As an environmentally-conscious consumer, you’ve decided to purchase an electric scooter to reduce your carbon footprint.
However, before investing in this emerging technology, you want to understand what to expect regarding battery life.
How long will a single charge last? How many charging cycles can you expect from the battery before needing replacement? These are important questions to consider before making your purchase.
This article provides an overview of lithium-ion battery technology used in most electric scooters today and estimates you can expect from a typical scooter battery.
We explore how factors like battery capacity, power output, rider weight, terrain, and temperature impact range per charge and overall battery life.
You’ll gain insights to determine if an electric scooter can meet your daily transportation needs before you buy.
Let’s get started and take a closer look at what to expect from an electric scooter battery.
What Factors Determine Electric Scooter Battery Life?
Several factors determine how long an electric scooter’s battery will last before needing to be replaced.
Usage and Charging
The battery life of an electric scooter depends heavily on how it’s used and charged.
More frequent use and incomplete charging cycles can reduce total battery life over time.
For the best battery health:
Charge your scooter after every use or when the battery level falls below 30%.
Avoid draining the battery completely whenever possible.
Do not leave your scooter uncharged for extended periods.
Charge at least once a month even with infrequent use.
Battery Type
The type of battery used in the scooter also plays a significant role.
Lithium-ion batteries, the most common type, can typically handle 200 to 1000 charge cycles before capacity starts noticeably dropping.
Lead-acid batteries have a shorter lifespan of just 100 to 200 cycles.
Newer lithium battery technologies like lithium-polymer may increase cycle counts further.
Environment
Environmental factors like temperature and humidity can speed up battery degradation.
Storing and charging your scooter in extreme heat or cold will reduce its battery life.
The ideal temperature range is 65 to 80°F.
High humidity can also be damaging over the long run.
Age
Even with optimal use and care, lithium batteries will slowly lose capacity over time simply due to aging.
Most lithium scooter batteries will retain up to 80% of original charge after 3 years, and can last 4 to 6 years before a noticeable drop in range.
The aging process cannot be stopped, but you can delay it by following the best practices for usage, charging, and environment.
By properly maintaining your electric scooter’s battery, you’ll keep it running at peak performance for as long as possible.
Typical Electric Scooter Battery Lifespan Expectations
As an owner of an electric scooter, you’ll want to understand what to expect regarding battery life and lifespan.
The typical electric scooter battery can last between 1 to 5 years depending on several factors, including:
Usage and Charge Cycles
The number of charge cycles a battery goes through has a significant impact on its lifespan.
Most scooter batteries can handle 300 to 500 full charge cycles before capacity starts to deteriorate.
If you drain and recharge your battery more often, its lifespan will be on the shorter end of the range.
To maximize lifespan, avoid draining your battery completely with each use.
Storage and Temperature
How and where you store your scooter battery also affects its longevity.
Batteries degrade faster in extreme heat or cold, so avoid leaving your scooter in very hot or cold environments for long periods.
Storing your scooter in a garage or shed is ideal.
Batteries also lose capacity when left unused for a long time, so avoid leaving your scooter unused and uncharged for more than a few months at a time.
Charging Habits
Proper charging habits can help prolong your scooter battery’s lifespan.
Avoid leaving your scooter plugged in and charging 24 hours a day, which can cause overheating and reduce lifespan.
It’s best to charge your scooter after each use to around 80% capacity, and avoid draining or fully recharging the battery whenever possible.
Only perform a full recharge once a month or if you notice decreased performance.
By following the best practices around usage, storage, temperature, and charging, you can expect a typical replacement cycle of 2 to 3 years for an electric scooter battery.
But with diligent care and maintenance, some scooter batteries can last up to 5 years before needing replacement.
The key is avoiding extremes and maintaining an optimal operating environment and charge level as much as possible.
Tips to Maximize Your Electric Scooter’s Battery Life
To maximize your electric scooter’s battery life, follow these tips:
Charge Fully and Often
Charge your scooter’s battery after every 3-5 uses or whenever the battery indicator shows less than 50% remaining.
Fully charging the battery regularly will keep it in optimal condition.
Leaving an electric scooter uncharged for long periods can reduce the total battery life over time.
Avoid Extreme Heat or Cold
Store your scooter in a temperature-controlled environment.
Extreme heat or cold reduces battery efficiency and can shorten the battery’s lifespan.
Avoid leaving your scooter in very hot or cold conditions for long periods.
The ideal temperature range is 65 to 75°F.
Limit Trickling Charging
While keeping your scooter plugged in and charging when not in use may seem convenient, it can reduce the total battery life over time.
