A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding E-Bike Batteries

Understanding E-bike Batteries

The battery is one of the most important components of an e-bike and most electronic devices. Our modern life is reliant on the use of batteries in a plethora of ways. They power our phones and our cars, and now, it also powers our bikes.

Thankfully, with the help of technology, batteries have significantly improved over the years. 

For e-bikes, the e-bike battery is the determinant of the length of travel your bike can do. How far will you be able to ride it and how long before it drains?

Types of E-Bike Batteries

Lead-Acid Battery

The original e-bike batteries were the lead-acid battery. It was first developed in the 1800s. They are called “deep cycle” batteries when used on large systems. Compared to other types, they are much larger and heavier.

Also known as SLA (Sealed Lead Acid), this battery comes in a hard plastic case and can be turned in any orientation to secure it from acid leaking. This build makes it appropriate for e-bike use. However, due to their size and weight, the placements of SLA batteries on e-bikes are limited and not as versatile as other options.

But, it has advantages too. It is cheap and can be purchased from many local stores and online retailers. It is easy to find and readily available. Another advantage is its high power output potential. If you are planning to convert your bike to a very high electric power, this might be a great option for you because SLA batteries can handle that much current, unlike other batteries.

Lithium-Ion Batteries

It is safe to say that over 90% of the products today contain lithium-ion batteries. They are among the top choices that we use in the contemporary era.

Lithium-ion batteries are made from clusters of small battery cells that are also known as packs. They are able to efficiently hold an electrical charge and generally last longer. They also pose a less environmental risk as opposed to other battery cells.

Most lithium-ion batteries contain the BMS technology or the battery management system technology which prevents overcharging and discharging. It also helps in the overall regulation of the cells.

Capacity

Usually, a battery’s capacity is measured in watt-hours (Wh) or amp-hours (Ah). Both of them are essential measurement metrics but Wh is more consumer-friendly. It has taken over as the standard capacity measurement.

Cost

Before, lithium-ion batteries are very expensive, but thanks to the emerging technology and developments, their price has dropped and we can now buy them without drilling holes in our pockets.

In 2005 the lithium-ion battery costs about $1000 and ten years later, it dropped to just $250. The trend continues as years pass by because of its increasing supply.

Disposal

The lithium-ion batteries' ease of disposal and recyclability made it on top of the game. It became more popular among the European and US markets because they are much more eco-friendly than lead-acid batteries even if the recycling process is slightly more complex.

Choosing the right battery for your e-bike is extremely important. Above all, don’t forget that you should always use the batteries are they are intended by the manufacturer to avoid accidents.

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