Batteries for Mobility Scooters

What kind of batteries does my mobility scooter need?

The first thing to know about batteries for mobility scooters is that each mobility scooter manufacturer assembles the type of battery that they think is most suitable for their product. It should also be noted that mobility scooters with lead acid batteries (gel or AGM) always mount a pair of 12v batteries each. Mobility scooters with lithium batteries can mount one or two depending on the manufacturer's specifications. Let's see what types of batteries for mobility scooter that we can find on the market.

Types of batteries for mobility scooter

The types of mobility scooter batteries are:

• Lithium Batteries
• Lead Acid Batteries
• Gel Batteries
• AGM batteries

Lithium batteries have characteristics that make them different from Gel or AGM batteries. Let's see the characteristics of each one:

Lithium batteries or lead acid gel / AGM batteries?

The first thing to note is that each mobility scooter has its own batteries mounted and it is not the user's decision to change from lithium to lead acid batteries or vice versa. With that said, let's look at the features, advantages, and disadvantages of lithium batteries, gel batteries, or AGM batteries for scooters.

Advantages of lithium batteries for mobility scooters

Usable energy: Lithium batteries can be discharged up to 80% and 100% without problems, which allows greater autonomy than lead acid batteries that reach 50% or 70%.

Charging efficiency: To make a simple and visible rule, of every 100 watts that we charge in a lithium battery for a mobility scooter, the battery absorbs 98% during its entire life. However, in lead acid batteries, for every 100 watts of charge, the battery will draw 75

Charging times: The charging time of a lithium battery is also less than that of gel or AGM batteries.

Weight: Lithium batteries are much lighter than gel or AGM batteries.

Charging cycles: While a lead acid battery can have a life of between 600 and 1,500 cycles, a lithium battery can reach approximately 5,000 cycles. These are not exact numbers because it depends on each manufacturer and each battery but it gives an idea of ​​the different useful life that one and the other provide.

Price: Lithium batteries for mobility scooters couldn't have everything going for it. This is where we will find the clearest advantage of a gel or AGM lead acid battery over lithium, and that is that the latter is much more expensive than the former. Although this refers to absolute terms of price, it would be necessary to consider all the points already exposed to assess well which battery is more expensive and which is cheaper, if the lithium or the lead acid ones.

Gel batteries or AGM batteries for our mobility scooter? Which one to buy?

Once we have made sure that our mobility scooter uses lead acid batteries, now it remains to know which of the two suits us best. Here the differences are tighter and we already anticipate that there is not one better than another but that one can be better depending on our circumstances.

Gel battery for mobility scooter

They are sealed, hermetic, maintenance-free batteries with immobile electrolytes. What do you mean by immobile electrolytes? Well, sulfuric acid is presented in gel format by adding a special silica. Being gel and not liquid, the risk of the presence of free electrolytes that can spill is nil, making this battery very safe and stable. Something to keep in mind is that mobility scooters that use this type of battery always mount two batteries together. Gel batteries perform well at high temperatures and it is important not to use fast chargers to charge them because they can ruin them or reduce their useful life.

AGM battery for mobility scooter

AGM is the acronym for Absorbed Glass Mat. They are also airtight, sealed, maintenance free, and immobile electrolyte. AGMs are supposed to be the evolution of the gel. If the gel cells are arranged in cells, here the electrolytes are presented in plates interspersed with absorbent fiberglass meshes. AGM is more resistant to deep loads and they are generally cheaper than Gel, although the price is not high. AGM batteries have a shorter charge time than gel batteries and perform well at low temperatures.

How long do the batteries of a mobility scooter last?

A lead acid battery has a so-called pre-ordered cycle life. However, its duration depends on different factors such as:

• Room temperature
• Frequency of use
• Discharge depth
• Duration and frequency of charging time
• Storage temperature.

Finally, it should be noted that, as we have already said before, and as with most batteries for power chairs, mobility scooters with lead acid batteries always mount a pair of 12 volt batteries, giving a 24 volt output. It is always recommended to change and mount these batteries in pairs and not independently of each other. The power of these batteries is specified in each of them in amplifier hours (Ah).

If you have any doubt about which battery to buy for your mobility scooter, you can contact us on the phone +34 915 70 16 82, through the mail tienda@accessiblemadrid.com or visit us directly at our store to buy batteries for mobility scooters and mobility products in Madrid. You can also browse our website to buy battery chargers for mobility scooters or wheelchairs. We will be delighted to assist you.