Last Updated on May 17, 2023 by Matt
At some point, you will have to store your electric scooter. For it to continue to function properly when you need it again, you will need to make sure you store it in the right way.
Storing your scooter is not difficult, but it is not a completely passive task, where you just store it and forget it. Following this checklist will make sure you store your scooter properly.
How to store your electric scooter – complete checklist
- find a dry room at room temperature
- charge the battery to around 60%, and recharge it to that level once every month
- remove the battery and store it separately (optional)
- clean your scooter, make sure it has no water on it, otherwise, it may get rusty
- turn it off
- fold it
- lock it, both with its own mechanisms and with external safety measures
- put it in its box and any protective cover that came with it
- put it in a waterproof cover
- check it occasionally, make sure it’s still there and that everything works properly
How to store an electric scooter
Follow these steps to store your electric scooter in the safest and most optimal way.
Store it in a dry room at room temperature
You need a clean, dark, dry place.
If you can choose only one of those, go for dry. Any kind of moisture can be catastrophic, so really make sure it’s a dry place at least.
Ideally, you want the place to be as close to room temperature as possible. The ideal temperature for storing a lithium-ion battery is 15 °C / 59 °F, so that’s the ideal temperature for storing your scooter as well. Have the temperature at least above 5 °C / 41 °F, and below 30 °C / 86 °F.
The maximum temperature for storing a lithium-ion battery is 45 °C / 113 °F. Make sure it’s never hotter than that.
If possible, store your scooter in your home. It will likely remain within a comfortable temperature, so it will be in great shape. I’ve found that my scooter fits perfectly under my bed, but any free corner of your home will be a perfect spot.
The second best place would be any kind of storage room. There are three main problems with storage rooms though.
One is that they may often get flooded or have some water dripping somewhere.
The second big problem is that they can often get either too hot or too cold.
The final one is that you will not have your eyes on your scooter.
So if there’s no room in your home, make sure the storage space you find is at least dry, and hopefully not too hot or too cold. Cleanliness is a plus, but I would go for it last. Being easily accessible is maybe even more important, since you will have to check in on your scooter and charge the battery every now and then. More on that below.
Don’t leave your scooter exposed to the elements, like for example on a balcony, or especially not in your backyard.
Wherever you choose to store it, make sure there’s nothing heavy placed on top of it, and there’s no danger of some heavy object falling on it. Scooters are resilient, but a bowling ball falling on them from the third shelf will leave a mark.
There is a possibility to rent out a space for this purpose. While it will not be cheap, it is still better than leaving it under no roof.
Charge the battery to around 60%, and recharge it to that level once every month
The battery of your scooter will be the critical part when it comes to storage. You want it protected at all costs.
Besides the temperature of the place where you keep the battery, you should also take into account the charge level of your battery.
Ideally, the battery preserves most of its life when stored at around 40% charge.
You should never let your battery completely run out of charge, even if you’re not using it. Letting your battery get empty is damaging it irreversibly. This is the most important part of storing your electric scooter. You should not let the battery get fully discharged under any circumstances!
You should also not store it charged at 100%. That is also causing it to lose its lifespan and capacity faster.
The best step to take is to charge your battery up to 60% once every month while stored. That will make sure it stays at a very healthy level of charge the whole time it is stored.
When you charge your battery, make sure the temperature in the room is between 5 °C and 45 °C (32 °F to 113 °F). Charging a lithium-ion battery outside of that temperature range is detrimental to it. Technically, you could charge them in temperatures between 0 °C and 5 °C, but then you would have to reduce the current.
Charging lithium-ion batteries at temperatures below 0 °C will cause an event called plating to occur, which is irreversible damage that increases the likelihood of their failure.
Bring your scooter to a room at room temperature, and give it some time to warm up a little bit (simply touch it and make sure it’s not too cold or too hot). Only then charge the battery.
Finally, there is a device called the trickle charger, that charges your battery very slowly to ensure it never gets empty. I’ve never used it and can’t guarantee its safety and efficiency, but some people report that it gets the job done. Keep in mind that charging your battery at below 0 °C will damage it, so this is not an option for cold storage rooms.
Remove the battery and store it separately (optional)
There are scooters with removable batteries, and scooters where removing the battery is relatively easy.
If any of those is the case with your scooter, it’s a good idea to remove the battery from your scooter before storing it, and storing the battery separately. This reduces the risk of battery fires and damages.
Clean and dry your scooter before storing it
It is generally a great idea to clean your scooter often. Not just because it will look better, but it will likely increase its lifespan.
It is even more important to clean it before storing it for a longer period.
By doing a thorough cleaning, you will notice if it has any damage.
More importantly, getting rid of any dirt and water will help you prevent corrosion. If water or some other corrosive agent ends up on or inside your scooter, it can cause rust or damage to the electronics.
That’s why it’s important to have your scooter spotless before storing it.
Turn your scooter off
Don’t forget to completely turn your scooter off before storing it. Storing it while turned on will drain the battery faster and will introduce additional risks.
Fold your scooter before storing it
Before storing it, fold your scooter at the stem. Also, if possible, fold the handlebars, and fold or uninstall the seat or other additional components. This will make the scooter occupy less space, and reduce the risk of it getting into contact with other objects in your storage and suffering damage.
Lock your scooter in all the ways you can
You don’t want your scooter to get stolen while stored. Lock the scooter using both its own mechanisms (key ignitions, apps, integrated locks) and external safety measures.