Only charge your scooter when the battery level shows less than 50% or after a few uses.
Fully charge the battery and then unplug.
Trickle charging for long periods should be avoided.
Change Riding Mode
If your scooter has multiple riding modes like eco, drive and sport, use the most energy-efficient mode for your needs.
The eco mode will provide the best range on a single charge.
Only use the higher power modes when needed for hills or when maximum speed is required.
Changing to a lower power mode when cruising or on flat ground can help extend your ride time.
Consider a Range Extender
If you need a longer range than your scooter’s battery can provide on a single charge, you can add an additional battery or range extender.
The range extender plugs into your scooter to provide extra battery power and can double or triple your maximum range.
When the range extender’s battery starts to run low, simply recharge it for your next long distance ride.
Following these useful tips will help you get the most life and range from your electric scooter’s battery.
With proper care and maintenance, an electric scooter battery should provide strong performance for 2-5 years before needing replacement.
When to Replace an Old Electric Scooter Battery
When the battery in your electric scooter starts to lose capacity, it’s time to consider replacing it.
The average lifespan of an electric scooter battery is 2 to 5 years, depending on factors like:
Usage and charging frequency: The more you use and recharge the battery, the faster it will degrade.
Battery chemistry: Lithium-ion batteries typically last longer than lead-acid batteries.
Storage conditions: Storing the battery in extreme heat or cold can accelerate aging.
Signs It’s Time for a Replacement
There are a few signs that indicate it’s time for a new electric scooter battery:
The scooter has a marked decrease in range per charge.
If you used to get 15 miles per charge but now only get 10, the battery is losing capacity.
Charging takes significantly longer.
A healthy scooter battery should charge in 3 to 5 hours.
If it’s taking 8-12 hours or more, the battery is deteriorating.
The battery looks physically damaged or swollen.
This could indicate cell damage and a risk of overheating or fire.
Replace the battery immediately.
Once you’ve determined it’s time for a replacement, you have a few options:
Purchase a new battery from your scooter manufacturer or a third-party supplier.
Make sure the battery is compatible with your specific scooter model.
Buy a refurbished or reconditioned battery.
These are used batteries that have been repaired and tested to function like new.
They’re more affordable but may have a shorter lifespan.
Consider upgrading to a higher capacity battery.
This can increase your scooter’s range, but you’ll want to check that it will work with your scooter’s motor and charger.
Replacing an aging electric scooter battery is the best way to restore performance and ensure safe operation.
With regular use and proper care of the new battery, you can expect another 2 to 5 years of enjoyment from your electric scooter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Scooter Battery Life
One of the most common questions about electric scooters is how long the battery will last.
The battery life of an electric scooter depends on several factors, including:
Battery Capacity
Electric scooter batteries typically range from 5 to 15 ampere-hours (Ah).
The higher the Ah, the larger the battery capacity and the longer it can power your scooter.
For most casual riding, a 6-10 Ah battery should suffice.
If you plan on riding longer distances or at higher speeds, opt for a larger 10 Ah battery or greater.
Riding Conditions
How and where you ride significantly impacts battery life.
Riding on hilly, uneven terrain or at maximum speed will drain the battery faster than riding on flat, even ground at a moderate speed.
Also, colder weather reduces battery efficiency, so you may notice decreased range in lower temperatures.
Charging and Maintenance
Properly charging and maintaining your scooter battery will maximize its lifespan.
Only use the included charger, and avoid overcharging the battery.
When not in use, store your scooter in a cool area away from extreme heat or cold.
Fully depleting the battery repeatedly can damage it over time, so avoid running it down to empty if possible.
Age and Usage
Like all rechargeable batteries, the cells in an electric scooter battery will degrade over time and with use.
Most scooter batteries last 2-3 years or 300-500 charge cycles before needing replacement.
The more you use your scooter, the faster the battery will drain and the shorter its range will become.
Following these best practices for charging, storage and general usage will help optimize your electric scooter’s battery life and range.
While no battery lasts forever, taking good care of it from the start will ensure you get the most mileage out of your scooter.
If at any time the battery seems unable to hold a proper charge, it is best to replace it to avoid being stranded with a dead scooter.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many factors that determine how long an electric scooter battery will last.
By choosing a scooter with a high-quality, name-brand battery, properly maintaining and charging your battery, avoiding extreme heat or cold, and not overloading the scooter, you can maximize your battery’s lifespan.
While battery technology continues to improve, following best practices with the battery you have will help ensure you get the most out of your electric scooter for years to come.
By taking good care of your scooter battery, you’ll be gliding along city streets and bike lanes for miles and miles.