Industry Background — Smart Locks as Always-On Outdoor IoT Devices

As shared mobility expands worldwide, smart locks have become critical IoT components for shared e-bikes, scooters, and public bicycles. These locks manage unlocking, locking, GPS positioning, wireless communication, anti-theft alarms, and long-term standby, all of which rely heavily on battery performance.

Operating outdoors 24/7, smart locks face heat, cold, humidity, vibration, and frequent communication bursts. In real deployments, battery instability is the primary reason for device failure, making the battery system the most critical hardware component inside a smart lock.

Why Smart Locks Fail in Real-World Conditions

High Peak Current Causes Voltage Drop

Remote unlocking, GPS cold starts, cellular uplinks, alarm triggers, and wake-up events generate short but intense current spikes. Low-grade batteries with high internal resistance cannot handle these peaks, resulting in unlock failures, device offline events, communication instability, and unexpected reboots.

Outdoor Temperature Accelerates Battery Aging

Smart locks are exposed to extreme environments, including summer temperatures above 60°C, winter temperatures below –10°C, constant humidity, and repeated thermal cycling. Inferior battery cells often lose 30–50% capacity within one year, leading to unstable output and shortened service life.

False Capacity Labeling Leads to Short Runtime

Many low-cost battery packs use recycled or mismatched cells with exaggerated capacity ratings. In real-world usage, these packs provide only 2–3 months of operation instead of the expected 6–12 months, increasing maintenance frequency and operational cost.

Compact Structure Requires High Energy Density

Smart lock housings must accommodate motors, PCBs, antennas, sensors, and waterproof structures. The battery must deliver long runtime and strong discharge performance within extremely limited internal space.

Frequent Pulse Loads Degrade Ordinary Batteries

High-current motor activation, alarm events, and frequent sleep–wake cycles rapidly degrade standard batteries not designed for pulse discharge or IoT usage scenarios.

PKNERGY Battery Solutions for Smart Locks

18650 Lithium Battery Pack

With real capacity options from 2000–3500mAh, 18650 battery packs are ideal for standard shared e-bikes and public bicycle systems. They offer a balanced combination of cost efficiency, discharge stability, and flexible integration.

21700 Lithium Battery Pack

Providing 4000–5000mAh capacity, 21700 battery packs are designed for long standby requirements, cold-climate deployments, and high-frequency communication. Larger capacity and lower internal resistance ensure stable voltage during peak loads.

High-Rate Discharge Battery Pack (5C–10C)

For heavy-duty locking mechanisms and alarm-intensive applications, PKNERGY offers high-rate lithium battery packs capable of delivering strong instantaneous current while maintaining safety and cycle life.

All smart lock battery packs can be customized through our Custom Lithium Polymer Battery, Custom LiFePO4 Battery, and Custom Sodium-ion Battery services based on voltage, capacity, size, and discharge requirements.

For integrated IoT and mobility projects, our Micro-mobility Power Solution and Industrial Automation Battery Solution provide system-level battery optimization.

Application Scenarios

• Shared e-bike smart locks
• Public bicycle locking systems
• E-scooter and micro-mobility locks
• GPS anti-theft IoT locks
• Community access and gate locks
• Industrial asset tracking devices

Conclusion — Smart Lock Reliability Starts with the Battery

Unlock failures, offline devices, and missing GPS data are rarely caused by software. In most real deployments, these problems originate from unstable or degraded battery systems.

PKNERGY’s 18650, 21700, and high-rate lithium battery solutions deliver longer standby time, stable communication, reliable unlocking performance, and lower maintenance cost, ensuring smart locks remain online and operational in real-world environments.

Learn more about our battery customization capabilities on the FAQ page or explore our background on the About PKNERGY page.

Contact Miah — PKNERGY

Planning or upgrading a smart lock battery project? Contact our battery specialist for technical consultation and custom pack design.

Email: sale@pknergy.com | WhatsApp: +86 139 0246 3897

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