It’s vital that you look after your scooter or powered wheelchair’s battery, as this will help you to avoid any issues such as breakdowns or technical faults when you are out and about. Read this article to learn some useful charging tips and to find out what support is included in your lease.
When you lease a scooter or powered wheelchair on the Scheme, you benefit from an all-inclusive package – that means breakdown cover, servicing and insurance are already included in the price you pay.
However, you should still try your best to look after your product by following a few simple tips, in particular around charging your product regularly. This can make a big difference in helping your scooter or powered wheelchair run at its best.
What happens if you don’t charge your product?
You might not know, but if you chronically undercharge your product’s batteries this can eventually reduce their capacity, shorten run times, and lead to premature battery failure. This would mean that your product doesn’t give you the range you’d expect, and you could even run out of charge while out and about. To avoid these issues, make sure you fully charge your product after each use.
Good to know
If you lease a scooter or powered wheelchair on the Scheme, you may be eligible to receive a £100 ‘New Product Payment’. There is also a £100 End of Contract Payment, which is received when you reach the end of your lease agreement and return your product.
Tips to look after your scooter or powered wheelchair’s battery
Here are some things you can do to help you maximise your product’s battery life, so that you can continue getting the most from it:
- Only charge your scooter or powered wheelchair battery using the charger supplied with your mobility product.
- Do not allow the battery to become flat as this will damage it and will impact the performance and reliability of your product.
- Charge the battery after every use; the battery will last longer and your product will work better if the battery is fully charged before every journey.
- If possible, charge your batteries immediately after using your product. If you’re not able to charge immediately, you should try to recharge as soon as possible and don’t leave your batteries in an uncharged state for more than 24 hours.
- Make sure you charge your product for a minimum of eight hours – you should not charge it for less than that. Choose a time when you can charge it for around eight to 10 hours, for example overnight.
- Remember, overcharging is not a problem with today’s smart chargers, as they are voltage limited and will shut off automatically once your battery is fully charged.
- In the event that your product will not be used for a prolonged period of time, remember to charge it fully, approximately once every two weeks to keep it in good condition.
- Charge the battery fully after taking delivery of your product from your dealership.
Even when the battery is fully charged, the amount of power provided by the battery will vary according to its age, the type of terrain you are travelling over, the outside temperature and the weight your product is carrying.
If you lease your scooter or powered wheelchair through the Motability Scheme and you start to experience issues with the battery performance during your lease, simply speak to your dealer to arrange for them to check it for you.
Don’t forget, to help you keep your product in tip-top condition, servicing, maintenance and repairs are included in the cost of your lease. And if you do break down when out and about, Motability Assist is there to get you and your product home, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit the Get Support section of our website for more information.
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