Battery basics

All lithium-ion batteries begin to die immediately after they are born. Batteries can last hundreds of, if not over a thousand, charge cycles (one charge cycle equals going from 0% charged to 100% charged. Going from 75% charged to 100% charged only counts as 0.25 charge cycle). Fully charging or fully discharging results in higher loading of the battery, and is not recommended.

How you use your battery affects its life. Similar to running your car to redline all the time, using the highest assist mode every day, or only using throttle, puts stress on the battery and lowers its lifespan.

Charging

• Charging should happen at room temperature, in a dry location, where a smoke detector is present.
• Someone should be present when the battery is charging. If you leave your battery and it is still charging, unplug the battery.
• Once the battery is charged, unplug. Do not leave the battery plugged in after it is charged, especially overnight when no one is present.
• Only charge the battery with the charger provided. Charging the battery with the wrong spec’d charger can lead to battery damage or fire.

Storage

• Store batteries in a dry location at room temperature.
• Do not leave in direct sunlight.

Cleaning

• You can use a damp cloth to wipe down the batteries. Terminals should be cleaned occasionally, and sometimes lightly greased. Do not clean with direct water contact. If cleaning the full vehicle, remove the battery first.
• Never open your battery pack.

Disposal

Ebike and escooter batteries are considered industrial, and thus should be disposed of as a household waste or in the usual battery collection containers. You may recycle used batteries at one of these drop-off locations: https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/

Quick tips

Improving battery life

• Don’t overload the battery.
• Store at a temperature between 32-68 degrees.
• Store at approximately a 30-60% charge status.
• Park the vehicle in the shade or a cool location (avoid direct sunlight).

Maximizing range

• Pedal more, throttle less.
• Avoid a stop and go process, rather ride as smoothly as possibly.
• Keep your tires inflated properly.
• Use your mechanical gears correctly.
• Limit excess load on the vehicle.
• Riding on smooth surfaces will increase range.
• Wind direction and terrain can affect range.

How to transport batteries

If moving the batteries between locations using another vehicle, we recommend the following.

• Car — If moving the vehicle via rack outside the car, the battery must be removed and stored safely inside the car.
• Plane — IATA forbids the transportation of ebike batteries on passenger planes.
• Trains — Many trains have bike compartments and thus transporting an LEV via train is ok. You may want to call ahead and determine your local regulations.
• Bus — Check with local transit systems to determine rules and capabilities of traveling with your e-vehicle.

In Case Of Emergency

If a battery pack starts smoking, emitting unusual noise, or showing signs of melted plastic:

• If available, and possible to do safely, place the failing pack in a fire resistance enclosure. If not available, and it’s safe to do so, move the battery outside, away from flammable materials.
• Immediately call 911 to summon the fire department.
• We recommend keeping Class A, B, and C fire extinguishers available throughout the workspace

If the remedial actions above are not possible to perform safely, immediately evacuate the area.

Notes On Battery Fires

It is not possible to extinguish a lithium-ion battery fire. The best course of action is to mitigate the consequences of the fire.

• A lithium-ion battery fire usually occurs during charging or discharging (use) of the pack.  That is why it’s critical to only charge battery packs when the charging process is monitored.
• A battery fire usually starts with a single battery cell.  As the cell achieves thermal runaway, it will combust and generate dense, toxic smoke and extreme heat.  The heat from the failing cell causes adjacent cells to ‘cook-off’ and the fire expands in a dangerous and uncontrolled fashion.
• The steps listed above are intended to mitigate the fire.
• Damaged packs are much more susceptible to catastrophic failure (fires) due the likelihood of internal short circuits or ruptured cells.
• The final remedy for a battery pack fire is to let it safely burn itself out away from any additional flammable materials.

Disclaimer
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You assume all responsibility and risk for the use of the safety resources available on or through these guidelines. Ridepanda does not assume any liability for the materials, information and opinions provided on, or available through these guidelines. No advice or information given by Ridepanda shall create any warranty. Reliance on such advice, information or the content of these guidelines is solely at your own risk, including without limitation any safety guidelines, resources or precautions related to the development or installation of battery storage and charging stations, battery storage and battery charging protocols, or emergency procedures, or any other information related to safety that may be available on or through these guidelines. Ridepanda disclaims any liability for injury, death or damages resulting from the use thereof.