Your Lithium-Ion Battery in Extreme Heat – Pedego Advice for Care
Lithium-ion batteries perform well at elevated temperatures, but prolonged heat exposure reduces longevity. It is important to properly care for your battery to avoid this. This goes for all lithium-ion batteries, whether they’re in your computer or your electric bike.
Heat has a different impact depending on how you are currently using your battery. For use, top temperatures are a recommended 54 degrees Celsius. For charging, top temperatures are a recommended 46 degrees Celsius. For storage, top temperatures are a recommended 35 degrees. A battery dwelling above 30 degrees Celsius is considered elevated temperature. Please note that heat has a greater impact when your battery is at a higher charge.
Our suggestions are:
- Do not charge your battery directly after use as it may still be holding internal heat. Bring it to a comfortable room temperature (between 15 and 25 degrees is good).
- Do not store a lithium-ion battery in the direct sunlight. Take your battery out of your ebike when you are parked at work, in a lot for the day, for example.
- Do not store a lithium battery in a very hot location such as the interior of a car, your attic, or an exposed shed during high temperature weather events.
- Do not charge your battery after every use if you don’t need to. Charge after a few rides or when it drops to 30 or 40 percent. Again, this is to reduce the time the battery is at 100 per cent.
- Do keep your battery at less than 100 per cent charge when leaving for a long period of time. High temperatures have a greater impact on a fully charged battery. If possible, for long-term storage, keep your battery at 40 per cent charge for less stress on it in prolonged heat exposure.
- Do store your ebike battery in an indoor moderate temperature – between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius is best. Below 30 degrees is okay.
- Do trust that the BMS (Battery Management System) will protect your battery when it reaches critical temperatures – at about 54 degrees Celsius.
Consider that if it’s too hot for your battery, it is likely too hot for you. Riding in elevated heat events can be dangerous for your health. Protect yourself from the heat as well.
It is also important to guard against cold with your ebike battery. Ensure your battery is above freezing before charging, otherwise you could harm the cells. This is because lithium ions in the e-bike batteries float in a liquid electrolyte which can freeze.
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