Tech Talk: Why E-Bikes Do Not Run Far in Cold Weather
Once the weather turns cold, battery swelling becomes less common, but in autumn and winter the battery is still no less worrying, and new problems appear: it does not run as far as before, it needs charging more often, and sometimes it even swells...
Batteries are quite sensitive to temperature; they fear both heat and cold and easily catch a chill. This is because a lead-acid battery has an optimal operating temperature of 25°C. Above 25°C it is prone to swelling and even catching fire spontaneously; below 25°C, the activity of its materials drops, the resistance rises, the capacity shrinks, the charging effect falls, and its ability to store power worsens.
To keep your e-bike running well in autumn and winter, take care of the battery. The battery care methods for the cold season come down to six points.
1. Always match the charger to the battery model.
Charge each e-bike with its own dedicated charger. Do not mix chargers of different specifications, or the rated voltage and current of the charger will not match the battery, leading to problems such as battery swelling. Many families now have two or more e-bikes of different brands and models, and their batteries also differ, so the chargers naturally differ and are not interchangeable. The right approach is one dedicated charger per vehicle, yet some users mix them during use, and the mismatched charging voltage and current will cause over-charging or under-charging.
2. Charge more often when the ambient temperature drops.
It is best to recharge when the remaining charge is between 30% and 50%, which avoids both early capacity loss and over-discharging. If you often carry a passenger or ride uphill, recharge at 50% remaining. If you ride little and use only 60 to 70 percent of the charge in a week, give it one recharge. If the battery sits unused while you are away or in long storage, self-discharge causes it to lose power, and a low charge seriously harms battery life, so do one deep charge-discharge cycle each month.
3. Charge indoors whenever possible.
In winter the outdoor temperature is too low, so charge the battery indoors whenever possible, since the optimal charging temperature is 25°C and indoor charging helps the battery store more power. Also, in the cold outdoors a battery easily frosts over; before charging, let it sit for a while so its surface temperature rises close to room temperature and dries fully, and only then charge it.
4. Avoid fast-charging stations, or use them as little as possible.
Long-term use of roadside fast-charging stations can also swell the battery, because such a station works by delivering a high current in a short time, which causes heavy gassing and water loss and makes the battery bulge. Many cities have plenty of fast-charging stations; they bring convenience to e-bike users, but their high-current charging causes serious gassing and water loss, and long-term use leads to problems such as a swollen battery.
5. Never overload or speed.
When overloaded or speeding, the battery discharges at high current, which damages the plates and shortens battery life.
6. Choose a good battery and have it professionally serviced regularly.
Only a good battery lasts long; do not chase low prices, or you may end up with refurbished or inferior batteries. If the battery is of poor quality, no amount of care will help. Choose a high-quality battery such as Xupai battery. Xupai batteries are solid in quality with good service, and its sales, service, customer support, technical support, and repair systems are well developed, giving consumers better after-sales service.
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