How Cold Weather Affects Your Electric Scooter Battery

Australia has entered the cold season. For electric scooter riders, this means you need to start putting more care into your electric scooter battery. After all, electric scooters and cold weather are not a good combination since the cold temperature can affect the performance and capacity of your electric scooter battery.

So, if you live in an area that tends to get colder during the winter season, you need to be warier about your electric scooter battery. To help you preserve and care for your battery, this electric scooter guide will explain how cold weather affects your battery and how to take care of it.

How temperature affects your battery

Each electric scooter has a specified operating and storing temperature listed in its specification. Knowing your electric scooter’s ideal temperature will help you prevent overheating or draining your electric scooter components. Electric scooter batteries are especially sensitive to temperature.

So, how does cold weather affect scooter batteries? Batteries, especially lithium batteries, work through chemical reactions. However, the cold can slow down or stop these chemical reactions, which decreases your battery’s performance and capacity.

If you don’t care for your battery during cold seasons, it can decrease your range significantly. For example, a battery that can produce 6 to 8 miles of range in warm or normal weather can deliver only 2 to 3 miles in cold weather. Meanwhile, extended exposure to cold temperatures can permanently damage your battery. That’s why you need to care for your electric scooter battery to avoid the effects of temperature on battery life.

How to care for your battery during cold weather

Here are some tips to help you preserve your battery life during the cold season.

When not in use, don’t overcharge

Unfortunately, some riders leave their electric scooter battery uncharged, thinking that they won’t be using it for a while. However, as with any other electronic device, you should still charge your battery to prevent its capacity from decreasing. However, avoid charging it to 100%. In fact, aim to charge it within 50% to 90% of battery capacity. Charging it within this capacity is an ideal storage voltage that will cause less harm to your battery.

In addition, when charging your electric scooter, make sure to charge the battery at a warm or normal temperature. If your electric scooter battery is removable, you can bring it inside your home easily. Otherwise, you need to bring your electric scooter inside. Don’t charge the battery under extremely hot or cold conditions.

When in use, charge it completely

Contrary to the previous tip, if you are using your electric scooter regularly during the cold season, make sure to charge your battery to 100%. Although charging your battery up to 90% will help preserve its capacity, your battery needs extra power to run when it’s cold.

The voltage will be dropping in cold temperatures, resulting in lower battery performance. So, it’s best to have a fully charged battery to get the most out of your electric scooter. If you are worried that charging to 100% will affect your battery capacity, you can charge it completely before you ride. However, don’t leave it uncharged when it’s not in use.

Store it properly

Whether you will be using your electric scooter tomorrow or leaving it for some time, you need to store your electric scooter battery in the right temperatures. Make sure that you keep your battery inside a room or storage that’s not less than 10℃ or over 30℃. Each unit also has ideal electric scooter temperatures, so it’s best to check your unit’s specifications.

If keeping your electric scooter inside your home is not possible, keeping it in areas like the garage or shed is also a great option, as long as it’s not too cold. If your battery has been left at an extremely cold temperature, make sure to leave the battery or e-scooter at room temperature for several hours before charging. Plugging a frozen battery will cause sudden heat damage due to the electricity.

For more tips on storing your electric scooter, here’s how to store your electric scooter properly.

Clean it once in a while

Finally, if you will not be using your electric scooter for a while, make sure to still clean it, especially the battery. Leaving your electric scooter battery full of dirt or corrosion can decrease its capacity and lifespan. Similarly, leaving your electric scooter full of dust can cause problems with its other components. Dusting it or cleaning it with a slightly damp cloth will do the trick.

If you are not sure how to clean your electric scooter, this quick electric scooter guide will show you how to clean electric scooters properly.

Be careful when riding during cold weather

Can you ride electric scooters in cold weather? Yes, you can. However, riders should double their caution during the cold season as roads can be slippery. Also, remember that your electric scooter might deliver less range than before, so make sure to make the adjustments needed to avoid inconveniences during your trip.

For more tips on prolonging your electric scooter’s battery life, here are tips to maximise your battery.