How Does an Electric Scooter Work? (Simply Explained)

With cities expanding and the world pushing for a greener future, more and more individuals are opting for new ways to get them from point A to point B. Whether it’s for fun or a daily commute, you’ve probably seen people riding around on those nifty electric scooters.

They’re faster, and less exhausting, to ride than a bicycle. Plus, they’re a ton of fun. How does an electric scooter work, though?

Contents

1 Inner Workings
2 How to Operate the Scooter
3 Power and Speed
4 The Ride
5 eScooters

Inner Workings

Electric scooters run on rechargeable batteries. Most of them are Lithium, but there are models on the market that still use traditional lead. Simply plug your scooter in like you would your phone, wait for it to charge, then take it out for a spin.

The batteries supply power to the motor like this:

After hitting the ON button or switch, the process begins
Electricity travels to the scooter’s motor, which is mounted to the frame
The motor then rotates the front, rear or both wheels, making the scooter move
Accelerating draws more power from the battery, increasing speed
Decelerating reduces the draw, slowing you down to a complete stop

How to Operate the Scooter

While individual controls will vary from brand to brand, every electric scooter utilizes an accelerator and decelerator. Instead of using your feet to manually push the scooter forward, there will be a lever or button to press that automatically starts or stops the wheels. All you have to do is balance.

You can expect your ride to take you anywhere from 10 to 40 miles on a single charge. If you live and work in the city, then that might be a sufficient way to get to work every day while saving money on the gasoline and maintenance that a car requires.

Power and Speed

Top speeds normally stagnate at about 20 miles per hour, but that’s a speedy trip through city sidewalks or suburban streets. Your maximum speed is determined by the wattage of the motor, which ranges between 200 to 1000 on different models. More wattage equals more power, which means faster speeds.

While your inner speed demon may want something faster, anything above 20 mph is more than enough to have you flying around town. It also feels incredibly faster than driving in a car, making higher speed models something users have to adjust to.

The Ride

Electric scooters offer an incredibly smooth riding experience. Their ability to zip in-between cars, glide over bumps, and maintain speed when traveling uphill makes them as fun as they are useful for getting around.

Braking is gradual and slow, keeping you from flying off the device, while still maintaining the ability to stop you from losing control a steep decline. All in all, it’s a highly enjoyable experience.

eScooters

So, how does an electric scooter work? Quite simply, considering up and coming technology these days. While the inner workings might not be common knowledge for most, using one of these devices is a simple process.