How Long Does the Electric Wheelchair Battery Last? [Guide]

If you recently bought a wheelchair, you must wonder, how long does the electric wheelchair battery last?

Everyone wants power chair batteries to last as long as possible, but that’s impossible.

Like everything else, they, too, have a limited lifespan. Read to find it out!

How Long Does an Electric Wheelchair Battery Last?

There are different types of wheelchair batteries. But they all have one thing in common: their limited life spans.

The average wheelchair battery has a life span of one to two years. A life of two years reveals the battery’s quality, frequency of use, and other factors.

Wheelchairs usually last three to five years (1).

Poor quality batteries can last as little as six months for an infrequent user. With proper care, a good quality battery shouldn’t work for such a short time.

Of course, there’s a thin line between what you’d call a good life span and a normal one.

So then, what are the factors that affect this life span? What can you do to have an extended battery life?

Let’s see about that.

6 Factors That Affect an Electric Wheelchair Battery Life Span

You can’t use something and expect it to remain at that peak performance level. It doesn’t matter the battery type — there’ll surely come a day you’ll need new ones.

Here are the things that will influence how long you use your wheelchair’s battery.

1. Your Charging Habits

The correct charging habits will determine the power wheelchair battery’s life span. Repeatedly charging the battery more than once a day may severely reduce the battery’s life span.

To maintain the wheelchair battery’s longevity, charge it only once a day.

Other good battery maintenance practices are letting it discharge before charging and only using the correct battery charger.

2. The Terrain You Use Your Wheelchair In

Where do you use your wheelchair? Even a battery in mint condition will struggle to keep up when you use it on hilly, rough terrains.

The battery ages a little each time you use it. If you use it on rough terrains, then that’s going to make it age twice faster.

But don’t lose your independence just to conserve your battery.

A wheelchair should enable you to go anywhere you want, even if you have to replace the batteries more regularly!

3. Wheelchair Weight Load

I bet you didn’t know checking your weight is also part of recommended battery care! But your own weight isn’t the only factor.

Maybe you carry too much baggage in your wheelchair, which increases the weight load.

Such loads increase battery strain and cause the battery to wear out faster. If you’ve done that before, you’ve probably noticed that you consistently have a flat battery after each trip.

4. Frequency of Use

Research by the Department of Veterans Affairs found that wheelchair users use their wheelchairs for an average of 11.8 hours a day (2).

The frequency of use also impacts battery life. This is key to answering a common question: How long does an electric wheelchair battery last?

Fortunately, unlike some factors such as weight load, you can limit it.

 If you want to conserve the battery, only use the wheelchair when necessary. The more your daily activities, the faster batteries wear out.

5. The Type of Battery

Let’s face it; not all batteries are the same. Some types will routinely last longer. Gel batteries, for instance, could last a long time if you take proper care of them.

But some types, such as AGM batteries, fall apart once you put the slightest strain on them.

After only a few short months, you could find your wheelchair battery not holding charge. Even if you follow the necessary charging process.

6. Stop-Start Wheelchair Driving

Your mode of driving will also influence battery health and life. Quickly accelerating, then stopping, then starting again will affect the time you’ll have the battery.

Therefore, drive steadily to conserve the battery and avoid stop-start driving.

FAQs

Conclusion

So how long does the electric wheelchair battery last? One to three years, depending on some factors. I wish I could say as long as you want it to!

Your usage and the terrain you use it on will affect the battery’s longevity. Your driving style will also influence the number of times you’ll need a wheelchair battery replacement.

But that’s not too steep a price for your independence, right?

References

• 1. Cooper RA, Thorman T, Cooper R, Dvorznak MJ, Fitzgerald SG, Ammer W, et al. Driving characteristics of electric-powered wheelchair users: How far, fast, and often do people drive? Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation [Internet]. 2002;83:250–5. Available from: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~cga/behavior/epw-datalogger.pdf
• 2. Ding D. Usage of tilt-in-space, recline, and elevation seating functions in natural environment of wheelchair users. The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. 2008;45:973–84.