We know that speed is an important aspect when it comes to an electric scooter. So, if you own one, you’re probably looking for ways to increase its speed.
But is it possible to do that? Yes, you can speed your scooter up. However, the real question is, “How can you increase your scooter’s speed?” We’ve got the answer, so let’s go through this article and learn what it takes to add juice to your e-scooter.
Short Answer
You can make an electric scooter go faster using these six ways:
- Remove the speed limiter
- Increase the battery power
- Add additional batteries
- Rewind the motor
- Change the sprockets
- Upgrade the firmware
Before getting into the details of each way, let’s have an idea about the average speed of an electric scooter.
Average Speed of an E-scooter
Speed is an important factor in an e-scooter, as it is in almost all vehicles. Naturally, the more expensive the model, the faster it goes. For instance, inexpensive e-scooter models can go up to 20 mph, while more expensive ones can go up to 30 mph.
Another aspect that can’t be ignored is that the speed of electric scooters is limited by law, which varies from one country to another. For example, in the United States, it’s set at 15.5 mph, while in the UK, it’s set at 12 mph.
How Can You Make Your Electric Scooter Go Faster?
Some people aren’t satisfied with the speed of their vehicles and want to push it even further. So here are a few practical tips to reach the maximum speed of your scooter!
1. Remove the Speed Limiter
Your electric scooter has the potential to go faster than the speed it can currently reach. However, it may be restricted by a speed limiter embedded in your scooter’s controller unit. Scooter manufacturers install these limiters because of the speed limits imposed by some governments.
The good news is that you can remove these speed limiters, probably by disconnecting a wire connected to the speed controller. But if you own an expensive scooter, you might be able to easily disable the speed restriction through the digital display on the handlebars.
However, if your scooter uses a DC brushless motor, then the speed limit is achieved through a software program called an oscillator. So you’ll have to get into the software to disable it. But this can drain your battery, so take care.
2. Increase the Battery Power
The battery and motor power determine how fast the scooter can travel. Batteries are available in a variety of voltages ranging from 24 to 48 volts, depending on the model. However, in most of the scooters, a 24-volt battery is used. But you can replace it with a higher voltage battery.
Keep in mind that replacing the battery doesn’t directly make you attain more speed. This is because the controller decides how much electricity feeds the motor—how much power it’ll have. So, if you supply a more powerful voltage to the motor, you’ll need to remove the controller and connect the battery directly to the motor. This way, you’ll have a speedy scooter.
However, this method could overheat the motor and be harmful to your vehicle. Also, it’s a complicated process, so you’ll need someone with technical knowledge.
3. Add Additional Batteries
Like most other vehicles, scooters tend to run slower the longer you ride them. That’s because the battery can run out of power. Therefore, a second battery will allow your scooter to maintain its maximum speed for a longer period.
Some e-scooters have extra battery slots that you can simply connect the two batteries. However, if your model doesn’t have this slot, then simply have an extra slot added next to the existing battery by a professional and connect the two batteries.
However, installing extra batteries increases the weight of your scooter, which may make it difficult to carry around.
4. Rewind the Motor
There are various reasons you would need to rewind a motor. One of them is to increase your e-scooter speed.
When rewinding the motor, you change the number of twists in the wire, thus changing the number of revolutions. But be careful; a single mistake in rewinding your coils can create a series of short circuits that’ll wreck your motor. Therefore, get yourself some helping hands; it might cost you a bit at first, but it’ll pay off in the end.
5. Change the Sprockets
Sprockets are small metal rings that rotate and engage with the links of a chain. They help e-scooters reach their maximum speeds. So, if you want to go faster, you can change the size of your sprockets. This is a low-cost procedure since sprockets are budget-friendly. Also, changing them isn’t that difficult.
The goal here is to replace the sprockets at the front of your scooter with longer ones. The shorter sprockets should be placed at the back of the vehicle.
6. Upgrade the Firmware
Some people alter the original firmware of their electric scooters. Therefore, downloading a modified version will give you more torque and a higher top speed on your digital display. This is because the upgrade increases the motor’s constant power, hence, the speed.
However, when riding e-scooters in hot weather, it’s essential to monitor their temperature after upgrading the firmware. This is because increasing the constant power of the motor boosts the temperature of your scooter, which might be a concern in summer.
Final Thoughts
When you finally reach the peak speed on your beloved electric scooter, it could be an exhilarating experience. However, it’s important to proceed with caution. There are reasons for speed limitations, safety being one of them.
So, speed up your vehicle as you wish, but make sure you and the people around you are safe!
