Can an electric bike get rained on? The truth about floods, the battery and the 5-year math

In this video, Luan Amancio answers the two fears that make many people give up on an e-bike: "it can't get rained on" and "in 2 years I'll have to throw the battery away". He uses what manufacturers say, what happens in the Netherlands and a 5-year calculation in the worst-case scenario.

Can an electric bike get rained on?

Yes. It's made for the street, and it rains in the street: motor, battery, wires and display leave the factory sealed. To know how much water yours can take, look for the two letters IP in the listing. The first number after them is for dust; the second, which matters here, is for water. Many bikes sold in Brazil come with IP54, where the 4 means water splashing from any side, in other words, rain. The GT2000 listing, which Luan already showed on the channel, says IP6, which handles even strong water jets. But none of these numbers means the bike can sit underwater.

The Netherlands proof

In the Netherlands, almost half of the new bicycles sold last year were electric, and Amsterdam gets about 130 days of rain a year, more than one day in three. The Dutch put on a rain cape and go to work, take the kids to school and go to the market. Gazelle, one of the most traditional brands there, answers on its own website that yes, you can ride your e-bike in the rain.

São Paulo rain is not Amsterdam rain

São Paulo gets practically double the rain of Amsterdam, and the water is concentrated from October to March, often in a single storm: that late afternoon when in half an hour the street turns into a river. There, rain is light and spread over the whole year. That's why flood water weighs more here.

Rain yes, flood water no

Rain falls from above, and the bike's sealing was designed for that: the water hits and runs off. In a flood the water comes from below, with force, and stays around the parts. The motor sits in the middle of the wheel, the wires and connectors are underneath, and on some bikes the battery is close to the ground. After Hurricane Ian in 2022, the US bicycle retailers association warned e-bike owners: a battery that was underwater, even only partly, may be damaged and must not be plugged in, because it can catch fire. With salt water it's worse. The rule is the same as for cars and motorcycles: if you can't see the ground under the water, don't go through; if the water reaches the middle of the wheel, wait for it to go down or take another street. And if the bike ends up underwater, say in a flooded garage, don't turn it on, don't put the battery on the charger and take it to a repair shop first.

Three precautions for everyday rain

First, if you get home wet: wipe it down, especially where the battery sits, and only charge it once it's dry. Second, it can ride in the rain, but it wasn't made to live in the rain: if it stays outside, cover it with a cover, which is cheap and avoids standing water on the display and connectors. Third, when washing, no pressure washer: Bosch, one of the world's largest e-bike motor makers, does not recommend high-pressure jets at all. A cloth, a bucket and water do the job.

Does an e-bike battery last 2 years?

It's a myth, and it has two mistakes. First: a battery doesn't count time, it counts cycles. A cycle is filling the battery from zero to 100%; charging from half to full twice makes only one cycle. A lithium battery like these lasts 500 to 1,000 cycles. On a bike like the V9 Max, which does about 37 to 40 km per charge, that's from 18,500 to about 37,000 km, almost once around the planet. For someone riding 30 km a day, Monday to Friday, that's a little over 2 years to almost 5; whoever rides less goes further. Second mistake: at the end of the cycles the battery doesn't die, it just holds less charge. In Europe, a battery is commonly considered worn out when it holds between 60% and 80% of what it held new. A bike that did 37 km goes down to about 25 to 30 km, and if work is 10 km from home it still takes you there and back. You only replace it when it can no longer cover your route.

How to make the battery last longer

What damages a lithium battery most is not time, it's heat. Don't leave the bike in strong sun or the battery forgotten in a hot car trunk. Back from a ride with a hot battery? Let it cool a little before plugging it in. And always use the original charger that came with the bike.

How much a replacement battery costs

Another myth is that the battery costs half the bike. The most common one on these bikes, 48 V and 15 Ah, was on sale on Mercado Livre in September for less than a quarter of the price of a V9 Max, which today starts at R$ 5,949. And that's one replacement every 2, 3 or 4 years, depending on how you cared for it. When buying, ask for one identical to the original: same voltage, same amperage and the same fit for the frame. For those who ride a lot, the V9 Max also comes in a two-battery version: each does half the work, takes longer to reach the end of its cycles, and you ride further without looking for an outlet.

The price of the day makes a difference

On the day of recording, the same single-battery V9 Max appeared at R$ 5,949 in one listing and R$ 6,656 in another, a difference of about R$ 700, a good part of a new battery. The R$ 5,949 was its lowest price in a month. Whoever pays less is often whoever buys on the right day, which is why Luan keeps a free deals group on WhatsApp where he warns when an e-bike's price really drops. Prices change all the time: check the listing before buying.

The 5-year math: bike, bus or motorcycle

Picture someone who commutes 30 km a day, Monday to Friday, in São Paulo. By bus, paying the fare out of pocket, it's about R$ 230 a month: around R$ 14,000 in 5 years. With the V9 Max, in the worst case, with the battery lasting the minimum and replaced twice with the most expensive one, the bike, the two new batteries and the home electricity add up to about R$ 9,500. That leaves over R$ 4,000 in your pocket, and the bike is still yours; the fare money doesn't come back. A new entry-level motorcycle, with gasoline and taxes, goes over R$ 20,000 in 5 years, not counting the license. Even replacing the battery, the e-bike is much cheaper than the bus or the motorcycle, and you leave when you want, without waiting for a packed bus or sitting in standstill traffic.

Conclusion

Frequently asked questions

Prices and opinions reflect the video on the recording date. Prices change all the time (all in Brazilian reais); always check the listing.