What are the best practices for keeping your electric scooter battery healthy?

What are the best practices for keeping your electric scooter battery healthy?

1. Understanding battery types

1.1 Features of lithium batteries
Lithium batteries are the most commonly used battery type for electric scooters, and they have the following notable features:
High energy density: Lithium batteries have a high energy density, which can provide electric scooters with a longer range. For example, the energy density of common 18650 lithium batteries can reach about 250Wh/kg. Compared with lead-acid batteries, they are smaller and lighter, but have stronger energy output, which is crucial for electric scooters, which require high portability.
High voltage platform: The nominal voltage of lithium batteries is generally higher than 3.0 volts, which can provide stable high voltage for electric scooter motors and other equipment, ensuring efficient operation of the equipment, making the power output of electric scooters more stable and accelerating better.
Long cycle life: Lithium batteries have a large number of charge and discharge cycles, usually up to 300-500 times or even higher, which means that under normal use, lithium batteries have a longer service life and can reduce the frequency and cost of battery replacement. For example, some high-quality lithium batteries can still maintain more than 80% of their capacity after 500 charge and discharge cycles, which is very beneficial for the long-term use of electric scooters.
Low self-discharge rate: The self-discharge rate of lithium batteries is relatively low, generally about 5% - 10% per month, which means that even if the electric scooter is not used for a long time, the battery power can be maintained for a long time, and it will not be exhausted as quickly as some other types of batteries, thereby improving the flexibility of battery use.
No memory effect: Lithium batteries have no memory effect. Users do not need to worry about affecting the capacity and performance of the battery due to not fully exhausting the battery before charging. This makes the charging process more convenient and quick. Users can charge at any time according to their own needs without strictly following a specific charging mode.

2. Charging habits

2.1 Avoid deep discharge
Deep discharge is extremely harmful to lithium batteries for electric scooters. When the battery power is exhausted to 0%, the internal chemicals will be in an unstable state, which can easily cause damage to the internal structure of the battery. For example, excessive discharge can cause irreversible chemical changes in the positive electrode material of the battery, reducing the capacity and performance of the battery. According to research, frequent deep discharge can shorten the life of lithium batteries by 30% - 50%. Therefore, it is recommended that users charge in time when the power drops to 20% to avoid irreparable damage to the battery due to power exhaustion.

2.2 Maintaining the power range
Maintaining the right power range is the key to extending battery life. The best working state of lithium batteries is to maintain the power between 30% - 80%. In this range, the chemical reaction of the battery is relatively stable, which can effectively reduce the stress and loss inside the battery. For example, when the battery power is maintained at around 50%, its cycle charge and discharge life can reach the highest, which can be extended by 2 - 3 times compared to batteries that are often at 100% or 0%. In addition, regular balanced charging of the battery to ensure that the power of each unit in the battery pack is consistent can also further improve the overall performance and life of the battery.

3. Charging environment

3.1 Temperature control
Temperature has a significant impact on the charging effect and life of the lithium battery of the electric scooter. The ideal charging temperature range is usually between 10°C and 30°C. Within this temperature range, the chemical reaction of the battery can proceed smoothly, the charging efficiency is high, and the heat accumulation inside the battery can be effectively reduced, thereby reducing the battery aging rate.
When the temperature is below 10°C, the chemical activity of the battery will decrease, resulting in a slower charging speed, or even possible failure to charge normally. In addition, the viscosity of the electrolyte inside the battery increases in a low temperature environment, the diffusion rate of lithium ions slows down, and lithium dendrites are easily formed on the surface of the negative electrode, which not only reduces the battery capacity, but also may cause a short circuit, posing a safety hazard.
When the temperature is higher than 30°C, the chemical reaction inside the battery accelerates, generating more heat, which can easily cause the battery to overheat. Overheating can cause the electrolyte inside the battery to decompose, the performance of the diaphragm to deteriorate, and thus shorten the battery life. Studies have shown that when the battery is charged in a high temperature environment, its cycle life may be reduced by 20% - 30%.
Therefore, when charging, you should try to choose an environment with a suitable temperature and avoid charging under extreme temperature conditions. If charging is required in the cold winter, the electric scooter can be placed in a warm place indoors and charged after the temperature rises. In the hot summer, avoid charging in direct sunlight or high temperature environment. If necessary, use heat dissipation equipment to reduce the battery temperature to ensure the safety of the charging process and the health of the battery.

4. Charger Use

4.1 Use original or recommended chargers
Using original or manufacturer-recommended chargers is essential for the health of electric scooter batteries. Original chargers are rigorously tested and perfectly matched with batteries to ensure a safe and efficient charging process. For example, the charging current and voltage of original chargers are precisely controlled to avoid overcharging or undercharging and extend battery life. According to research, using original chargers can extend battery life by 15% - 20%.
Non-original chargers may damage the battery due to unstable current and voltage. If the current is too large, the internal temperature of the battery will increase and accelerate battery aging. Insufficient voltage will cause incomplete battery charging and reduce battery capacity. In addition, original chargers usually have intelligent charging functions that can automatically adjust the charging mode according to the battery status to further protect the battery. Using a non-original charger may increase the battery failure rate by 30% - 40%.

