If you’re a proud owner of an electric bike, you know that the battery is the most important and integral component of your bike. The battery of your e-bike and the charge it holds are essentially the factors that decide how long you can use your electric bike without recharging it. So, the key question is “how much does an electric bike battery cost?”
If you consider purchasing a new battery for your electric bike, it can cost you anywhere between $500 to more than $900 depending on the type of battery, capacity and brand. This cost will be for a battery of 400-700 Wh capacity and the more reputable the brand, the more expensive the battery will be.
So, if you’re planning to invest in a new e-bike, then it is important to know all the costs involved, including that of the battery. And, whether you’re purchasing a new battery for your e-bike or replacing an old one, the cost of the battery determines the overall cost of the electric bike, which is key to the decision of whether you want to purchase an electric bike or not.
How Much Does It Cost to Replace an Ebike Battery
The batteries in an electric bike are the most important components that one must pay close attention to. It is the factor that determines how long you can use the bike without recharging it, how much the bike weighs and how long the bike will work. The batteries of an electric bike are the heaviest and probably the most expensive component of an e-bike.
As mentioned earlier, a new battery can cost between $500 and $900+; however, the prices vary. But you must also consider that the battery of the e-bike has a specific lifespan and you can charge it only for a particular number of cycles, after which you need to replace the battery. So, what does the electric bike battery replacement cost?
Typically, the lifespan of the electric bike battery is measured in “charge cycles”, which is essentially the number of times you charge the battery up to 100%. A high-quality lithium-ion battery may last for 1,000 charge cycles at least, which means that if you use your electric bike every day and the battery is completely discharged and you recharge the battery, it should have a lifespan of around 3 years.
However, after 3 years, you may notice that the performance of the battery will start reducing and it may hold less charge. However, this doesn’t mean that after 3 years and 1,000 charge cycles, the battery will stop working completely, you may be able to extend its life for longer, especially if the battery is not fully discharged every day.
In fact, it was seen in tests that were conducted on a Bosch electric bike battery that it lasted for more than 1,500 charge cycles, which means that the e-bike could do around 35,000 miles on a single battery.
If you want to purchase a replacement battery for your e-bike, today, a good quality lithium-ion e-bike battery can cost around $700 on average. And, if you need to purchase a replacement battery once in 3 years, the cost of the replacement battery will work out to around $233 (approx.) per year.
What You Can Do to Reduce the Cost of the Electric Bike Battery
You can reduce the cost of the battery of the electric bike by reducing the number of replacements, which you can, in turn, reduce by prolonging the life of the battery. So, here are a few things that you can do as an electric bike owner to keep the battery of your e-bike in good condition and prolong its life, thereby reducing the replacement cost.
- Purchase a high-quality electric bike that has a good quality battery, ideally having 18650 and lithium-ion batteries, right at the start.
- Ensure that the battery in the electric bike is high-quality and from a reputable brand such as Sony, Panasonic or Samsung. Avoid off-brand batteries.
- Allow the electric bike battery to cool down before charging it. Also, after it is charged, don’t use it immediately.
- Use the charger, as well as the adapter that is provided along with the battery to prevent overcharging and short circuits.
- Avoid draining the battery completely but when charging it, make sure that it is charged to 100%.
- Keep your electric bike and the batteries in a cool place away from direct sunlight when they are not being used.
- If the battery is not on the bike, then store the battery in a cool and dry place, ideally at a temperature below 68°F (20°C). Never leave the battery near a heat source and avoid elevated temperatures.
- When you’re storing the battery for long periods of time, make sure that the battery is charged partially and has around 40% to 60% charge. Avoid keeping the battery on charge for very long periods as storing the battery with 100% charge reduces the life of the battery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Replace Ebike Battery?
Yes, it is very simple to replace the battery of the electric bike. However, before doing that you need to know what type of battery your e-bike runs on, whether it is lithium-ion polymer, nickel-metal hydride, nickel-cadmium or sealed lead-acid batteries.
This will enable you to purchase the correct replacement option because you must replace the battery with the same type. You can check the manufacturer’s manual to find out what type of battery your electric bike runs on.
Changing the e-bike battery is quite simple. Firstly, you must unlock the battery by unscrewing the bolts or using a key. Then, disconnect the wires that are connected to the battery and loosen any clamps which may hold the battery to release it.
Remove the battery carefully and install the new battery. Bolt the battery into place and make sure that the clamps holding the battery are reinstalled properly. Reconnect the wires to the battery and close the battery kit safely.
Are Ebikes Batteries Expensive to Repair?
Often, electric bike owners think that it is better to try and fix the battery in case something goes wrong because they believe that restoring the battery is a cheaper option rather than purchasing a new one.
If you have a minor performance problem, it is possible to repair the electric bike battery. However, it may not be worth the time and effort to try and fix it, especially if the battery is damaged severely.
You may decide to send your e-bike battery to the technicians instead of trying to fix it yourself; however, this can be an expensive proposition. The cost of repairing the battery may run to around 1/4th the price of a brand-new battery, depending on the problem.
And, even if you do decide to try and repair the battery, this can still be quite expensive. The components for the battery i.e., wiring, cells, specialized tools and a soldering kit required to fix the battery can all result in the cost adding up to a significant amount, which may not be worth it.
Is It Cheaper to Build Your Own Ebike Battery?
As we have already discussed, the battery is the heart of the electric bike and is probably the most important component. The motor of the e-bike is useless without the battery, which stores the energy to run the bike. However, the electric bike battery is not only the most difficult to get but is also the most important component of the bike.
And, if you’re wondering if it may be cheaper to build your own DIY e-bike battery instead of purchasing one, then the answer is “no”, especially if you’re planning to build a single battery. Building a battery can be time consuming, as well as an expensive proposition because you need to purchase the various components required for a battery including specialized tools and a soldering kit (which can be quite expensive).
Apart from expensive tools, you will also require to purchase wiring, cells and other parts, which can all add up to the cost, making it quite expensive to build a battery. However, if you decide to make several batteries, the costs get spread over the number of batteries and reduce the per battery cost.
