Is My Electric Scooter Battery Dead? How to Effectively Manage the Performance of your Electric Scooter Battery

The popularity of electric scooters is quite staggering lately. Depending on where you live, there may be electric scooter ridesharing and rental options or others where they've become the daily commuter vehicle or just a device for getting around your neighborhood. These electric scooters are now amazingly affordable which is great and they're generally reliable but there may be issues and some of those may be battery-related. The battery is what makes the scooter go, so let’s check some things we've learned from our electric scooter customers about what to do with your electric scooter battery in case there are issues.

New Scooter

If this is a new scooter, you need to fully charge the scooter battery before riding it for the first time. Most batteries are delivered with some charge, but don’t be tempted. Fully charge it first!

After you ride it, charge it again. Every time.

Make sure you switch the scooter’s power button to the off position when you are not riding. That way you can preserve battery life by not wasting battery power.

Storing the Scooter

If you are storing your scooter like the popular Razor scooter for a few wintry months, charge it every 30 days. A battery that gets too low may not recharge. However, don’t leave it plugged into the charger for more than 24 hours. Charge it for the minimal amount of time suggested by the manufacturer, typically 6 to 8 hours, or until the battery charge light turns green.

Don’t store the battery in a space that gets below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). Absolutely don’t let it freeze!

When the Battery is Low

If the scooter is slow or sluggish, the horn sounds wimpy and the lights are dimming, the battery probably needs to be charged. Your user manual will tell you about how far or how long your scooter should perform on a full charge, but the power will usually diminish towards the end of that cycle.  The power will also diminish when the battery is reaching the end of its useful life. It will only charge for a set number of cycles and after that will need to be replaced.

Make sure you have the charger that came with your scooter or that you have purchased a good quality charger. Lesser quality chargers may take a long time to charge your battery or may never fully charge it. There can also be connection issues with lower quality chargers.

These batteries don’t have a ‘memory’ and don’t need to be fully discharged prior to recharging. As a matter of fact, completely discharging the battery is NOT recommended, as it may prevent it from holding a charge in the future. When a lead-acid battery is not charged, it gets a buildup of sulfate-ion inside. This buildup will prematurely age your battery and is the reason batteries no longer accept a full charge.

A Spare

Consider purchasing a spare electric scooter battery. That way you can continue to ride while one battery is charging and swap them out as needed. You won’t be sidelined by a dead or dying battery!

If you maintain your scooter battery properly from the beginning, it will provide you with 3 or 4 years of fun before you even need to consider looking for a replacement!