If you master a few techniques when using a battery, its service life will be longer and its performance better. Below are common questions about using an electric vehicle battery:

1. Does a newly bought electric vehicle need its battery charged before use?

Yes. From leaving the factory to being installed and reaching your hands, the battery goes through a circulation period, during which self-discharge can reduce its capacity. Therefore you must charge it with the on-board charger until it is fully charged.

2. If you are away on business for a long time, how should you handle the battery when the vehicle is not used?

You must store the battery fully charged and then recharge it once a month, to prevent capacity loss or even failure caused by long-term undercharged storage and sulfation of the plates.

3. What happens when you use an electric vehicle in winter, and how can you avoid it?

In winter you will notice the driving range drops clearly, more so in the north; this is normal. In low-temperature conditions the ability of the battery to accept charge decreases and the viscosity of the electrolyte increases, raising the resistance of the electrochemical reaction and reducing capacity. So in winter you should avoid leaving the vehicle outdoors overnight or charging it in low temperatures.

4. What should you note when using an electric vehicle in summer?

1) Avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight and heat, and never charge in a high-temperature environment;

2) Avoid charging immediately after riding in high heat, and prevent charging for too long (normally about 8 hours);

3) If the battery box gets hot or the green light does not come on during charging, promptly take the battery or charger to a battery shop or company after-sales service point for testing and maintenance.

5. What should you note while riding an electric vehicle?

To extend the life of your vehicle, when starting it we suggest you pedal to assist first and then ride on electric power; do not overload while riding (no more than 75 kg by regulation); and when meeting a steep slope or headwind, pedal to assist. All these measures prevent the battery from being damaged by high-current discharge, which affects its service life.

6. Can you keep riding when the battery runs low?

No. When the power is low you should charge it in time. Although the controller provides voltage-limit protection, after resting a moment the battery voltage recovers and the vehicle can run briefly again; using it this way damages the battery most of all, causing over-discharge and seriously shortening its life.

7. What harm does overcharging do to an electric vehicle battery?

If you use a poor-quality charger, the charger is faulty, or you charge for too long, the battery loses water more heavily and the electrolyte dries out prematurely, which easily causes swelling and deformation and ends the life of the battery early.

8. Does an electric vehicle battery need maintenance?

Yes. During charging the battery produces hydrogen and oxygen gases; most of them recombine into water inside the battery, and only a small part escapes through the safety valve, so over time the battery loses water. Therefore, after your vehicle has been used for 8-10 months, or when the battery box gets hot during charging, it is best to go to a battery shop or company after-sales service point for fluid-replenishment maintenance.

9. Is a short driving range always caused by the battery?

Not necessarily. When the battery ages and its capacity drops, the range shortens, but the following problems, which are not battery issues, can also shorten the range:

1) When motor efficiency drops, more wasted work is done and power is wasted, shortening the range;

2) A poor-quality charger undercharges the battery every day, leaving it short of capacity and causing the range to decline day by day;

3) A faulty controller makes the starting current too large and the starting time too long, wasting power and shortening the range;

4) On a poor-quality vehicle, excessive friction at moving parts or excessive mechanical transmission resistance can also waste power and shorten the range;

10. What safety precautions should you take when using the battery?

1) Keep the battery away from open flame and high-temperature heat sources; do not throw it into fire or submerge it in water; and never expose it to direct sunlight or charge it in sunlight.

2) Do not place the battery in a sealed container; keep it well ventilated.

3) If the battery casing is cracked or leaking, it must be replaced.

4) The electrolyte is an acidic solution; if it gets on your skin or clothing, rinse immediately with plenty of clean water, and in serious cases seek hospital treatment.

5) The battery must not be short-circuited and must not be used upside down.

11. Why does a battery suffer a gas explosion, and how can it be prevented?

A lead-acid battery itself does not explode with gas; the gas explosion happens because:

1) The battery box is too sealed, so hydrogen produced near the end of charging cannot escape;

2) The power connecting wires are loose, aged, or exposed; when the key is turned the discharge produces sparks, or vibration on rough roads makes the wires spark and ignite the hydrogen;

3) The fuse holder on the battery box is loose and heats up or sparks during charging and discharging, igniting the hydrogen, which expands and blows off the battery cover;

Preventive measures:

1) The battery box should not be too sealed in design; it should have several ventilation holes of about 1 cm allowing air to flow up and down, so the gas produced during charging can escape;

2) If the box has no ventilation holes by design, they must be provided during installation;

3) For a battery box without ventilation holes, you can open the box while charging;

4) Check the power wiring regularly to prevent looseness, aging, or exposure;

5) If the fuse holder is loose or aged, replace it in time and use one with a higher current rating;

12. When is the best time to charge an electric vehicle battery?

The best time to charge is when the charge indicator on the vehicle points to the lowest or near-lowest position, which is good for battery life. If you ride only 5-10 km a day, it is suggested not to charge it, that is, do not charge frequently over short distances; otherwise battery life will end early.

13. Can a single battery or some of the batteries be replaced or used for other purposes?

When one or several batteries in your pack fail, the whole set must be replaced; you must not swap only the faulty one. This may be done at discretion only for maintenance batteries.

A special reminder: do not take one or several batteries out of a set for other use!

14. Can the charger be carried on the vehicle?

No. While the vehicle is used it often vibrates on rough roads; if the charger vibrates, the parameters of its components drift, affecting charging performance and even damaging the battery (undercharging or swelling it). Therefore the charger must not be carried on the vehicle.

15. What are the core components of an electric vehicle?

The four main parts of an electric vehicle, the battery, motor, controller, and charger, are its core components. We often compare the battery to the heart of the vehicle, the controller to the brain, the motor to the limbs, and the charger to the input of outside energy. Only when the four work together properly can the vehicle achieve its best performance. If any part fails or its parameters do not match the others, the vehicle will show a short driving range and an early end to battery life; so a short range is not always a battery problem.