How to charge scientifically and extend the battery life of electric power

    If you bought a bike last year, it's probably an e-bike. E-bikes are currently the fastest-growing model in the U.S., and in 2021, they oversold road bikes to become the third largest category of bikes. There is a reason why e-bikes are selling more than e-bikes. The lightweight motors on e-bikes provide powerful power for a variety of riding conditions, especially for commuting and errands.

    At the heart of the electric assist is a powerful lithium battery. Proper battery care is key to optimal battery life and extended battery life.

    Here's how to charge your e-bike best for the battery.

The basics of safe charging
    Kunal Kapoor, quality manager at Bosch, a leading supplier of electric bicycle motors, said: "The battery should be charged indoors with a suitable charger and the electric assist system turned off. While the engine, battery and wiring of an e-bike are weatherproof, the charger is not intended for outdoor use."
    With modern lithium batteries, when the battery signals to accept charging, the battery monitoring system in the charger ensures that the temperature inside the battery is at its best to start charging and disconnect the power supply when needed. A non-branded charger does not have all the functions of a battery management system, even if the rated output is the same, so even if the temperature rises, current will flow to the battery, which risks short-circuit fire.
    Although the probability of a battery short-circuit fire is very low, it is recommended that we do not leave it unattended while charging. We can pack the battery on the bike to charge it, or we can remove it, as long as it's not placed on or near flammable items (like a spare petrol can in the garage). If you're looking for a cheaper e-bike, with your own or unbranded motor and battery, make sure the battery and charger bear Underwriters Laboratories' UL 2849 certification seal. This is the industry standard for safe power systems and battery charging for e-bikes. Some bike shops refuse to maintain e-bikes that do not have this type, citing the risk of fire overnight in the shop.
How to optimize battery life and life
    Let's start with the principle. Endurance essentially refers to running time: the battery life on a full charge, expressed in riding range. Range can vary even on the same bike, and carrying just a light backpack on a flat commute can go farther than the uphill journey home from a full load at the supermarket. Most e-bikes now have a range of between 25-75 miles, depending on the road.

    Life refers to the number of times a battery can be discharged and charged before it begins to lose significant capacity. When the capacity starts to drop, you won't notice less power, but you'll feel the range start to shrink. The usual lifespan benchmark for an e-bike battery is 500 "full" discharges/recharges (if you use half of the battery capacity and then recharge, that's half a cycle), and the battery capacity starts to drop significantly after about 3 to 5 years of normal use. While battery life and longevity are not the same thing, they are linked, and the act of reducing battery life over time also shortens life. One major reason, Kapoor says, is the use of more assist, such as keeping it in Boost or Turbo mode all the time, which means riding is increasingly dependent on the power of the motor rather than assisted climbing or when it's not in good shape. This will make the battery more charged and shorten its life. A less obvious factor that can cause engine and battery stress is cadence. The efficiency of most e-bike motors is around 70-90 revolutions per minute. Too fast cadence can reduce efficiency, although more commonly, with large gear ratios, too slow cadence leads to poor efficiency. This is the same as the "drag engine" in a car, whether it is gasoline or electricity, at this time the motor needs to work harder. "Choose your gear ratio wisely and try to maintain an optimal cadence of 70-90 rpm.

Incorrect operation that damages the battery
    When you buy a new e-bike, you should fully charge the battery before riding, as it has been idle for a while.
      In fact, it is best not to drain the battery. "If you let the battery drain completely, it could permanently damage it, and it will never be able to charge to its original capacity." If you don't ride a bike for weeks or more, keep the bike or at least the battery in a dry, room temperature place where the battery is between 30 and 60 percent fully charged. This is the optimal level for long-term storage and reduces the chances of deep discharge, which can damage the battery. Do not leave the battery plugged into the charger for a long time. This is unnecessary and creates a short discharge/charge cycle that ultimately reduces capacity.
    If you don't ride a bike for a long time, you need to check the power once a month and charge it when the battery drops below 30%. Compared to other types of batteries, lithium batteries are less affected by cold weather, and you can hardly feel the reduction in range during riding, unless it's really cold. But researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy recently found that storing lithium batteries below low temperatures for long periods of time damages part of the battery's cathode, reducing battery capacity. Lithium batteries cannot be effectively charged at low temperatures. Kunal Kapoor says that if you store your bike outdoors or in an unheated place and live in a place where temperatures are below zero, bring the battery back indoors when not in use. In addition, protect the battery from extreme heat, such as by sunny windows or hot cars. Excess heat can raise the temperature of the battery enough to damage its components; In extreme cases, it can lead to what is known as thermal runaway, where the battery enters an unstable, uncontrollable state of self-heating, leading to a fire.

    Plus, you don't need to charge after every ride. Charging the battery early sounds smart, but it reduces capacity faster over time. If you can travel 50 miles on a charge and ride 10 miles a day, then you only need to charge it every 3 to 4 days, and even if you take good care of the battery, it will lose capacity over time. Capacity is a major indicator of battery health, so if you notice that your range drops to 70% or less than it did when you were on a new bike, that's a sign that you plan to replace the battery. If your battery is less than two years old and the capacity is much lower than the original capacity, it may require a warranty claim (terms vary by manufacturer). If it's not a warranty issue, when to replace it depends on personal preference. "If you started with a battery range of 50 miles and now it's only 40 miles, and you can tolerate 40 miles, I don't recommend you replace it." Don't worry, though, batteries with reduced capacity are still safe. Be sure to buy regular brand batteries. Just like the battery and charger should be paired.

    Also, never try to repair a broken battery or let someone else do it, although some guides claim it can. While e-bike batteries are almost all made from standard 18650 batteries, which are widely used in a variety of products (even electric vehicles), these batteries have a variety of different chemical compositions, capacities, and currents, and the slightest carelessness can increase the risk of fire. If you need a new battery, buy one. Dealers selling to your brand bike can order a battery or replacement for that brand of bike directly for you. The price of the battery varies depending on the size and brand of the battery, but the cost plan for buying a new battery is $400-800. Dealers can also recycle your old batteries. A new program for Call 2 Recycle offers free battery recycling (paid for by bike and car brands) at partner stores in almost every major city and many smaller cities. Why recycle? Even used batteries, whose raw materials can be remade into new batteries, have lower energy costs and environmental damage than batteries produced from virgin materials. Waste lithium batteries are also a fire risk in landfills and leach toxic metals and other chemicals into the soil and air.

In case of fire
    Although battery fires are rare, they are still possible. If your battery becomes overheated while charging, you need to unplug the charger immediately. If possible, keep the battery in a metal container, such as a bucket (preferably a bucket filled with sand), away from any flammable items.
    If the situation does not allow operation, please call the fire alarm in time and tell the dispatcher that you have a lithium battery fire, which requires a different fire fighting method than traditional fire. Do not water the battery when it is on fire, water and lithium react to produce hydrogen, hydrogen is highly flammable, a fire extinguisher may help.