How long do electric bikes last: With each passing day, the popularity of ebikes increases more and more. They help you go wherever you want without making so much effort, and they also don’t affect the environment. But one of the questions that come up is how long do electric bikes last.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know to know how long your ebike will last, between years and kilometres travelled that its parts can last.
How long do electric bikes last: the bike in general
At this point, we will focus on How long do electric bikes last, although we leave other sections to deal with the specific case of the motor and the battery since they deserve separate attention.
For example, tires are just as important on an ebike as they are on any type of bike. Some tires of medium or high quality last between 15,000 and 20,000 km, although on a long trip it is advisable to always carry at least one spare in case a glass or some type of pebble crosses your path that could end up hurting the cover of your ebike.
The cables and covers of the ebike are also essential. Generally, they are only changed when the bike starts to shift badly, such as if you have to apply more force than usual when braking or it is evident that the cable is stuck in the sheath. The boots get dirtier when you ride on muddy or dusty roads or terrain so you can plan changes of cables and boots after going through terrain full of dust, dirt, or mud.
An ebike as a whole can last up to 4 years running smoothly. There are cases of people who claim that their ebike lasted 10 years, but making changes to the motor or battery. No motor or battery, no matter how good or expensive it may be, can last more than 4 years if you give your ebike constant and regular use.
How long does an ebike last: The battery
When it comes to the useful life of an ebike, the battery is one of the key factors. How many hours or how many kilometres you can use your bike depends on the battery, and when your battery becomes obsolete you should buy a new one to be able to use your ebike as it should.
Approximately, the most frequent is that a medium-level electric battery has a useful life of around 4 years. Regardless of the brand of battery, all ensure that they can last close to 500 complete cycles, holding 80 per cent of their capacity, that is, having lost 20 per cent.
The battery is a chemical consumable that deteriorates linearly with use. There is a gradual deterioration concerning the total capacity of the battery in each complete discharge or cycle of the battery, like any Lithium battery. A cycle consists of a complete discharge and charge, for example: if the battery has only been almost fully discharged and we charge it, it counts as 1 cycle.
The number of kilometres you can cover with an ebike also depends on its quality. Common batteries usually can last between 15-20 kilometres in case it is a walk without a greater effort. In the case of high-end or premium ebikes, they can last up to 100 kilometres on different types of terrain.
How long do electric bikes last: The engine
The motor is the part of the ebike that brings fewer headaches. It rarely malfunctions unless it gets very wet or hit hard. In addition, of all the parts of the ebike, it is the one with the longest useful life. 5 years is the time that an ebike motor will surely last regardless of its price or quality range, as long as it is cared for correctly. In some cases, engines that are premium or high-end are said to last up to 10+ years.
How to make the ebike last longer?
There are different ways to make your ebike last longer, to extend its life even a couple of years longer than expected. For this, the care of the motor, the battery, and the frame of the ebike is essential.
In what has to do with the battery and the motor, you must make sure to protect it from different external factors. Above all, you should make sure that it is not exposed to the sun for a long time when it is parked, as this will extend the life of your battery. Also preventing it from getting wet is essential to make it last longer.
In the exclusive case of the battery, another way is to prevent it from being completely discharged before charging it. Except when you are doing the charge and discharge cycle, try not to drop below 30% charge. Finally, make sure to unplug it just when it reaches 100% charge, there is no point in continuing to charge when the battery is fully charged, overcharging goes against the performance of the batteries.
In what has to do with the frame of the ebike or its other components, the way to take care of it is to avoid crashing or having strong blows that can damage its integrity. In addition, if you make a trip in areas with a lot of dirt, we recommend that you wash your ebike completely (without getting the motor or battery wet) so that the mud does not get stuck in it, turning into a rock that can damage your ebike.
In conclusion
The key to making your ebike last a long time and have more years and kilometres of useful life is to take care of it. If you take care of it correctly, it will most likely last 4 years or more without any problems. In case it starts to fail, the problem may be located in just one of its parts (wheel, motor, battery, cables, etc.) so if you fix that part it is enough to solve the whole problem. The great advantage of ebikes is that you can easily find spare parts and the exact part you are looking for, this will save you a lot of headaches.
Check our new article about Best Electric bikes For Heavy Riders in 2023.
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