RIDING AN E-BIKE IN THE HEAT

Protecting the electric bicycle or Pedelec battery in summer

We remember many a long summer evening - hot to very hot nights were "normal" and there was often one or two sunburns. We don't tolerate strong sun all day long very well - so the question arises: How does our e-bike or pedelec behave in the hot sun? Another important question is how the Pedelec battery, which is very sensitive to temperature, can tolerate the sun. In winter it is said that an e-bike battery likes to be quite warm, so it should be brought into the warm house when the outside temperatures are lower. But the opposite of cold, namely heat, can actually shorten the lifespan of an e-bike battery in the long run.

The warm weather of summer has finally reached the far corners of the country and is giving us warm nights and certainly the odd sunburn. But how does our e-bike behave in the hot sun? Above all, we ask ourselves how the Pedelec's temperature-sensitive battery works when we leave the e-bike in the sun for a long time. After all, in winter it is always said that the battery of an e-bike likes to be warm and you should bring it into the house when the outside temperatures are low. But heat can also rob the e-bike battery of its life.

Everyone who rides an e-bike knows this. While driving, many electronic components, such as the motor or battery, heat up without us noticing. We don't have to, because the plastic or metal housings of the e-bike components are designed in such a way that they cool sufficiently or release heat into the environment. But what about in summer when the ambient temperatures sometimes reach over 30°C when riding an electric bike?

Heat has different effects on the battery cells of an e-bike. On the one hand, high temperatures increase the internal resistance of the battery, which means that even more energy is converted into heat in the battery cells, which is ultimately lost in the engine and affects performance. However, the extent of this power loss is limited because the currents in an electric bike are relatively small compared to the increase in internal resistance. And the temperatures that are extreme enough to destroy the battery cells are already slightly higher than German summer temperatures.

The e-bike battery doesn't really like the heat in summer.

E-bike enthusiasts know this: Many electronic components, such as the motor or the bicycle battery, heat up while riding. You don't have to worry about this because the housings of these plastic or metal components are designed in such a way that they provide sufficient cooling or the heat can be dissipated to the environment. However, after our "super summer", the question arises as to whether this will continue to be the case when the ambient temperatures on a bike tour occasionally exceed 30 degrees. Heat and high temperatures damage the battery of an e-bike in the long term.

Heat has different effects on the cells of an e-bike battery: High temperatures increase the internal resistance of the battery. As a result, even more energy is converted into heat in the battery cells. This will eventually affect the bike and affect its performance. Fortunately, the extent of this loss is limited; The currents in an electric bike are relatively low compared to the increased internal resistance. Such “extreme” temperatures, which would destroy the battery cells, are already well above the German summer average, which was currently very high.

Take measures to protect your e-bike battery in summer.

But what if you take a long break in a pub or café during a nice summer tour with your e-bike and the bikes can only be parked in the sun? Unfortunately there is no other option. Of course, the battery must be protected from long-term heat. Otherwise, the battery may lose its lifespan for a long time. Over time and with an increasing number of charging cycles, a battery naturally loses performance. Every cell phone owner knows this phenomenon today. At first, the smartphone might last two days on a single battery charge - but at some point the phone suddenly needs to be charged twice a day. Many factors have a negative impact on the lifespan of the battery cells. One of them, as already mentioned, is the temperature at which the battery is stored. The optimal temperature is between 0 and 20 degrees. Unfortunately, higher temperatures, for example when the e-bike is in the hot sun, damage the battery.

Here are our battery tips for the coming (big) summer

- Do not store your e-bike battery in the car in summer when temperatures are too high.

- Always store the e-bike battery at a temperature below 30 degrees.

- Protect the e-bike battery from strong and long-lasting sunlight.

- If the e-bike is parked in direct sunlight, always store the battery in a different location.

Did our article help you? Or do you have questions or suggestions about our topic? Please feel free to leave your comment below. We welcome your questions, criticisms and comments and we will be happy to answer them.