5. Avoid fast charging
Although fast charging can recharge the battery of an electric scooter in a short time, it has many potential hazards to the health of the battery.

5.1 Disadvantages of fast charging
During fast charging, the chemical reaction speed inside the battery accelerates sharply, and the insertion and extraction speed of lithium ions far exceeds normal charging, which can easily lead to irreversible changes in the internal structure of the battery. For example, fast charging can cause microcracks in the positive electrode material of the battery, reduce its mechanical stability and electrochemical properties, and thus affect the capacity and cycle life of the battery. According to relevant studies, frequent use of fast charging may shorten the cycle life of lithium batteries by 20% - 30%. In addition, fast charging can also cause the internal temperature of the battery to rise rapidly and generate a lot of heat. If the heat cannot be dissipated in time, the battery will be in a high temperature state, accelerating the decomposition of the electrolyte inside the battery and the aging of the diaphragm, further reducing the battery performance, and may even cause safety hazards such as battery bulging and leakage.

5.2 Reasonable choice of charging method
In order to keep the battery of the electric scooter healthy, it is recommended to use the standard charging mode as much as possible. The charging current of the standard charging mode is relatively small, which can make the chemical reaction inside the battery proceed more smoothly and reduce the impact and damage to the internal structure of the battery. At the same time, the battery generates less heat in the standard charging mode, which can effectively reduce the battery temperature and extend the battery life. Generally speaking, the charging time of the standard charging mode is longer, usually 3-6 hours, but this is conducive to the health and long-term use of the battery. If fast charging is really needed, the frequency of fast charging should be reduced as much as possible, and the fast charging function should be avoided frequently. And when using fast charging, pay close attention to the temperature changes of the battery. Once the battery temperature is found to be too high, stop charging immediately and continue charging after the battery temperature drops.

6. Storage conditions

6.1 Moderate charging storage
When storing electric scooter batteries, moderate charging is one of the key factors to keep the battery healthy. Studies have shown that it is ideal to store the battery at a level of 40%-60%. This level of power can effectively reduce the chemical activity inside the battery, thereby reducing the battery self-discharge rate and the loss of chemical substances. For example, when the battery is 50% charged, its self-discharge rate is only 5% - 8% per month, while when the battery is 100% charged, the self-discharge rate may be as high as 10% - 15%. In addition, moderate charging and storage can prevent the battery from entering a deep discharge state due to long-term non-charging, thereby avoiding irreversible damage to the internal structure of the battery.
If the electric scooter is not used for a long time, it is recommended to recharge the battery every 3 - 6 months to maintain the battery activity and health. This regular maintenance measure can extend the battery life and ensure that the battery can still maintain good performance when it is used again. For example, a long-term storage experiment on lithium batteries for electric scooters showed that the capacity retention rate of batteries stored with moderate charging and regular recharging can reach more than 90% after 1 year of storage, while the capacity of batteries that are not properly maintained may drop to less than 70%.

7. Physical maintenance

7.1 Check the appearance of the battery
Regularly checking the appearance of the electric scooter battery is an important part of maintaining battery health. The appearance of the battery can intuitively reflect whether there are potential problems. Timely detection and treatment of these problems can effectively extend the service life of the battery.
Check the battery casing: The battery casing should remain intact without deformation, cracks or damage. If there are cracks in the casing, it may cause the internal electrolyte to leak, which will not only damage the battery, but also corrode other parts of the electric scooter. For example, the electrolyte of the lithium battery is corrosive to a certain extent. Once it leaks and contacts the circuit board or other metal parts, it may cause a short circuit or damage the electronic components. Therefore, once cracks are found in the casing, the electric scooter should be stopped from use immediately and the battery should be replaced in time.
Check the battery terminals: The battery terminals are the key parts of the connection between the battery and the electric scooter circuit, and should be kept clean, dry and free of corrosion. Corroded terminals will cause poor contact, increase resistance, reduce the output efficiency of the battery, and may even cause overheating. For example, when the battery terminals are corroded, the electric scooter may be underpowered when starting or accelerating. Regularly cleaning the terminals with baking soda and water and wiping them dry with a clean cloth can effectively prevent corrosion. If the corrosion is severe, it is recommended to use professional cleaning tools to clean it and check whether the terminal connection is firm.
Check the battery connection wire: The battery connection wire should not be loose, worn or broken. Loose connection wires may cause unstable contact and affect the normal charging and discharging of the battery. For example, during riding, if the connection wire is loose, it may cause the electric scooter to suddenly lose power or have intermittent power outages. Check the fixing of the connection wire regularly to ensure that it is tight and not damaged. If the connection wire shows signs of wear or breakage, it should be replaced in time to ensure a stable connection between the battery and the electric scooter.
By regularly checking the appearance of the battery, potential problems can be discovered and dealt with in time, avoiding battery performance degradation or damage due to problems such as battery shell damage, terminal corrosion or loose connection wires, thereby effectively extending the battery life and ensuring the safe use of the electric scooter.