how long does it take to charge an e-bike battery?


The joy of e-bikes is that they are environmentally friendly, easy to use, and efficient. However, e-bikes come with an electric motor and rechargeable batteries. Having these components has numerous advantages.

Unlike regular bikes, e-bikes have pedal assist which comes in handy with rough terrain, inclines, and hills. Thanks to pedal assist, users experience a smoother ride reducing stress on joints. As great alternatives to cars, you can ride e-bikes on sidewalks, bike lanes, across parks, and other designated areas.

Many people new to e-bikes often wonder how long it takes to charge the battery. Well, we researched, and here is what we found out.

Ebike Battery
Credit: Flickr

How Long Does It Take to Charge Your E-bike’s Battery?

After using your e-bike, you need to recharge the batteries.

From 0%, a standard e-bike battery takes 3 hours to 6 hours to fully charge.

If the battery is around 80% full, it will take an hour to 1.5 hours to fully charge. If the battery is 50% full, you can top off the cells in 2 to 4 hours.

However, all of the above depends on the type of battery, the size of the battery, and the type of charger.

What Are the Charging Basics of Your E-bike’s Battery?

The following are the basics for charging your e-bike’s battery.

  • Use the provided charger
  • Always inspect the charge port and charger’s tip for moisture or damage
  • If you see any damage, contact the manufacturer’s support team
  • If the charger is in good condition, carefully plug it into the charger port
  • Always plug your charger into a grounded outlet and make sure the LED turns green

When it starts charging, the LED will turn RED. The charger will also be warm and will take 4 to 8 hours to fully charge your e-bike’s battery.

After charging is complete:

  • The LED will turn green
  • Unplug the charger from the charger port
  • Close the e-bike’s charger port with the cover

Always keep the charger port cover closed when not charging.

Experts recommend keeping your battery between 30% to 80% charge level. This comes in handy if you don’t need 100% or will not be using your e-bike the next day.

Failure to keep your battery charged or not checking the battery levels is a sure way of damaging your e-bike’s battery. Remember, e-bike batteries are expensive, and by keeping them charged, you save money and always have a smile on your face.

If storing your e-bike for longer periods, make sure the battery juice is between 40% and 80%. Also, check the battery once a month. By following these simple rule, you can increase the lifespan of your e-bike’s battery.

Why Lithium-ion Batteries?

Lithium rechargeable batteries are among the most common e-bike batteries. This is thanks to their high energy density which means they can store more energy. The batteries are also lightweight and weigh about 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg) or more.

Lithium batteries also have a long service life. Basically, they’re designed for many distances, tours, and years of use. Thanks to the smart battery management system that comes with every lithium battery, they’re protected from high temperatures, deep discharging, and overloading.

However, a battery’s life span depends on the duration and nature of the stress it’s subjected to.

How Much Electricity Does It Take to Charge an Ebike?

A standard lithium-ion battery can provide a minimum of 500 full charge cycles while others can deliver up to 1200 charge cycles. Depending on the capacity of the battery, it will take 300 to 500 watt hours to fully charge an e-bike’s lithium-ion battery. At a rate of $0.10 kWh, charging your e-bike’s battery will cost you 5 to 10 cents. This will last you 20 to 90+ miles.

Do Charging Cycles Determine the Lifespan of E-bike Batteries?

As aforementioned, lithium-ion batteries are commonly found in e-bikes. You may be wondering why they are special. Besides having a high energy density, they have no memory problems, unlike nickel-cadmium batteries.

Many people believe that you’ve to deplete lithium-ion batteries before charging them again. Well, that assumption is incorrect. Since the batteries have no memory problems, you can charge them as often as needed. It’s like topping up the gas tank in your car any time you want to use it.

The number of charge cycles usually measures the lifespan of an e-bike’s battery – lithium-ion batteries. A lithium battery charged and depleted up to 500 times will always have a similar capacity as a battery charged 50% full 1,000 times.

You can charge modern lithium-ion batteries for 500 or more cycles before they start losing 20% to 40% of their capacity. Experts recommend leaving up to 80% charge if using your e-bike regularly.

It’s important to get into the habit of charging your e-bike’s battery regularly. By getting into the habit of charging your e-bike’s battery, you’ll always have juice in the battery. Want to increase the lifespan of your batteries? It’s important to learn the best habits for charging and usage.

Final Thoughts

To extend the lifespan of your e-bike’s battery, do not leave the battery on the charger for extended periods. This is true especially when the battery is fully charged. Doing so will trigger cell degradation reducing the battery’s lifespan.

You should also avoid draining your e-bike’s battery completely. This can harm your battery reducing its lifespan over time. If you drain the battery before getting home, use leg power. After charging your e-bike’s battery, always close the charge port. This helps to minimize battery exposure to moisture.

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