How much does an ebike battery cost

Whether you’re planning to buy a new battery for your new e-bike or replace the old one in your existing e-bike, understanding the cost of e-bike batteries is key. How much does an ebike battery cost? Let’s dive into the details.

Typically, new, high-quality e-bike batteries cost between $500 and $900+, depending on brand and capacity. This applies to batteries with capacities in the 400 watt-hour to 700 watt-hour range. In terms of cost per watt-hour of capacity, name-brand battery packs are much more expensive than high-quality off-brand battery packs.

Bosch branded battery packs are the most expensive, ranging in price from $675 to $925, with an average cost per watt-hour of capacity of about $1.72 per watt-hour.

Shimano STEPS batteries range in price from $500 to $750, with an average cost per watt-hour of capacity of about $1.42 per watt-hour.

Finally, the average cost per watt-hour of capacity for off-brand batteries with high-quality cells (usually Panasonic or Samsung, sometimes LG) is about $0.82 per watt-hour.

The chart below shows the range of costs per watt-hour of capacity, depending on the brand.

Cheap Price = Cheap Quality
There are many cheaper batteries available from direct sellers in China, but these batteries are of lower quality and may have some of the following issues:

Unlike Japan or Korea, China is not known for quality 18650 batteries
Many “name brand” battery packs from China can actually consist of cloned or repacked cells.
Repacked batteries will perform poorly and not last very long.
Repackaged or poor quality batteries may also have a higher potential fire hazard.
In this case, “buyer beware” and “you get what you pay for”.

What’s in an e-bike battery?
A typical lithium-ion e-bike battery consists of two main components – a single lithium-ion cell and a battery management system.

18650 format battery
These are slightly larger than AA batteries and are named for their 18mm x 65mm size. They are used in high drain equipment due to their excellent capacity and discharge rate.

Typically these batteries have an average voltage of 3.7v and a capacity of around 3000mAh. These batteries are then combined in parallel (to increase the capacity Ah) and in series (to increase the voltage) to create larger batteries suitable for the higher power demands of e-bike motors.

For example, in a common 48V/15Ah battery pack, there are 65 cells (3.7v, 3000mAh). These 65 cells would be combined in parallel in groups of 5 to get 15 Ah (3Ah x 5 cells), and these 13 groups of 3.7v cells would be combined in series to get the nominal 48 V (13 x 3.7v).

By comparison, Tesla’s most popular battery pack has 7,104 18650 cells!

Battery Management System (BMS)
The Battery Management System (BMS) is the “brain” of the battery, helping to maintain a good balance of subgroups within a larger battery, thereby increasing the life of the battery. It helps with charging (limiting the amount of current) and discharging by limiting the amount of amperage that can be drawn from the battery pack.

Some BMS can also monitor higher temperatures and limit the battery to prevent overheating and damage. Some can also connect to your mobile phone via Bluetooth to provide more detailed battery information and have a battery on/off switch.

I’ve already written about how long batteries typically last in this article, but in general a new battery will last about 1000 charge cycles.

How do I replace my bike battery?
Many manufacturers offer replacement batteries for their bikes and an important point to consider when buying an e-bike is how easy it is to replace the battery. Some batteries are built into the frame and require quite a bit of work to remove and replace. Others simply clip out of the frame or rear rack and then it’s easy to place the new one in place.

This is one of the downsides of a dedicated e-bike – you usually need to use the manufacturer’s battery replacement kit, which is often a lot more expensive than the more versatile alternatives. If you build your own e-bike with a conversion kit or assemble the parts yourself, you have more choice in terms of the batteries you use, their quality, their capacity, and ultimately their price.

Below is a list of battery packs and their pricing from several bike manufacturers (check your local dealer or online for the latest prices).

When purchasing batteries online, it is important to take into account the additional shipping costs. Shipping batteries, particularly lithium-ion batteries, can be complex and may result in an increase of $40-$50 in shipping costs, depending on the destination. If you are planning to travel with your e-bike on a plane, one option is to ship your own e-bike batteries, which I have written about.

Can I “repack” my old batteries?
What exactly is “repackaging”? Basically, it means keeping the casing or container that holds the old/worn out battery, but placing the new battery in the old casing. This is done so that you get a “new” battery that fits your bike or internal battery pack.

There are quite a few forums and websites that advertise the possibility of repacking an existing case to replace an aged or damaged battery pack. Some manufacturers discourage this practice, as Bosch points out:

In almost all cases, it is necessary to replace defective batteries, such as the Bosch PowerPack, as they are high-quality lithium-ion batteries that are complex, finely tuned systems. Reconditioning these batteries requires special expertise and sophisticated production facilities.

[1]We strongly advise against reconditioning batteries as claimed by some suppliers because in such cases, it is not possible to guarantee safety and optimal interaction with the battery management system. Additionally, there is a safety risk that opening or modifying the battery may invalidate the warranty claim.

[2] I think their claims and warnings are reasonable. To be sure, your warranty (if there is any left) will certainly be voided if you do this.

However, since most battery packs only have a 1 year warranty, repacking the batteries may be a suitable option in some cases:

You are really trying to keep costs down, especially if replacing a branded battery pack is very expensive
You own an e-bike model that is no longer supported or for which replacement parts are difficult to obtain. This may happen with discontinued garments or older models

Conclusion
In conclusion, the battery on an ebike is one of the most expensive components to replace, but neglecting quality and opting for a cheaper option can often lead to a drop in quality, shorter battery life and reduced performance.

You will need to replace the battery on any e-bike after a period of time, but if you maintain your battery to last as long as possible, you’ll rarely find yourself buying a new e-bike battery.

So what are you waiting for? With an electric bicycle, hills suddenly turn into lowlands. Enjoy the ride and don’t forget to purchase your favorite electric bicycle from Shuangye (www.zhsydz.com).