E-BIKE BATTERY RECYCLING MADE SIMPLE.
Millions of electric bikes are being ridden on roads and trails across the US, helping Americans replace car trips, reduce their personal carbon footprint, and access the countless benefits and joys of the great outdoors. With those bikes, there are also millions of lithium ion batteries that will need to be properly managed at their end of life.
The bike industry came together as the first transportation industry to establish a battery recycling program to reduce negative impacts on our planet by removing e-bike batteries from our waste streams. Thanks to this new program, powered by Call2Recycle and endorsed by PeopleForBikes, tens of thousands of pounds of electric bicycle batteries have already been recycled.
Recycling your used e-bike battery is an important part of being a responsible e-bike owner, so we make it easy!
Our little friend Watts loves to eat batteries, so after a few good years of use, when your battery is having trouble holding a charge, has a reduced charged range, or requires a charge more often than usual, just bring it back to the shop and we’ll feed it to Watts!
Suburban Sports is a certified drop-off location for e-bike batteries for Call2Recycle, the country's leading consumer battery recycling and stewardship program. We will safely ship your used battery so it can be recycled properly and avoid ending up in a landfill.
FAQs for Riders:
When your battery reaches the end of its life, bring it to us! We’ll package it up safely and send it to Call2Recycle where it will be broken down into base parts to be put back into the supply chain to manufacture new energy storage products in the future.
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More than 12 million electric bicycles (e-bikes) will be sold in the U.S. between 2020 and 2030. That means 12 million batteries powering those electric bicycles will need to be collected and recycled at their end of life.
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To ensure those batteries are safely and responsibly handled and kept out of landfills, more than 40 bike industry leaders from 20 PeopleForBikes member companies united under a sustainability task force and electric bicycle committee to design an industry-leading electric bicycle battery recycling program in collaboration with Call2Recycle.
- Batteries older than two years and beginning to decrease in performance with signs such as not turning on, not fully charging, and losing charge quickly may be close to their end of life.
- A lack of power and fluctuation in voltages are both signs to replace your electric bicycle’s battery.
- Needing to recharge your battery frequently indicates decay and should be replaced.
- Generally, a high-quality lithium ion electric bicycle battery can last anywhere from 2-5 years. This lifetime depends on a number of factors including the type of battery and how well it is taken care of. When possible, store your battery and electric bicycle in an area that is protected from the elements.
- Our shop is a trained collection site. You can visit us to turn in your battery for recycling and we will help you find a new product for your bike!
- You can also visit the Call2Recycle public facing locator to find a collection site near you.
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Always make sure you are not charging your battery unattended or overnight.
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Follow your electric bicycle manufacturer’s instructions provided in the owner's manual.
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If you have any questions about your electric bicycle battery best practices, contact your manufacturer’s customer service team.
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Always use the charger your battery came with plugged directly into a wall outlet, and never into an extension cord.
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The electric bicycle battery recycling program only accepts batteries from brands actively supporting the program through a recycling fee.
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If your product is an out-of-class product marketed as an e-bike, Call2Recycle is unable to accept your battery.
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A “Class 1 electric bicycle” is equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
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A “Class 2 electric bicycle” is equipped with a motor that may be used exclusively to propel the bicycle and ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 20 miles per hour.
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A “Class 3 electric bicycle” is equipped with a motor that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches the speed of 28 miles per hour. It is also equipped with a speedometer.
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The safety of bicycling products and the consumers who use them is PeopleForBikes’ highest priority. There are many instances in the media, marketing, and on our streets where a motorcycle, moped, scooter, or other electric vehicle is confused with a Class 1, 2, or 3 electric bicycle. Calling a vehicle that is not a Class 1, 2, or 3 electric bicycle an electric bicycle is confusing and misleading.
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If a product can go faster than 28 miles per hour, it is not an electric bicycle.
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A product must have functional pedals to be considered an electric bicycle.
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Does it fall within the three-class system? A majority of manufacturers will list the class of their electric bicycle in the description of the product.
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Electric bicycles can be heavier and require more distance to stop than traditional bicycles. Take a few for a test ride to get a sense of how it feels to start, ride, and stop an electric bicycle.
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The key to safe biking is being comfortable and confident. As long as you can get on a bike, ride it, and feel good, it’s probably the right bike for you.
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Don't get stuck with a battery! Ensure the brand you are purchasing from has an end of life management solution in place for their products.