You can choose from a variety of different locks that fit scooters. Some of the most popular methods of locking your scooter include:
- U-lock or D-lock – the best way to lock a scooter if stored outside a box, put the bars of the lock between one of the wheels and a hard solid object
- heavy duty chain – just as good as above, use the same method, make the chain as tight as possible
- cable lock – only if you store your scooter outside of its box and a waterproof cover, recommended for lighter scooters that can be carried away easily
- disc lock – attached to the brake discs, they prevent the scooter to move. This prevents a thief from driving the scooter, but if it’s a light scooter it can still be carried away easily
- grip lock – only applicable to scooters with levers for braking, they permanently press the brake and make it almost impossible for a thief to drive it away, but again lighter scooters can be carried away easily
If you keep your scooter in a risky area, you may consider more than one type of lock, or more than one lock.
You can also go for a scooter alarm. They activate if your scooter is changing location, or even just being tilted, and they even notify you through an app on your phone. Very useful.
If you go with two different types of lock and a scooter alarm, your scooter will be a mini bank vault. Of course, the willpower and resourcefulness of a potential thief should never be underestimated, but there is little more you can do with a realistic budget. Two locks and an alarm, and you can have peace of mind.
I recommend checking out my guide on what to do in case your scooter gets stolen to be fully prepared for every scenario.
Store the scooter in its original box or protective cover
If you still keep the original packaging of your scooter, it’s a good idea to use it for storage, including both the box and the protective layers such as the nylons and styrofoams. Those covers are meant to protect the scooter during transport, and they’ll do a great job of protecting it in storage as well.
Put your scooter in a waterproof cover
After your scooter is in its box, you should protect it further by putting it in a waterproof cover.
Moisture is the number one enemy of your scooter during the winter months, and basements, cellars, and garages can often get flooded or have dripping ceilings. That waterproof cover will give you a lot more peace of mind.
Most waterproof covers are not really expensive, and they cover the entire scooter, which means it will be possible for it to survive even in a flooded basement. See the guide on the best electric scooter accessories for some good inexpensive options.
Check the scooter every now and then
At least once a month, make sure your scooter is still there for starters, and then check if the battery is not close to empty.
It is a good idea to power on and off your scooter, just to make sure everything still works properly.
Also, if you have air-filled tires, check them as well. If one of them is getting deflated, make sure you inflate it. Turn them a little as a part of your maintenance routine.
How to store your electric scooter in an apartment
Storing an electric scooter in an apartment can be quite tricky. I’ve had to do this a few times, and it’s never a pleasant experience.
You will mostly want to follow the same general tips from above. One exception might be using the original packaging – that adds a bit more volume to the stored scooter, volume which your apartment may not have, so you may have to skip that part.
If you lack the space to store your scooter, think about alternative ways of storing it. You may have to store it vertically, in which case it may even fit in an empty cupboard. If you have a balcony, that might be a good option as well. You may also consider hanging up a bike or a scooter rack up on your wall.
One time I stored my Xiaomi M365 Pro on the top of the large cupboard in my living room – I did feel a bit of unease about the scooter falling down for some reason, but that never happened.
How to store your electric scooter in a garage
A garage is an ideal place to store your electric scooter. It meets pretty much all of the criteria for the perfect storage room – cool, dark, usually dry, and relatively safe. Follow the general tips from this article, and pay special attention to the waterproof cover if there’s the risk of your garage or basement getting flooded.
How to store your electric scooter outside
It is generally not recommended to store your electric scooter outside. Not only do you leave it exposed to rain, snow, and other elements, but the risk of theft is significantly greater.
If you think you have no choice but to store your scooter outside, try to remove the battery at least and store it inside. Also, make sure to use a good waterproof cover (maybe even two of those), and do your best to secure the scooter with several locks of different types.
How to store your electric scooter during the winter
In general, most of us do not ride our scooters in the winter, and most of us are concerned with storing the scooter during the winter or rainy months, so let’s address that next.
The most important thing to keep in mind will be the battery of your scooter.
Pretty much all the electric scooters have lithium-ion batteries. The temperature of the place you keep your scooter in should never reach temperatures below 0 C / 32 F. Temperatures below freezing point will cause loss of storage capacity over time and damage the battery.
If you can find a place big enough for your scooter but it’s constantly below 0 C, and you can’t keep the scooter anywhere else, consider removing the battery and storing it separately.
Of course, avoid this if it voids your warranty.
But if it doesn’t, take it out and keep it in your home. The battery is the critical part when it comes to winter storage, and by doing this you are effectively eliminating a huge possibility that something goes wrong.
You can store the battery in a specially designed bag, which will protect it from outside influences, but also protect your home from accidents involving the battery.
How to take your electric scooter out of storage
When winter is over, or you’re home from your trip, it’s time to take the scooter out.
Charge the battery to 100%. The next time you charge it, it should preferably be discharged to the single-digit level, since it hasn’t been used for a long period of time and it should be treated as new.
Turn on the scooter and make sure everything works properly. Chances are, if you’ve done everything as advised, everything will work just fine.
Here’s a checklist of everything you need to check before you’re sure it’s ready to ride it again:
- tires – make sure they are inflated
- screen, power button, controls
- motor – make sure the scooter’s motor works and it can run
- throttle and acceleration – make sure the scooter can speed up
- all the brakes – make sure they brake as before, one by one
- lights, as many as you have – check they all work
When all of them are good to go, hop on your scooter. It’s been a long pause, you deserve a great ride!
