Demystifying e-bike batteries | Electric bike battery care

E-bike batteries demystified

Get the facts on electric bike battery care

find out more See the e-bike buyer’s guide

Demystifying e-bike batteries | Electric bike battery care

There’s plenty of conflicting information out there about how to use and care for your e-bike battery. As one of the most important (and expensive) components of your electric bike, knowing the facts is key to proper e-bike battery maintenance and safety.

From e-bike battery charging tips to understanding how to store your electric bike batteries, let’s bust some battery myths, so you know how to care for and use your battery with confidence!

Electric bike battery myths and truths

The truth:

While your battery might not have full capacity when you’re riding on a brisk day, your battery is safe to use, charge, and store in the cold. If temperatures are below 32F, quality e-bike chargers (like Trek and Electra e-bike chargers) will not charge the battery to avoid damage. E-bike batteries perform best at room temperature (between 60°F to 80°F) but won’t be damaged in colder temps. If you have a removable e-bike battery, store it indoors if you’re concerned about it getting too cold.

The truth:

While after market e-bike components might fit or plug into your e-bike, they aren’t designed to work or communicate with your specific e-system. Trek and Electra use e-systems from suppliers that are designed both from a hardware and software side to work together safely. If you're curious about upgrading or changing e-system parts, we always recommend contacting us directly or visiting your local Trek and Electra dealer to discuss potential options.

The truth:

Just like the cold, e-bike batteries can be used when it’s warm out. Warmer temps will not hurt or damage your battery when it’s in use or charging. However, batteries have an upper usage temperature of 120°F for charging and riding, so if your e-bike is sitting in the sun outdoors, make sure to wait until your battery is cool to charge or use before taking off. Your charger also won’t charge when the battery is over 113°F to protect it from damage.

The truth:

Some non-Trek e-bike batteries that aren’t can overcharge and overheat when plugged in. Trek and Electra only partner with qualified and safety compliant e-system partners (Bosch, Hyena, and TQ) to provide safe hardware that is designed to not overcharge or overheat. That also includes software solutions within the battery and charger that communicate together to avoid damage to the system.

The truth:

While this used to be true on older NiCad-style batteries, that is not true for newer lithium-ion e-bike batteries. For the best long-term battery health, we recommend topping off your battery charge often to keep you riding while getting the most out of your e-bike battery.

The truth:

A charge cycle is defined as a full charge from 0 to 100%. If you regularly keep your electric bike battery completely charged, it only uses a partial charge cycle. For example: If you charge 20% of your battery every day, Monday through Friday (20% x 5 days = 100%). On Friday, you would have completed one charge cycle. This is more about the number of cumulative charges that add up to a 100%, rather than each time you charge your battery.

The truth:

If you plan to store your battery for more than 30 days, we recommend storing it with a 40% to 60% charge. Leaving your e-bike battery stored at 100% for more than a year can cause you to lose approximately 20% of your battery capacity.

The truth:

While electric bikes can get wet, never use a power washer to clean your bike or your e-bike. The high pressure can cause water damage to sensitive electric components, bearings, and lubricated parts.

The truth:

The truth: E-bike components are tested and IPX 5 rated for use in wet weather safely. While you can remove your battery if you plan to put it on a bus or car rack (the battery connectors are sealed as well), it’s not something you have to do before every trip.

The truth:

Like all batteries, you’ll lose a certain amount of capacity over time. The good news is that electric bike batteries are replaceable and recyclable at your local Trek retail store. That said, if you follow the recommendations above for maximum battery life, you’ll get plenty of ride time before you notice your battery losing capacity.

The truth:

Not all lithium-ion batteries are made the same. At Trek and Electra, we only use UL compliant batteries that use both software and hardware systems to control battery temperatures and avoid overheating which can lead to fires.

Explore UL Compliance and Safety

The truth:

While you can work on the mechanical components of your e-bike like a standard bicycle, DO NOT open your electric bike’s battery, motor, or controller. Not only are these parts sealed and designed to keep the components safe, but they are not meant to be serviced with standard tools. We always recommend taking your e-bike to your local Trek or Electra retailer for your e-bike and electric bike battery maintenance needs.