How to Charge an Electric Bike
Also known as the “E-bike” electric bikes offer the ease of pedal assistance and are a low cost, energy efficient and emission-free transportation choice. Ideal for budding cyclists and fitness enthusiasts alike, electric bikes use rechargeable batteries that can travel up to impressive speeds of 15mph to get you from A to B in style.
If you are considering swapping out your conventional bike for an electric bike, you’ll most likely want to find out more about the charging process. In this short guide, we’ll be wrapping up all there is to know about charging your new electric bike for your adventures, wherever they may take you!
Where can I charge my electric bike?
Luckily, electric bikes can be charged mostly anywhere. All e-bikes use regular 3 pin plugs that are compatible with wall sockets, meaning their batteries can be charged while you’re on the go.
Much like charging a laptop, e-bike batteries can be topped up in a number of public places such as cafes, pubs, libraries, or even while you’re working hard at the office. However, you may need to ask permission to charge your bike in areas like petrol stations or restaurants if you are not planning to use their services.
If you live in a more rural area, it can be a good idea to carry a spare battery with you in a backpack to avoid any inconvenience.
How do you charge an electric bike?
The correct method of charging your electric bike will depend on the model, meaning you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the provided owner’s manual and charger.
It’s important to note that some electric bikes may have removable batteries, while others are fixed. Our helpful manuals will outline how to correctly charge your chosen model, but the most common procedure involves simply turning off the battery pack and removing it from your bike before placing the provided charger into a mains outlet and connecting it to the battery pack.
When charging your e-bike, we also recommend following these tips:
- As high temperatures and frost can shorten battery life and affect performance, we recommend to charge your electric bike inside.
- Only charge your battery when it is necessary to do so. This is because charging the battery above 80% of its capacity can accelerate the degradation process.
- Recharge every 24 hours and do not let the battery fall below 25% as this can reduce its capacity overtime.
- Leave the newly charged battery for 10-15 minutes before refitting it to your bike.
- Always allow your battery to cool down after a ride before charging again.
How long does it take to charge an electric bike?
If you’ve just bought a new e-bike, you’ll need to make sure it has been fully charged before setting off on your first ride. Depending on the model, this can take up to 24 hours to reach full power, however after this initial charge most electric bikes can be fully charged in a matter of just 3-8 hours.
All of our electric bikes have this average charging time on the product specification, and are fully charged prior to delivery.
You can make your battery go further by using higher gears and keeping it to a lower assistance setting while pedalling quickly, although this will require more physical work on your part. Alternatively, you can try changing gears earlier than usual to lessen the drainage of your battery.
Do electric bikes charge as you pedal?
As pedalling assistance consumes energy, your electric bike doesn’t charge when your feet aren’t needed on the pedals, which is known as throttle mode.
More specifically, standard electric bike batteries aren’t able to intake and output energy simultaneously. However, a few premium electric bikes do offer the feature of regenerative pedalling, which can produce a small electric current to slowly recharge your battery while you ride.
