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[Verichai]

I live in Chicago where the air temperature today has reached -20 degrees F. My 2018 FXS is stored in my unheated garage. I know Zero recommends preventing the battery from falling below -31 degrees F. Does anyone know if I can expect any type of permanent damage to the performance of the battery? Are other folks in the mid-west having similar concerns??

[NEW2elec]

I saw a post from Cowboy who used quotation marks around the word "use" in very cold weather.
I don't think you'd go out for a ride but don't try to charge it either.  Did you get your SOC to around 60% for winter storage?   If so you should be ok.
 If you have a small space heater that turns on and off from a thermostat and is placed a safe distance from flammable materials you can warm up the space to above freezing if you have a half way insulated space.
I've heard just keeping the lights on (if you have old regular incandescent bulbs) can help warm the space some.

Most of all keep yourself warm and safe, motorcycles can be replaced.
Good luck man.

[dennis-NL]

But....you can get the batteries out on a FX right?
Just move them inside the house.
 

[Fran K]

But....you can get the batteries out on a FX right?
Just move them inside the house.
 

The dual removable batteries is a $500 option I suspect most have the one battery.

[JaimeC]

https://www.rideapart.com/articles/247631/zero-below-zero-the-new-normal-reposted/

[hubert]

Or move the whole Zero inside the house.  At least it will not leave dirty oil stains on the floor.

[Moto7575]

If temperature is -20 outside, it is probably higher inside even if you dont heat.
When I was in the mountain troops, even a small candle under a not so well insulated tent was enough to raise the temperature.
So you can put a survival blanket on your bike with something generating some heat (could be an animal, a slow chemical reaction, a small electrical light or 5V heating pads like these : https://www.amazon.fr/ILS-Electric-Heating-3Pads-Waterproof/dp/B07GXNBND7/ref=asc_df_B07GXNBND7/?tag=googshopfr-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=227865181173&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5955752738846858783&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9056145&hvtargid=pla-555511240776&psc=1).

See this  : https://www.businessinsider.fr/us/uk-developed-chicken-warmed-nuclear-landmines-2016-11

[ctrlburn]

I live in Chicago where the air temperature today has reached -20 degrees F. My 2018 FXS is stored in my unheated garage. I know Zero recommends preventing the battery from falling below -31 degrees F. Does anyone know if I can expect any type of permanent damage to the performance of the battery? Are other folks in the mid-west having similar concerns??

Wisconsin having similar mid-west concerns.

I just took my infrared thermometer and got a few readings while the outside air temp was -12F.

The motorcycle inside my unheated (walls insulated) attached garage is +8F.

In my unheated 1/2 insulated walls detached garage the non-zero motorcycle is -5F (air temp was -5F 18 hours ago).

So even without heat, associated thermal loss from the house provides about +13F compared to unheated detached and is +20F warmer than outside temps.

My garage has electricity (because we  have a Zero) if I was seeing subzero temps inside I would add a mild electric heat source and a wrap as the motorcycle is not allowed in the house for what can only be attributed to sins of the forefathers.

I find my first few post winter rides being very limited on range, but have not detected any battery degradation as the range recovers within a few cycles.

[Doug S]

I saw a post from Cowboy who used quotation marks around the word "use" in very cold weather.

I vaguely member that post, though I can't find it right now. Didn't Brandon say the BEST way to store Li-ion batteries was with two layers of waterproofing and dessicant, and as cold as possible?

IIRC, which I might not, the point was that cold is actually good for storing batteries. You can't USE them in the cold. Which actually might be a problem, since there might be some tiny drains on the battery even when the bike is keyed off, and even that tiny drain might be a problem. I wonder if it would make sense to remove one of the battery leads (I'd disco the positive one) from the battery?

[Say10 15FX 16FXS]

I have the removable packs so bring them inside for the winter. From what I’ve been told by Luke and some others while attending the 10th anniversary party at the factory, cold is actually fine for storing the batteries as it slows down the chemistry. Just don’t attempt to charge. I’m in your area so PM me if you want to go for a ride or talk Zeros.

[hubert]

I have 10+ years old 18650 cells recovered from scrapped laptop packs, some of them have not been used nor charged during that decade (after a charge-discharge test cycle in 2008). Mostly stored in a non-heated garage, mild in summer and cold in winter. They are around 3.3V and hardly lost any voltage. Still well usable although I did not recently perform a capacity test.

[Arlo]

Just leave it in the cold but don't use it and DO NOT CHARGE IT when cold.  The cells will last LONGER if stored in the cold.  just don't use it until its warmed up above 0 deg C!

[Evilthor]

We hit 22 below zero here in the Great Lakes and my SR was out in the unheated garage charged at 80%. We got up to 40 degrees and I took it for a spin and then charged it up, no problem. Been riding off and on depending on weather. No problems here at all

[BamBam]

Just curious, what is the lowest temperature that is safe to charge?

[JaimeC]

Just curious, what is the lowest temperature that is safe to charge?

"Safe to charge?"  I don't know the answer to that.  I know that at +23F my Zero REFUSED to charge until I got heat into the battery by riding it first.  When I got back from Las Vegas, my bike was sitting in my unheated garage off the charger for the week.  I plugged it it expecting it to be fully charged in the morning.  The next morning, the battery was in the exact same state of charge as it was the previous night when I plugged it in.

Fortunately it was enough of a charge to do my daily commute (though I did start losing speed on the final couple of miles.  Once I was home, I plugged it in immediately and this time it took the charge.