Yes. E-bike batteries with BMS need to be charged in a balanced manner on a regular basis.
- One of the main roles of battery BMS is to ensure that the individual battery packs of a battery remain relatively balanced. It monitors the voltage of each individual battery pack and adjusts the difference between the packs by breaking the current when necessary to prevent uneven charging or discharging of the battery.
- While most e-bike batteries use a passive balancing system, this means that the e-bike battery BMS balance can prevent excessive differences between battery packs by disconnecting the current, but it cannot actively move the charge from one battery pack to another. So, despite the protection of the BMS, small imbalances between battery packs can still occur, especially after long periods of use. In such cases, performing regular balancing charges can help restore the balance between the battery packs. This typically involves charging the battery to its highest voltage and then allowing the BMS to perform balancing operations. However, frequent balanced charging may also have a negative impact on the battery life, so it is best to use it regularly.
MORE: How to test the BMS or charging system of an e-bike?
