E-bike chargers

Our range of e-bike chargers gives you plenty to choose from. We stock original chargers and replacement chargers, and we selected each one ourselves. We know batteries, so we know which charger is the right one for your e-bike. The charger is an important part of your e-bike if you want to keep riding it for years.

How you charge your e-bike battery matters a great deal. Keep in mind that a fully discharged e-bike battery will eventually fail. Running it flat also shortens its life. A few tips to prevent that:

• Charge the battery regularly, for example after every ride.
• Make sure the battery is at least 50% charged when you put the e-bike and its battery into storage.
• Check regularly, preferably every month, whether the battery needs topping up, so that it does not become deeply discharged.
• Disconnect the charger as soon as the battery is full. Never leave the battery on the charger longer than necessary.
• Do not cover the charger or the battery, so that the heat they produce can escape. This prevents the battery or the charger from failing, or a fire from starting.

On average it takes about 4 to 5 hours to charge your e-bike battery fully. That depends largely on the capacity of the battery and the power of the charger. A battery with a higher capacity needs more time to charge. There are now safe ways to speed charging up, such as a good-quality fast charger.

You need to pay attention before charging as well as during it. Moisture and cold are the two things you do not want while charging. After a ride in the rain, let your battery dry at room temperature before you connect it, and preferably not next to the heater. Give the battery and the charger time to reach room temperature on their own. Moisture and temperature differences inside the battery and the charger can cause condensation. Avoid that at all times.

You want to charge your e-bike and it will not charge. If your battery no longer takes a charge and you are sure the battery itself is fine, it is time to look for a new charger. That is not the only reason to replace one. If the casing is broken, or the cable is damaged and cannot be replaced, you need a new charger for safety's sake.

A fast charger is another reason to buy a new one. This is the luxury reason: you want to charge faster, or you want a second charger that stays in another fixed place. Does charging take too long for your liking? If you want to cut your battery's charging time, a fast charger is a good buy.

Riding an e-bike has clear advantages, and it suits nearly everyone. You get where you are going sooner and you can ride longer distances, all with less effort. Every one of those advantages comes from the energy the battery supplies. Just like the battery in an electric car or the one in your phone, an e-bike battery has to be charged, and for that you need an e-bike charger. If your charger is faulty or broken, you can buy a new original one. You can also choose a replacement charger. That has its own advantages, which often makes the choice a quick one. A universal replacement charger is usually much cheaper. For some batteries you can also buy a charger with a higher charging current, so the battery is full sooner. Do make sure you buy the right charger for your e-bike battery.

The range of e-bike chargers on offer is enormous. Unfortunately that does not mean you can pick the first one you come across. You have to match the right charger to the right e-bike battery, and not every charger is compatible with every battery. Amperage and voltage differ widely between charger brands and types. Using the wrong charger on a battery can be very dangerous: the battery may be overcharged, or stop charging altogether. Always check that the voltage of the charger matches the details printed on the battery. Not sure whether you have the right charger? Get in touch with us.

Is your e-bike charger faulty? First find out where the problem really is. A small test does that quickly and easily. Connect your battery to a different, compatible e-bike charger. Does the battery still not charge? Then the problem is more likely in the battery than in the charger. If the battery does charge on the other charger, your own charger is indeed the part that has failed.

We advise never leaving the battery on the charger for longer than 24 hours. Leaving it longer can damage the lithium-ion cells, so the battery wears out early and does not last as long as it should.

Every adapter gets warm in use. That is a result of the current running through it. Some chargers, though, get very hot. Too hot means you can no longer hold the charger in your hand. In that case there is most likely a problem with the charger or the battery.

A charger that gets too hot is often being overloaded. This happens, for example, when a charger is worn and can no longer deliver the power required. The sensible thing then is to replace the charger.

If a new charger also gets hot quickly, your battery may be worn out. The battery then needs so much recharging that the charger is overloaded. The charger gets very hot, and the risk of damage or of the charger burning out is high. In that case it makes sense to have your e-bike battery re-celled, which means we replace all the cells with new ones.

Charging an e-bike battery is not expensive, certainly compared with what petrol or diesel costs for a car. The cost depends on a few things, mainly:

1. The capacity of the battery: Battery capacity is usually given in watt-hours (Wh) or Ah. A battery with a higher capacity needs more electricity for a full charge.

2. The electricity price where you live: This varies with your location and your energy supplier.

A rough estimate:

Say you have a 400Wh battery and the average electricity price in the Netherlands is about €0.22 per kWh. A full charge of that battery takes about 0.4 kWh.

So 0.4 kWh x €0.22 = €0.088. Charging a 400Wh battery would therefore cost about 9 cents.

What it costs to charge an e-bike battery today

With the newer electricity price of €0.39 per kWh, the calculation for the 400Wh battery and for a 625Wh battery looks like this:

For the 400Wh (0.4 kWh) battery: 0.4 kWh x €0.39 = €0.156

So charging a 400Wh battery would cost about 16 cents.

For the 625Wh (0.625 kWh) battery: 0.625 kWh x €0.39 = €0.24375

So charging a 625Wh battery would cost about 24 cents.

Overview of e-bike charging costs

Table based on an energy price of €0.39 per kWh:

Do you have questions about charging your e-bike battery?

Repairing your e-bike charger can be more complicated than it looks. Work carefully, so that you do not cause further damage or a safety problem. With the steps below you can check your e-bike charger yourself and, where possible, repair it:

1. Check the power supply: Start by plugging the charger into the wall socket and see whether an indicator light comes on. No response can point to a fault, but on some chargers, such as those from Giant or a Bosch charger, the LED can stay off when the charger is not under load.

2. Measure the e-bike battery:

   • Use a multimeter to check the voltage of the battery. Note: using a multimeter incorrectly can cause damage, so be careful.
   • A standard 36V battery should read between 30 and 42 volts. A standard 24V battery should read between 21 and 29.4V. A voltage well below that can point to a faulty battery. Note: some batteries, such as those from Bosch, Shimano, Koga and some Gazelles, need communication before they give a reading, so you cannot measure them directly.

3. Inspect the charging port:

   • Check the charging port on the e-bike battery. A common problem is a short circuit in the charging port when the charger stays connected while the bike is moved. The fuse can then blow, and the battery no longer charges.

4. Examine the charging plug:

   • Check the condition of the charging plug. Is the charger often pulled out of the battery by its cable, or does the plug often need twisting before it fits? Then the wires in the plug may have come loose or be touching each other. Thin wires are especially vulnerable.
   • If the wires have come loose, they can often be soldered back on.

Choosing the right charger for your e-bike battery comes down to a few technical points, and they decide how well your e-bike performs and how long the battery lasts. The voltage (V) of the charger must match your battery, ideally with a deviation of no more than 5%, to prevent damage. The amperage (A) determines how fast your battery charges. A standard charger usually delivers between 1.5A and 3A, and we recommend a 2A charger for daily use. Fast chargers of 4A or 6A, for example, are for special situations. The connection matters too: check that the charger's plug fits your e-bike battery, because there are many different plug types. For specific bike brands and models you can often check compatibility by the frame number or the brand of the battery. Think about safety as well: an unsuitable charger can cause overheating or damage your battery. Our chargers come with a warranty and a clear returns policy. In doubt, or do you have a question? Contact us and we will help you find the right charger for your e-bike, based on the type of bike, its year, and the details of your current charger or battery.