What exactly is a cell replacement?
In an e-bike battery cell replacement, sometimes called re-celling or a battery rebuild, we replace the cells inside the battery. Everything around them stays as it is: the casing, the connector, the Battery Management System (BMS). Only the lithium-ion cells are due for replacement, so those come out and new ones go in.
Think of a car that gets a new engine. Everything around it stays, but the part that does the work is new. Your battery then performs as it did when the bike was new. Sometimes better, because the latest cells store more energy than the ones that were fitted a few years ago.
How does a cell replacement work at KWS Seuren?
Every battery goes through the same fixed process here. Seven steps, and the first two decide whether the rest makes sense at all.
- Booking in. Your battery arrives by post or you drop it off. It gets its own number, and the charger and any loose parts you send along get that same number. That way nothing goes missing. On arrival we also check straight away whether the battery is safe to handle: dents, leakage, water damage or fire damage. We deal with those under our procedures for working safely with lithium-ion batteries.
- Intake test. We read your description of the problem and measure whether we reach the same conclusion. A capacity test is part of that. Sometimes the problem lies elsewhere: a faulty charger, a fault in the electronics, or something in the bike itself. Then you don't need a cell replacement.
- Dismantling. The battery is opened and the old cells come out. The casing and the BMS stay.
- Building the cell pack. New A-grade cells are brought up to voltage and balanced before they are connected in series. This is the step where home builds most often go wrong.
- Assembly. The pack is joined with a spot welder and built back into your own casing. The BMS is checked and repaired where needed.
- Final test. A full charge and discharge cycle, with your own charger connected, so we know everything works together. After that we measure the actual capacity.
- Booking out. The measured capacity goes on the battery and on the test report. Everything is packed and sent back.
We work with A-grade cells that have just come out of production. That is not a detail. A "new" battery from a manufacturer has sometimes sat on a shelf for months, and a lithium cell that sits idle loses capacity. So the cells we fit are often fresher than what you get in a factory-new battery.
Cell replacement, repair, refurbished or new?
The question we hear most: "Wouldn't I be better off buying a new one?" Sometimes, yes. But often not. And there are more than two options.
| Cell replacement | Repair | Refurbished | New battery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What happens | All the cells in your own battery are replaced | One specific fault is fixed | You get an already re-celled battery from stock | Factory-new battery |
| Cost | From €300, usually €350 to €500 | Price follows the intake test; €95 inspection fee if you decline the proposal | See product page | €400 to €1,200 |
| Warranty at KWS Seuren | 2 years | 2 years | 2 years | Varies by seller |
| Lead time | See current lead time | See current lead time | Shorter, from stock | Often no longer available |
| Your own battery | Stays yours | Stays yours | Comes back to us | Is replaced |
| Capacity upgrade | Often possible | No | Sometimes | Fixed by the manufacturer |
| Lifespan | 5-7 years | Depends on the fault | 5-7 years | 5-7 years |
| Cell freshness | Straight from production | Not applicable | Recently re-celled | Sometimes months old |
What a cell replacement costs for your model is on the product page. For most e-bike batteries that is between €350 and €500, with an average of around €425. Scooter, boat and mobility scooter batteries start at around €365 and go up from there.
Which brands can be re-celled?
Short answer: almost all of them. Gazelle, Batavus, Sparta, Bosch, Giant, Koga, Qwic, Stella, Flyer, VanMoof, you name it. We have now worked on more than 500 different battery types and handled more than 45,000 batteries in total.
For brands whose original battery is no longer for sale, such as certain VanMoof or Flyer models, a cell replacement is often the only way to get your bike back on the road.
What should you look out for, and when is a cell replacement not possible?
Not every cell replacement company works the same way. Four things to check before you send off your battery.
Is the battery tested before the cell replacement starts? With us, always. If the cause is not in the cells, you don't need a cell replacement.
Which cells are used? We work with A-grade cells, no B-stock and no leftover batches.
Is the BMS checked as well? A cell replacement that only replaces the cells without going over the electronics is half a job.
And: do you get a warranty, and on what exactly? With us it is 2 years, on both the work and the materials.
When a cell replacement is not possible. Severe damage to the casing, water damage, or a BMS that can no longer be repaired: that is where it ends. For some models we deliberately offer no cell replacement, but we do offer a repair or a refurbished battery. The Bosch PowerTube series is the best-known example. What is possible for your battery is on the product page.
We also simply say so when a cell replacement is not worthwhile. That means less turnover for us and a more honest answer for you. Not sure whether your battery is worth it? Have it inspected first.
How long does it take?
On average a few working days to two weeks, depending on the type of battery and how busy the workshop is. You will find the current lead time on our website.
Find answers in our help center
Many questions are already answered by our staff.
To the help centerCall us
+31 (0)485 782565
Email us
info@kwsseuren.nl
Chatbot
Start a conversation with our AI employee.
How do you register your battery?
Find your model in the webshop, choose the capacity you want and register it. In the Netherlands we collect your battery free of charge; from another country, contact us first. You only hand over the battery and the charger, not the whole bike. After the cell replacement you get everything back, packed, with the test report.
Along the way you can follow which stage your battery is in. The current lead time is on the customer service page.
Frequently asked questions
From €300. Most e-bike batteries come to between €350 and €500, around €425 on average, depending on brand, type and capacity. A new battery soon costs €400 to €1,200. The price for your model is on the product page.
With normal use, 5 to 7 years. Because we work with fresh cells that have just come out of production, the lifespan is comparable to that of a factory-new battery, or longer.
Technically yes, but we advise against it. Lithium-ion cells hold a lot of energy, the BMS has to cooperate and the cells have to be balanced. If something goes wrong, the battery often cannot be saved at all.
Almost always. We have experience with more than 500 models. Every battery starts with a diagnosis here, so we know whether a cell replacement makes sense.
Yes. 2 years on all work and materials. And after that you can still come to us if something is wrong.
In a cell replacement we replace all the cells. In a repair we fix one specific problem, such as a broken connector or a BMS fault. Sometimes a repair is enough and you don't need a full cell replacement.
