What impacts battery life?

Author: Sharon Jang | Reviewer: Emma M. Smith | Published: 4 March 2020 | Updated: ~

The batteries on a power wheelchair are designed to run for generally 3-9 hours of continuous use, and are made to last for up to 5 years. Some factors that influence how far you can drive on one charge of your battery can be categorized into fixed and varying factors. Many of these factors impact each other, and changing one aspect may influence another.

Fixed factors influence how long your battery lasts, but cannot be changed. Examples include:

• Weight and size of the battery – a larger battery will allow for a greater driving distance, but adds to the overall weight of the wheelchair
• The drive type of the wheelchair – rear wheel drive wheelchairs tend to use more power than a front or mid wheel drive
• Weight of the wheelchair – a lighter chair will use less battery
• Weight distribution – more weight applied on the caster wheels will use more battery power during manoeuvering

Varying factors are considerations that can influence your battery life in which you can have some control over to a certain extent. These factors include:

Using a powered wheelchair on smooth even ground in moderate temperatures can help prolong the battery life.¹⁵

• The payload of the wheelchair – this is a combination of the user’s weight in addition to any items they may be carrying (e.g., respiratory products, groceries, battery charger, etc.). Most often the maximum payload the battery can handle is much greater than the average weight the power wheelchair carries.
• Properties of the driving surface – driving on uneven, rough, slippery, or soft (e.g., gravel, grass) will use more battery power.
• Temperature – using your power wheelchair in extreme weather (hot or cold) can impact how long the battery lasts for. Using your wheelchair in over 30 degrees or under 0 degrees Celsius will reduce the battery’s normal capacity.
• Driving behaviour – performing a lot of stop and go actions, going up hills, and climbing curbs consume more battery
• Low air pressures in the tires – if you are using pneumatic tires and they are underinflated, this will use up battery faster
• Powered options – using the tilt/reclining functions or powered leg rest functions may reduce the driving range of your wheelchair

If you are using your power wheelchair every day, you should be charging your wheelchair daily. When charging your battery, it is better to charge it for longer amounts of time than in multiple short charges (i.e., less than 2 hours). A minimum charge time of 12 hours or longer has been recommended; power wheelchair batteries will not overcharge! If you are using a new power wheelchair, note that it may take 10-20 charges prior to the batteries reaching their fullest capacity.