Electric scooters offer a cost-efficient, fun, and eco-friendly way to get around, but they’re reliant on a battery that needs charging. This means that as a proud owner of a new e-scooter, you’ll need to know the ins and outs of electric scooter battery life.
There’s nothing complicated about the basics of charging electric scooters; you just plug it in, charge, and you’ll be ready to get moving again. However, if you want to get the best performance out of your electric scooter and maximise the battery life, you’ll need to know the facts that manuals might not mention.
Here’s what you need to know.
How Long Does It Take for an Electric Scooter to Charge?
There are several factors which can help to determine how quickly an electric scooter will charge. When you buy your e-scooter, you should be able to check how long the expected charge time will be.
For example, the Commuter Scooter takes 2-6 hours, while the P1+ Electric Scooter is expected to take 7-9 hours.
Typically, electric scooters take between 4-20 hours to charge, but the type of charger, and the battery capacity will significantly influence this.
It’s not a good idea to try and speed up the charging rate by using different equipment to what’s advised. Fast charging, especially when the battery is fully charged in under an hour, can negatively affect the lifespan of a battery.
Wherever possible, charging at “C-rate” is recommended, as this will maximise the number of charging cycles that your battery will last.
How Do You Know When Your Electric Scooter is Fully Charged?
Your electric scooter should have an indicator light which shows when the battery is being charged. When this light turns green, you should disconnect the charger and stop charging. If you have a battery display, you may notice that the battery isn’t quite at 100% yet.
You don’t need to charge your battery to 100% every time you use it. In fact, your battery will last longer if you don’t charge it to 100% each time. However, if you expect to be using your scooter for a long journey, it’s fine to keep charging until you reach 100%. Just make sure you unplug it promptly when it reaches 100% and don’t leave the charger attached.
How Often Should I Charge My Electric Scooter?
You shouldn’t ever let your scooter battery run flat because it can impact the lifespan. As a general rule, try not to allow your battery to dip below 30% before you recharge it.
For the optimal life span on your battery, always keep it running between 30-80%. If you can manage this, the battery life lasts four times as long.
If you’re going to be storing your electric scooter for some time, such as over the winter, keeping it at around 40% is recommended. Storing it either fully charged or completely flat will degrade the battery more quickly.
Quick Tips for Effective Charging
- Don’t charge your battery when it’s hot or cold as it can damage it
- Only charge the battery at room temperature - never charge it in the sun!
- You don’t need to charge your electric scooter after every use
- Wait at least five minutes after charging before riding your e-scooter to prevent the battery from overheating
- Make sure you charge your scooter occasionally during long periods of storage, even if you don’t plan on using it
- Always use the original charger for your electric scooter; don’t be tempted to use a different charger, even if it promises to power up your scooter more quickly.
Of course, every scooter model is different - these tips should always be read in conjunction with any instructions in your electric scooter manual.
