An e-scooter is great for urban transport and the daily commute because it’s low maintenance, eco-friendly, cost-effective, and convenient. One of your most important considerations when buying a scooter is its range. Because electric scooters are powered by batteries, the range is the total distance that an e-scooter can travel on a single charge.
When you first start shopping around for scooters, you’ll see a lot of information about the expected range and average speed. The thing to bear in mind is that an electric scooter battery has a lifespan, and there are certain things you can do to shorten or extend that lifespan. So, wondering how to increase the battery life of your electric scooter? If you want to travel further for longer on a single charge, you need to optimise the battery’s performance.
Here are our tips on how to maximise your electric scooter battery life and travel range, so you never have to worry about running out of steam mid-commute.
How long does an e-scooter battery last?
Most scooters are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Li-ion batteries are ideal because of their high energy capacity (the amount of energy they can store) and longevity. They’re lightweight and efficient, and also have a fairly quick charging time.
Electric scooter batteries are designed to handle between 300 to 500 charge/discharge cycles before they start diminishing in capacity, which is around one to three years on average, or 3,000 to 10,000 miles. Diminishing capacity doesn’t necessarily mean that you will need to replace your battery, just that your battery will have less capacity and therefore less power and a reduced range.
Wear and tear over time is inevitable, but you do have some control over the speed of decline. Whether your battery leans more toward 300 cycles or 500 cycles can be influenced by the care you take in prolonging your battery’s life…
Get familiar with your e-scooter’s battery capacity and true range
The larger the battery’s capacity, the longer the battery should last, but your battery’s range is also impacted by a lot of different factors, such as the rider’s weight, the terrain (flat vs. hilly), and your speed. One thing to bear in mind is that you can’t always rely on the manufacturer’s advertised range. Often, electric scooter brands conduct the tests to calculate the range while the scooter is in ‘eco’ mode or travelling over completely smooth, flat ground and therefore these calculations are often a best-case scenario.
All range tests on the Nought.One have been done in real world conditions, at normal speeds, so our ranges are as accurate and realistic as possible. But regardless, the best way to work out your e-scooter’s true range based on your weight and journey it is to do some test runs to get an accurate estimate of how far you can go before the battery needs to be charged.
Top tips to maximise your electric scooter battery life
1. Never let the battery drain completely
Unlike other devices, it’s best to not allow your scooter’s battery to drain completely before charging again. This will wear it down faster than normal and reduce its capacity. Li-ion batteries last longer when they have stored charge, so if you want your battery to last longer, recharge it before it gets down to 10%, even when it’s not in regular use. If you don’t plan on using it for a while, fully charge your electric scooter before packing it away.
2. Keep the battery charged
The best way to avoid draining your e-scooter battery is to charge it every time you use it. Even if you didn’t travel far, a fully charged battery is going to have a longer lifespan. For optimal performance, regular charging is a must. Plus you’ll never have to worry about a low battery before heading out.
The one caveat to this is not to overcharge your battery. If you can, unplug it once the battery has reached full charge. The manufacturers’ information should state the average or maximum charging time of your battery. If your battery is taking longer than usual to charge, this may indicate that the battery is nearing the end of its lifespan.
3. Use the correct charger
Another way to maximise your electric scooter battery life is optimising how you charge it. Sounds simple but using the wrong battery charger (a knock-off or aftermarket brand) can actually damage your battery and its capacity. This is not the area where you want to try to save money only to have to replace your e-scooter’s battery earlier than expected. If you need a new charger, rather contact the manufacturer for a replacement and see if it’s covered by your warranty.
4. Store your battery at the right temperature
Extreme heat and extreme cold puts stress on your battery, which can shorten its lifespan. The optimal temperature for electric scooter batteries is between 10ºC to 25°C, but check the manufacturer’s specifications to be sure as this might vary depending on the make and model. If you want to know how to increase the battery life of your electric scooter, the ideal would be to store your e-scooter and the battery inside at room temperature. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight or outside in winter if you can.
5. Take the scooter’s carrying capacity into account
Every electric scooter has a maximum load capacity ranging from 100 to 200kg. The load that the scooter has to carry will impact how far you can travel between charges, so factor in your own weight as well as the weight of the e-scooter and anything you have on you, like a backpack. A lighter load equals a longer range, whereas a heavier load draws more power from the battery, which will affect your range.
6. Use speed control
Every make and model of e-scooter will have different speed modes. Just remember that faster speeds and sudden acceleration will drain your battery faster, resulting in a shorter range. If you want to maximise your range, ride in power-saving modes and use speed control to slowly increase your speed.
7. Chose an e-scooter with a removable battery
Make your life easier by choosing an electric scooter with a battery that can be removed from the scooter, like the Nought.One. This means you don’t have to take the entire e-scooter to a charging point to plug it in. This also gives you the opportunity to have a spare battery that you can swap in so that you always have a backup, increasing your range and reducing your chances of ever being stranded with an exhausted battery.
So, want to know how to increase the battery life of your electric scooter?
If you use these tips and adjust your riding and charging to maximise your electric scooter battery life, you’ll be able to keep your battery in the best possible condition. Of course, no battery lasts forever and its capacity will naturally decrease over time, but if you pay attention to how you ride, charge, and store it, you can do a lot to optimise your scooter’s performance.
