wheeler may drain your batteries unnecessarily to maintain maximum performance. While this performance should only be used when your electric two-wheeler is on the road and utilising its battery, park your electric two-wheeler in the shade or plug it in so that its thermal management system only uses grid power, and ensure a steady range of temperatures throughout the operation.

Fast charging should be avoided.

If your batteries are about to die, using a quick charger is a huge time saver. However, it injects a large amount of current into the batteries in a short period of time, which stresses and depletes your EV battery faster. While it is difficult to see the degradation, eight years of regular charging will offer you 10% greater battery life than eight years of rapid charging.

Used EV Batteries

Used EV batteries can still be used. After 8 to 12 years in a two-wheeler, EV batteries might be removed and used as solar home power systems or diesel backup generators. If correctly maintained, batteries in this lower power, less demanding applications might give an additional 6 to 10 years of service.

Used EV batteries might potentially be used to aid the electrical system by shifting renewable generation and reducing peak demand. Two-wheeler makers are also evaluating used batteries for two-wheeler charging infrastructure, which might help to reduce battery prices and deliver a better value to customers. Second-hand batteries might also be utilised to promote community-led energy solutions to cut emissions and boost resilience, as well as to manufacture new batteries using renewable energy.

Conclusion

Electric two-wheeler batteries have advanced significantly, and faster and less expensive methods of charging your EV are now being developed. Because of the advancement of lithium-ion batteries, two-wheelers can now go hundreds of miles on a single charge and last hundreds of thousands of kilometres.

Hundreds of thousands of kilometres are more than enough for most individuals, but now you know how to maximise the potential of your EV battery.