Questions around electric bike batteries

All Raleigh electric bikes use lithium ion batteries, these are very popular among technologies and are often found in laptops and phones. They offer many advantages:

  • They are lighter than many other rechargeable batteries of a similar size.

  • They are great at holding their charge, a lithium ion battery pack only loses about 5% of its charge per month in comparison to 20% loss for NiMH batteries.

  • They have no memory effect. You don't need to completely discharge the battery before recharging.

  • They are able to handle hundreds of charge and discharge cycles.

Lithium ion batteries contain lithium ion cells, they may be cylindrical batteries that look very similar to regular AA batteries.

When you receive your electric bike, you'll also receive a charger and a key. This key will allow you to unlock the battery from the bike so it can easily be removed from the bike, this means you can charge the battery indoors. The screen on your ebike will inform you when your battery is low so you'll know the best time to charge your ebike battery.

Again, this is relative to the motor and battery system that each electric bike uses. Some of our electric bikes will last up to 1000 charge cycles. It's best to check each bike spec before you buy to see how long they will last.

There are a couple of tips and tricks that can aid the range that your bike will take you.

  • Cadence: Slow pedalling is costly in terms of energy, whereas keeping your cadence above 50 revolutions per minute can optimise your drive unit.

  • Weight: Less luggage will keep the total weight of the bike down and keep your ebike running for longer.

  • Starting & braking: Just like a car, it's more effective to keep going the longer distance with a constant similar speed.

  • Gear shifting: Keeping in the correct gear will ensure the bike is more efficient, some of our ebikes do this automatically.

  • Tyre pressure: Always inflate tyres to the maximum permissible tyre pressure.

Taking care of your electric bike is relatively easy and you can find a lot more information on this on our electric bike maintenance page. Basic tips for keeping your electric battery healthy are to keep a light load on your bike, storing it at a temperature of 0 to 20 Celsius and storing it at approximately 30 to 60% charge. It's also best to park your ebike in the shade as opposed to direct sunlight.

It's highly unlikely you'll ever need to replace your electric bike battery due to their durability, if you notice any change in performance of your battery we suggest consulting your local bike mechanic to discuss your options.

How long do electric bike batteries last?

*Based on a rider weight of 12 stone, with an average speed of 10mph in 'tour' mode. Calculated using Bosch's eBike Range Assistant. www.bosch-ebike.com/en/service/range-assistant.

ModelAverage DistanceMotorBattery
Motus37 miles*Bosch Active LineBosch Power Pack 300Wh, 36V
Motus Tour51 miles*Bosch Active LineBosch Power Pack 400Wh, 36V
Motus Grand Tour63 miles*Bosch Active Line PlusBosch Power Pack 500Wh, 36V
Motus Kompact37 miles*Bosch Active LineBosch Power Pack 300Wh, 36V
Centros51 miles*Bosch Active Line PlusBosch Power Tube 400Wh, 36V
Centros Tour63 miles*Bosch Active Line PlusBosch Power Tube 500Wh, 36V
Centros Grand Tour63 miles*Bosch Active Line PlusBosch Power Tube 500Wh, 36V

Raleigh ebike Batteries

Although all Raleigh electric bike batteries are lithium ion, each range of bikes have different motor systems and therefore different battery manufacturers. We currently have TransX, Bosch and Suntour battery systems; we've outlined each of the battery features below.

What Type of Battery Do Electric Bikes Use?

All Raleigh electric bikes use lithium ion batteries, these are very popular among technologies and are often found in laptops and phones. They offer many advantages: They are lighter than many other rechargeable batteries of a similar size. They are great at holding their charge, a lithium ion battery pack only loses about 5% of its charge per month in comparison to 20% loss for NiMH batteries. They have no memory effect. You don't need to completely discharge the battery before recharging. They are able to handle hundreds of charge and discharge cycles.

Lithium ion batteries contain lithium ion cells, they may be cylindrical batteries that look very similar to regular AA batteries.

Centre & rear mounted batteries are more common across the Raleigh range providing better performance and better handling. Rear mounted batteries such as on the Motus Tour low step provide better handling and traction due to the added weight at the rear of the bike, the rear mounted battery adds a smoother more natural feeling of acceleration and we think looks neater mounted to a rear pannier rack.

Want to go more into depth on our electric bike batteries? Then this article will suit your needs.

How Can I Optimise the Range of Your Electric Bike?

There are a couple of tips and tricks that can aid the range that your bike will take you.

  • Cadence: Slow pedalling is costly in terms of energy, whereas keeping your cadence above 50 revolutions per minute can optimise your drive unit.

  • Weight: Less luggage will keep the total weight of the bike down and keep your ebike running for longer.

  • Starting & stopping: Just like a car, it's more effective to keep going the longer distance with a constant similar speed.

  • Gear shifting: Keeping in the correct gear will ensure the bike is more efficient, some of our ebikes do this automatically.

  • Tyre pressure: Always inflate tyres to the maximum permissible tyre pressure.

How Do I Maintain and Care for My Electric Bike Battery?

Taking care of your electric bike is relatively easy and you can find a lot more information on this on our electric bike maintenance page. Basic tips for keeping your electric battery healthy are to keep a light load on your bike, storing it at a temperature of 0 to 20 Celsius and storing it at approximately 30 to 60% charge. It's also best to park your ebike in the shade as opposed to direct sunlight.

How and When Do I Charge an Electric Bike Battery?

When you receive your electric bike, you'll also receive a charger and a key. This key will allow you to unlock the battery from the bike so it can easily be removed from the bike, this means you can charge the battery indoors. The screen on your ebike will inform you when your battery is low so you'll know the best time to charge your ebike battery.

When and How Do I Replace an Electric Bike Battery?

It's highly unlikely you'll ever need to replace your electric bike battery due to their durability. Like all batteries the capacity can diminish slightly over a long period of time, this is perfectly normal. Where needed replacement batteries are available for all of our bikes please contact our support team if you require any advice.

TranzX Battery

  • 260wh battery

  • Up to 50km range

  • Small, light and compact

Featured on: Stow-E-Way

Close-up picture of a TransX Battery

Suntour Battery

  • 400wh battery

  • Up to 100km on a single charge depending on the level of assistance

  • Frame Mounted

Featured on: Array

Close-up picture of a Suntour battery for e-bike

Bosch Battery

  • 300WH-500WH

  • Up to 220km in range on a single charge

  • PowerPack and Powertube

Featured on: Motus and Centros

Close-up picture of a Bosch battery

Electric Bike Battery Positions

Frame-Battery

  • Used on our crossbar and new low step models

  • Up to 500WH

  • Easy removal and charging

  • Ergonomic design

Frame Integrated

  • Featured exclusively on the Centros

  • 500WH battery

  • Easy Removal and charging

  • Bosch Powertube

Picture showing a Raleigh Motus electric bike frame and its battery attached to frame.