Batteries and the cycle of life

Electric scooters are really cool, in fact they are the future of transportation for so many good reasons. Electric scooters are made to be compact and most of the time (depending on the brand and model) portable too.

Because of this, e-scooters have become so convenient to use and easy to maneuver. But most of all, e-scooters are eco-friendly and do not harm the environment, making it the choice of transportation for many as people decide to go the sustainable, better way.

Electric scooters also run on electricity instead of gas, all housed in a battery that stores the energy needed to make them go. The battery is basically the heart of the e-scooter and the electricity is the bloodline. And from here, life begins or might I say, the need for speed.

SCIENCE BEHIND LITHIUM ION

There are different types of batteries, but most electric scooters have a special kind called lithium-ion. This kind of battery is really good because it lasts a long time and can store a lot of energy that keeps you going. This is the battery mostly used by quality electric scooters.

Li-Ion, for short, are batteries that have an excellent ‘energy density’ known to be the amount of energy stored per their physical weight. They also have excellent longevity meaning that they keep a long life. Ultimately they can be discharged and recharged or “cycled” many times and still maintain their storage capacity. The battery is also made up of different parts called cells and electronics which is why Li-ion actually refers to many battery chemistries that involve the lithium ion. And just like everything that needs management, there’s also something called a battery management system that keeps everything safe and working well.

It is really important that before buying a fast electric scooter, you do your due diligence and know about the kind of batteries it carries. Find a brand that assures its customers that their electric scooters are made with only industry-standard, high-quality components. Make sure your chosen electric scooter brand really invests in quality batteries because only then will you know that your e-scooter is indeed premium and has class.

GO FOR QUALITY BATTERY

It is important to note as well, that if the battery is bigger, the e-scooter can go further before needing to be charged. But remember that bigger batteries also mean the e-scooter might be heavier and harder to carry around. Off-road performance electric scooters are great examples for e-scooters that carry heavy batteries but nonetheless premium and quality batteries, empowering these big bad boy e-scooters to go the distance. Plus, batteries are one of the most expensive parts of the scooter, so they can make the overall cost more expensive too. But then again, the more the quality, the better the e-scooter and the safer it is too.

Speaking of quality, electric scooters today are using the INR battery chemistry which gives high capacity and output current that is certified to be one of the safest chemistries because this lowers the possibilities of thermal runaway and fire. The science behind that is because the presence of manganese in the battery lowers the internal resistance of the battery, allowing high current output while maintaining low temperatures. Quality, premium, safe – these are definitely the keywords you want to hear when deciding to buy an electric scooter.

THE TRUTH ABOUT BATTERIES

Just like anything that undergoes difficulties, the truth about batteries is that inevitably it will also suffer from a phenomenon called ‘voltage sag’. Voltage sag happens is caused by several effects and one of them could be during a long ride where there’s a long discharge of the battery causing the lithium chemistry in the battery to take some time to catch up with the discharge rate. It comes as a shock for many when they see the battery voltage dropping rapidly during the end of their journey. Basically, voltage sag involves the following: lithium-ion chemistry, temperature, and electrical resistance. But worry not, if you know you purchased a quality battery, the battery voltage will return to its true level soon enough. In fact, if the battery is given time to sit back and relax once more, to rest, it will return to its true and accurate voltage level.

Funny how this sounds just like us humans who need to recover and recharge too. In no time, once we are well-rested, we will get back up again. In no time, we will be out there once again with our favorite e-scooter. It’s the cycle of life, that’s if you have, batteries for life.