In our daily work as we deal with bicycle safety, technology and user manuals we come across lots of safety risks. The most frequent ones are published in articles of the leading German special-interest magazines TOUR – Europas Rennrad-Magazin Nr. 1, BIKE – Das Mountainbike Magazin Europas Nr. 1 and E-Bike – Das Pedelec-Magazin to make this information important for the sector accessible to a wider public.
For many years now the Eurobike Show Daily accompanying the annual international Eurobike Show has given us the opportunity to publish our perspective on major developments in the cycle industry in full-page articles.
We also speak regularly in independent lectures about all topics relating to bicycle technology and bicycle market. In addition, we are regularly cited by further special-interest magazines or trade journals as well as more and more by radio and television and in their media reports, which shows us that we are completely right with our information. The section NEWS informs you about the latest news from our specialist fields. The reports and publications of this section are listed chronologically or according to topics of interest.
Eurobike Show Daily 2013 – Day 3+4
But unlike bicycles and regular components, batteries require attention, even if they are in storage or have never been used. Retailers and manufacturers should know how to handle these products, which, after all, can be hazardous. And retailers also should know how much to discount a battery in storage. Just like a bicycle, a leftover battery is still last year’s model.
In simple terms, pedelec batteries are rechargeable batteries. The battery generates energy through chemical processes that take place in a receptacle that is filled with metal compounds. Like many chemical reactions, what happens in a battery depends on the temperature. In cold conditions, chemical reactions typically proceed very slowly or not at all, while in hot conditions they may be very fast or even get out of control.
Lithium-ion batteries are the current state of the art for many electronics, including pedelecs. In addition to their good energyto-weight ratio, Li-ion batteries offer several other significant advantages. One is that they no longer have a "memory effect," so they do not lose capacity even when only partially charged.
Every time a battery is charged, however, it suffers a certain amount of wear. Therefore, even with sophisticated systems, manufacturers do not provide warranties that exceed more than 500 to 1,000 charging cycles. This does not mean that a battery that has been charged more than 1,000 times is as dead as a doornail. But it has lost a certain percentage of its capacity, which means it has a reduced range and requires recharging more frequently.
Running down a battery completely and then storing it indefinitely is fatal to its storage capacity. Every battery discharges slowly when not in use, eventually reaching a deep discharge state that can be harmful. Even when stored in a charged condition, rechargeable batteries age. How fast depends significantly on conditions. Here is how bicycle retailers and manufacturers can minimize the wear and the risks of storing batteries:
Follow these recommendations and you will satisfy your insurance company and, more important, sleep well in spite of having these hazardous items in stock.
Finally, make sure you show your customers how you handle rechargeable pedelecs batteries. An attractive and professionally equipped battery center builds up their confidence and underscores your competence as an e-mobility retailer.
Read the entire article here.
Author: Dirk Zedler
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