Testing an e-bike battery requires more than simply measuring voltage. For a reliable assessment of an e-bike battery, the actual capacity, State of Health (SOH) and behaviour under load should be measured.
Measuring only the voltage of an e-bike battery says little about its actual condition. A battery can be fully charged and show a normal voltage, while its available capacity has significantly decreased through use and ageing.
During a professional capacity test, the e-bike battery is discharged under a controlled load. This measures how much energy the battery can actually deliver and provides a much clearer picture of its real capacity and condition than a voltage measurement alone.
Why have your e-bike battery tested?
An e-bike battery gradually loses capacity during its lifetime. You will usually notice this because you can ride fewer kilometres on a fully charged battery than before. Knowing the actual condition of the battery can also be important when buying or selling a used e-bike.
A professional e-bike battery test can provide information about:
• the actual available battery capacity
• capacity in Ah and Wh
• State of Health (SOH)
• battery behaviour under load
• the condition of the battery compared with its original specifications
Can I test my e-bike battery myself?
A multimeter can be used to measure the voltage of an e-bike battery. However, a voltage measurement cannot reliably determine how much capacity the battery still has.
An e-bike battery may show a normal voltage after charging while storing considerably less energy than when it was new. To determine the actual capacity, the battery must be discharged under a controlled load and the amount of energy it delivers must be measured.
A professional capacity test therefore provides much more information about the condition of an e-bike battery than a voltage measurement alone.
When should you have an e-bike battery tested?
A professional battery test can be useful when:
• the range has noticeably decreased
• the battery appears to discharge faster than before
• you are unsure about the condition of an older battery
• you are considering buying a used e-bike
• you want to sell a used e-bike
• you want to know how much capacity the battery actually has left
What do Ah, Wh and SOH mean?
Ah (ampere-hour) indicates the electrical capacity of a battery. Wh (watt-hour) indicates how much energy the battery can deliver. For e-bike batteries, Wh is commonly used to describe the battery's energy content.
SOH stands for State of Health and provides information about the condition of the battery in relation to its original capacity.
Professional measurement of these values therefore provides much more information about an e-bike battery than battery voltage alone.
Have your e-bike battery professionally tested
Would you like to know how good your e-bike battery really is? Ask your bicycle dealer or e-bike specialist for a professional capacity test.
Ask specifically whether your e-bike battery can be tested with a Batterytester.
The Batterytester AT03 is designed for professional testing of lithium-ion batteries up to 60 V and is particularly suitable for e-bike batteries. During a controlled test, the actual available battery capacity can be determined. The measurement results can then be presented in a clear test report.
Why ask for a Batterytester?
With a Batterytester, a bicycle dealer can test the battery under controlled conditions instead of relying solely on a voltage measurement. The test provides objective measurement data that can be used to better assess the condition and available capacity of the e-bike battery.
This gives you, as a consumer, better insight into the actual condition of your battery.
Ask your bicycle dealer:
“Can you test my e-bike battery with a Batterytester?”
Want to learn more about professional battery testers and capacity testers? Visit our page about
battery testers and capacity testers.
