Get through the winter with your NIU

From a technological standpoint, there are hardly any reasons to leave your NIU parked during the winter. But whether you ride it or not, there are a few things you should keep in mind when handling your e-scooter on frosty days. It's primarily about the batteries – but not only.

Battery packs in winter

Many dozens of high-quality lithium-ion cells provide power for your NIU. NIU battery packs are robust and smart. They feature integrated temperature sensors and mechanisms to prevent the risk of deep discharge and damage from charging in extreme temperatures. If you follow these tips, your batteries are unlikely to suffer:

Riding a scooter

NIU's official temperature range is -10 to +45 degrees Celsius. It probably goes without saying that, in the Swiss lowlands, you shouldn't ride outside of these temperature extremes ...

Charging batteries

Temperature range: 0–35 degrees Celsius. You don't need to worry too much about this part. Your NIU's charger communicates with the battery management system (BMS). It measures the temperature and should, in principle, refuse to start charging if the temperature is too low or too high. However, don't rely on this to be on the safe side.

Storing batteries

Mistakes happen here! Many users leave their NIU in a corner in cold temperatures and are surprised when the batteries eventually run out (or are even deeply discharged). Your NIU constantly needs power for self-diagnostics and GSM/GPS connectivity (1-2% per 24 hours / even more in areas without GSM/GPS network coverage). Tips:

• If you won't be using the NIU for an extended period and don't want the batteries to discharge, disconnect or remove the batteries (= store them).
• The ideal storage temperature is between 0 and 40 degrees.
• When storing them, please do not store them almost empty or completely full - the optimal battery capacity for storage is 50%.
• Don't worry about the ECU battery (ECU = Electronic Control Unit = brain of your scooter): it protects itself and can easily manage for 2, 3 months without power from the main batteries.
• We would still recommend charging the battery pack(s) again after about two months (to between 50 and 70%) and leaving them connected to the scooter for a few hours, which will temporarily reactivate the ECU battery. If you accidentally charge them to 100%, simply leave the batteries connected until they are back down to 50-70%.
• If you drive an MQi GT 100 (formerly MQi GT Evo): For storage, please also disconnect the 12-volt battery in the footwell by disconnecting at least one terminal (preferably the black/negative one). If you don't do this, this battery will continue to power the onboard electronics as long as it has charge. Your Evo will then not start again until it is plugged back into a power source or the 12V battery has been separately recharged.

Lower range plan

At low temperatures, the battery loses power more quickly. The loss isn't as drastic as in an electric car, especially since your NIU doesn't need to be heated. However, you'll lose about 10-20% of your range in cold weather compared to the ideal temperature of 25°C. Factor this into your trip planning!

Driving on snow?

Unless you're Valentino Rossi, don't even try it. Snow, slush, and frozen ground are particularly detrimental to the torque of electric scooters. In the lowlands (like Switzerland), we consider 10-20 days a year unrideable (more for the most dedicated early birds). Tires play a role ( see also this article ). But even the best tires will slip on slush and snow. Meteo Switzerland is always a good advisor.

Salt promotes corrosion

If you ride through the winter, your scooter will inevitably get covered in salt. Salt promotes corrosion in areas of your scooter that are already prone to surface rust: for example, the center stand or the nuts that secure the rear wheel. Not a big deal. However, what we've noticed over time is that salt also damages the paint on the rear swingarm, leading to unsightly peeling in the long run. If you want to prevent this, clean your scooter regularly. silicone spray or something similar acts as a sealant. Or simply let us do it as part of a maintenance check.

Have a good, safe trip!