How fast do electric scooters go really depends on a variety of factors, including how much power the battery provides, the wattage of the motor, type of tires, the weight of the rider, weather conditions, and terrain type. For most models, the top speed for the best electric scooter is around twenty miles per hour. This is typically the right type of top speed that will allow users to ride in the bike lane. However, with recent advances in technology, you can find a number of models available that are able to reach a top speed of thirty miles per hour.
There are plenty of ways you can address this issue if your scooter’s speed limitations have taken the joy out of riding.
However, many modifications that are designed to increase speed can be both tricky and complicated and shouldn’t be attempted by riders who have no prior experience when it comes to working on scooters. So, while achieving a higher top speed for your electric scooter is totally possible, we recommend that you use caution if you attempt to do so, and if possible, find a pro in your area who can work on your scooter for you or recommend an easier option that can add a few miles per hour to your scooter’s top speed. Currently, one of the fastest models on the market is the TaoTao ATE-501 Automatic Street Legal Electric Scooter.
The Need for Electric Speed
For faster speeds, you’ll need to check out the best electric scooters that are designed more like gas-powered models. These scooters feature the classic step-through frame design, a seat, and a deck that you can place both your feet on. Some of these models can reach impressive speeds up to forty miles per hour. This might not seem like much when you compare them to gas-powered models, which have top speeds that range from eighty to one hundred miles per hour, but these scooters are fast enough to use as daily commuters or to ride around town on.
How to Make an Electric Scooter Faster
If you’re pretty handy in the garage and you have mechanical knowledge, you can also modify your scooter in order to increase its top speed potential.
The electric scooter’s speed mainly depends on the battery power and motor. Batteries are usually available in a range of twenty-four up to forty-eight volts. Their motors will range from two hundred up to one thousand watts. Basically, the more powerful the battery and motor, the higher the speed potential. However, it’s definitely more complicated than just buying a more powerful battery.
The controller is a small mechanism that controls the movement and the speed of the motor. The controller feeds the motor with the perfect amount of electric power. If you buy a more powerful battery, going up to a forty-eight-volt model, and you swap out the factory battery hoping to increase the scooter’s speed, you’ll basically just cause the scooter to overheat and possibly burn out. This problem can be solved in a couple of ways. First, you can reprogram the controller, enabling it to handle higher speeds, or you can bypass the controller altogether and use a more powerful battery that’s directly connected to the scooter’s motor. Both of these options are complicated and can be potentially dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Best Electric Scooter Modification Tips
• To make your ride go a little faster you’re going to need to make some serious changes. Some pros recommend switching out the standard twenty-four-volt battery that comes in many entry-level models with a thirty-six-volt battery. This will give your scooter more power and charge, but remember, for some models, this can be too much power to handle and can lead to overheating. You can also try adding a second battery for twice the getup and go power, but we really don’t recommend this option considering it’ll definitely be more than many entry-level models can handle.
• Others opt to change out their sprockets to give their scooter a little more power. Changing out the front sprockets to a size or two larger and the rear sprocket to a size or two smaller can give your scooter some extra speed. Sprockets are actually pretty affordable and they’re also easy to uninstall and install.
• Rewinding the motor is another option, but it’s one that’s reserved for the pros because doing it incorrectly will seriously damage a scooter. With this option, you’re basically rewinding the coils of the motor in order reduce the number of windings for each coil. This allows the motor to turn at a much higher RPM.
• Riding your electric scooter off-road probably sounds like a lot of fun, but it’s usually not possible with the average model. If you’re mechanically inclined then you can modify your scooter to handle some off-road riding, but keep in mind that this type of overhaul can be expensive. You’ll need to purchase a new deck, controller, fork, battery, motor, and much more. However, the end result is pretty impressive.
Conclusion
These scooters are designed for urban use, they’re actually not designed for traveling long distances or highway riding. While the twenty miles per hour top speed seems pretty slow, if you’re simply using the scooter to ride around town on, then you probably won’t need to worry about increasing its speed. Aside from that, these electric scooters offer plenty of other benefits that more than make up for their lack of speed. This includes lower driving costs, low maintenance needs, and they’re quiet running and environmentally friendly. Additionally, altering the speed can also bring into question are electric scooters legal? Many states do allow electric scooter use, but they have strict regulations in terms of speed. Often, a scooter that has a top speed that’s over twenty miles per hour must be registered and can only be used by a licensed driver, so be sure to check out your state regulations in regard to electric scooters in your state before you make any modifications.
