The ABCs of Electric Bike Shipping

There’s more to shipping an electric bike than just stuffing it in a cardboard box and sending it on its merry way. Aside from the sheer size and weight of the bike, equipped with a motor and all its electrical components, there’s also the lithium ion battery to consider. In preparation for holiday shipping deadlines, this guide will focus on the regulations regarding the shipping of your electric bike to packaging recommendations and tips from Aventon’s shipping experts.

What To Know About Shipping An Ebike Battery

If you’ve ever wondered why it’s difficult to ship ebike batteries, here’s the scoop on shipping ebike battery regulations and why there’s necessary precautions when it comes to the shipping and transportation of them.

First off, it’s important to know what a lithium ion battery is. A lithium ion battery is a rechargeable battery that stores large amounts of energy. It is the heart of your electric bike and the power behind its augmented momentum. All Aventon lithium-ion batteries are TUV certified in compliance with Aventon batteries are TUV certified in compliance with the UL2849 standard. To find out more about what a UL standard means, check out our article on taking care of your ebike battery here. With that said, because of the battery’s capacity to store energy, if not used or handled properly, it could become hazardous. That’s why certain safeguards have been put in place by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to ensure the safety of passenger and cargo planes alike. All Aventon ebike batteries are shipped via ground. So if you plan on transporting or shipping yours check with airlines to make sure they allow lithium ion batteries on-board.

According to the IATA, all lithium ion batteries have to be shipped at a state of charge (SoC) not exceeding 30% of their rated capacity. Batteries at a SoC of greater than 30% may only be shipped with the approval of the State of Origin and the State of the Operator under the written conditions established by those authorities. Keep in mind, not following regulations could lead to a fine up to $50,000. That’s why we want you to be equipped with all the necessary information and understand the importance of these regulations on lithium ion batteries for safer practices.

Electric Bike Shipping Domestically

If you plan on shipping an electric bike domestically, federal regulations require proper packaging specifications and labels for the following:

- Lithium-ion batteries by themselves

- Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment; or

- Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment.

Couriers, including UPS, FedEx, and USPS are compliant with the Dangerous Goods regulations set by the IATA. You can find their packaging specification for each, respectively, by clicking on their links above.

Packaging An Electric Bike Battery

Since electric bike batteries are considered hazardous, it’s important to remember to package them in a safe way. The packaging should be strong enough to prevent crushing or exposure to other contents during normal handling in the mail. The use of padded poly bags is permitted. If there is more than one battery in a package, wrap them separately so that neither of the metal connectors touch. One of the major risks associated with the transport of batteries is that they can short-circuit when the terminals touch each other, metal objects or conductive surfaces.

Please note that, at this time, Aventon does not receive returned batteries because of shipping carrier restrictions. Therefore, all battery purchases are non-returnable. If you have a faulty or unusable battery, please consult your local bike shop for warranty assistance or check out our battery recycling program here, and our article ‘How To Recycle Ebike Batteries And Why It’s Important’ to learn more.

Packaging Your Aventon Electric Bike

Not only are electric bikes heavier than regular bikes, but there’s also many more components. You might be asking, “What’s the best way to transport electric bikes?” We’ve put together a list of important things to consider when getting ready to package or ship your electric bike:

- It’s all about the box: Get a box that is rated for electric bikes. Save the original packaging if you can! (Helpful hint - Taking photos as you remove the contents can help in the event you have to repackage or ship it again.)

- Leave no room: Secure all moving parts. There should be no wiggle room or loose components.

- Remove handlebars: By removing the handlebars from the frame of the bike you prevent them from bending or breaking.

- Free wheelin’: Remove the front wheel. Use a cardboard separator so as not to damage the spokes or scratch the paint on the bike. A common question we receive is: “Will the tires blow up if they’re inflated?” The answer: No way!

- Pedals aren’t necessary: By removing the pedals you narrow the bike and prevent damage to the box and your bike.

- Heavy duty details: Use heavy packaging materials such as cardboard, thick styrofoam, zip ties to secure all moving parts.

- Protect the paint: Put rubber caps on axles, or anything that can prevent the metal from gouging the box or scratching the paint.

- Battery charger too: Secure the battery charger from bouncing around. Freight handlers tend to stack, throw, and drop boxes. More protection prevents damages.

- Space the brakes: Use brake pad spacers. This will prevent brakes from locking up. You can generally find these at your local bike shop.

- Structure is important: Place sturdy materials along the inside edges of the box so that the shape of the box is not compromised. Internal support can prevent corners from getting smashed in and damaging the bike and its components.

International Shipping

Select Aventon products do not ship outside the continental 48 states, besides Canada, and here’s why:

International shipping may become more of a hassle than it’s worth to ship your ebike overseas should you be visiting/moving to another country or gifting it to a friend or family member. It requires a lot of documentation and redtape considering each country has its own regulations.

To find out more, do some research about the country you are visiting to see about their electric bike regulations. This applies to Canadian shoppers, as well. Due to these regulations, Aventon is unable to ship Ebikes, accessories, or components to our Canada customers, and they will instead need to visit their local Aventon Dealer to place any orders.

Ship Like An Expert

Shipping electric bikes may seem like a difficult task, but hopefully after reading this quick guide you’ll have all the information you need on how to ship one if you need to. Should you have any questions please contact our customer support or locate one of our 800+ bike dealers nearest you for assistance.

The holidays are right around the corner and Aventon’s shipping cut-off date is December 11th! Be sure to get your orders in to avoid the stress of last-minute shopping, along with the high volume shipping delays! Aventon ebikes and batteries are shipped via ground. Oh yea! Shipping on all accessories is FREE through the month of December! So don’t wait!

Give the gift of Aventon.