How to Extend Your Electric Bike Battery Life

Written by: Rémy Rossi | June 8, 2025 | Time to read 5 min

They say all good things must come to an end. Electric bikes are really good things, so I guess the logic means they fizzle out eventually— but no one said anything about that finale coming anytime soon! Electric bikes and their batteriesare incredibly long-lasting and should provide many years and thousands of miles of excellent performance when taken care of properly. Here’s how to extend the lifespan of your electric bike battery.

Before we get started discussing battery lifespan, I’ll cover battery range. These two terms are often conflated, but they mean quite different things. Battery lifespan refers to how long the battery lasts throughout its entire use, often up to several years. Battery range is the distance the battery lasts on a single charge, typically around a few dozen miles. 

You may be wondering how to get the most range from your e-Bike battery:

The number one factor that affects e-Bike range is the speed at which you ride. Riding in higher pedal assist levels or using the throttle drains the battery significantly faster than lower riding modes. 

The other factors that impact battery range all have to do with how hard you’re making the motor work throughout the ride. This includes things such as rider weight, added cargo, headwinds, steep climbs, or underinflated tires, which all require more effort from the motor. 

For e-Bikes with mid-drive motors, pedaling with a natural cadence somewhere between 80-100 rpm also improves efficiency. Use the mechanical advantage of gears and shifting to maintain a high cadence on climbs or when accelerating. Temperature is key for battery performance, so avoid keeping the battery out in the cold, where it’ll lose a noticeable portion of performance. 

It’s simple: Ride in the lowest assistance mode possible to extend battery range. Pumping up your tires and limiting weight will increase range a bit, too.

I’m of the opinion that you should simply charge the bike whenever it needs charging. Some riders may geek out on ultimate battery efficiency and say you ought to keep the battery between 20% and 80% capacity; however, any gains from this are marginal and are much more of a headache day to day. 

Your e-Bike is meant to get you places conveniently and as stress-free as possible. Modern chargers drip-charge or trickle-charge to avoid overcharging. And if you purposefully undercharged your e-Bike, then run out of juice on a ride, you’ll be kicking yourself for it. Don’t sweat it, really.

You probably know that water and electricity don’t mix. E-Bikes are very water resistant and have waterproof housings around the motors and batteries, so riding in the rain and bike washes are totally fine. However, avoid using high-pressure washers around the electronic components as a precaution. There are more bike-appropriate pressure washers that tone things down a bit if you really want that oomph while cleaning. For ultimate battery care, Bosch recommends wiping the battery and contact points with a damp microfibre cloth every once in a while.