Contemplating commuting: can I keep my ebike in the sunlight and heat all day?

[FrankR]

My ebike is a fat tire, mountain bike style, foldable. Similar to Lectric XP and Engwe EP.

I'm preparing to use it for commuting. Will be about 7 miles a day - 3.5 each way. [Last year, I traded my 112 mile a day work commute for a 7 mile one. ]

Weather is cool and mild at this point. But soon it will get hot, then very hot. Will my type of bike survive adequately being in a company parking lot all day, in the heat and sun?
There will be no ceiling or canopy. It will sit in direct sun in that lot all day.

What's the reality? I can't imagine the display can sit in that all day. Possibly same for the battery.

?

 

[Cowlitz]

Maybe remove the battery to take indoors and then use a cover of some sort over the bike to protect the display?

 

[m@Robertson]

Short answer is no. Longer: What Cowlitz said on the battery. No way. No how can it take direct sunlight for hours in a hot climate and not expect damage. Possibly even a thermal runaway (as in a fire) if you are in a place like I am where heat gets to 110 or more in the shade; never mind direct sunlight.

I keep a temp sensor on my battery pack on my Bullitt, which has a battery box under the floor and gets most of its heat radiating off the ground. On a 100+ day the pack easily gets to ambient air temps, which is a bad thing. I cover the bike with a white tarp when parked outside Costco etc. Secure same with bungies on the grommets on the tarp. You should too. Sun is bad for all kinds of things like plastics and rubber.

No matter what, bring that battery inside!

My cargo bike is 8 ft long. You can just fold this in half or something.

https://amzn.to/3kbUoSN

 

[Saratoga Dave]

No problem, it’ll get stolen in no time being in the same lot every day

 

[indianajo]

My bike sits out all summer, under a tree. I throw a tarp over it when it is going to rain, but not sunny days. Sits in the sun locked to a power pole or gas meter when I am shopping or volunteer working. It hits 99 F here sometimes. I ride in that heat. Early afternoon is my awake time. My battery is 3 1/2 years old, ~300 charges, works fine. I have battery wrapped in the white foam batts vendor wrapped it in. Same stuff they wrap flat screen TV's in, 1/8" sheets. PVC bag over that, green for a tiny bit of style. Rains 220 days a year here.
I do remove battery in winter and park it under a heat pad in the garage. Gets to 6 F here sometimes with 25 mph winds.

 

[m@Robertson]

If you can put a bike under a tree it'll be fine. In direct sunlight for a full day, not so much. A 105 degree day even in shade means a 105 degree pack temperature when it heat soaks, and thats before you use it. A pack has to stay below 140 degrees fahrenheit - above that and thermal runaway starts to be a real worry. It is super easy for a black battery casing to absorb heat on a 100-110-degree day and hit 140-plus. Just measure the black asphalt to see how hot that gets. Hell, I have had motor temps at 165 on days like that.

 

[6zfshdb]

Since your bike is a folder, can't you bring it inside and store it in a closet or next to a desk?

 

[tomjasz]

Since your bike is a folder, can't you bring it inside and store it in a closet or next to a desk?

I wouldn’t want a cheap battery charging or stored near my work space. But it appears to be a non removable battery pack. And no cell separation.

 

[m@Robertson]

ah so... worst case scenario. Best you can do is throw a tarp over it... or get a different bike. That battery construction is not good.

 

[antboy]

I wouldn’t want a cheap battery charging or stored near my work space. But it appears to be a non removable battery pack. And no cell separation.
View attachment 121427

I saw an unboxing video of this just yesterday, and the battery is definitely removeable...
Don't trust the bad photoshop with lightning bolts around the cells.

The battery case looks like the same style found in other in-frame fat folders like the Lectric XP.

 

[rich c]

I wouldn’t want a cheap battery charging or stored near my work space. But it appears to be a non removable battery pack. And no cell separation.
View attachment 121427

It says right on that picture, removable battery.

 

[tomjasz]

It says right on that picture, removable battery.

i did watch the video and yes, thank you.
Regardless, what would you expect the quality of battery to be?
I should’ve STFU. I find it hard to read someone wants to commute but gets roped into an inexpensive eBike that might be more of a lesson than a successful commuters ebike. But I didn’t.

 

[FrankR]

Yes, battery is definitely removable.
I don't think the battery is low quality.

It's the same core design as the Lectric and Engwe bikes - with some upgrades.

I Could wheel the bike into work, and I may just do that when we get to the hot weather. Still trying to figure it all out.

 

[tomjasz]

I don't think the battery is low quality.

It can't possibly be anything but generic Chinese cells and a featureless BMS. Those of us in the biz for nearly a decade has seen these issues time and time again. When an eBike purchase price is a couple of hundred dollars more than a quality battery, well, you get what you pay for. These budget 20" fat bikes are a fad. And most will not be sustainable. The Yugo's of the eBike world.

 

[FrankR]

My battery is made by Samsung.

 

[tomjasz]

My battery is made by Samsung.

That means nothing. Samsung makes MANY cells. And unless we open the case and confirm, they may well not be Samsung and could be rewrapped. Counterfeit cells are common. NO WAY can a builder use the latest Samsung cells and sell for the price you paid. I'm sorry but I did online and phone eBike support for 7 years. I've seen this same BS a hundred times.

 

[Frank Discussion]

That looks like a pretty cool folding ebike with a pretty decent range for what you want to use it for. I'd opt for parking in the shade if possible and try to bring the battery inside.

 

[ruffruff]

Yes, battery is definitely removable.
I don't think the battery is low quality.

It's the same core design as the Lectric and Engwe bikes - with some upgrades.

I Could wheel the bike into work, and I may just do that when we get to the hot weather. Still trying to figure it all out.

Sounds like you have a solution.