Can electric scooters go uphill? This is a question asked by many people when they are considering purchasing an electric scooter. As more people find better ways to overcome rush hour traffic, electric scooters are emerging as the more environmentally friendly option to gasoline. With a scooter, you can navigate through traffic jams, sidewalks and easily fold the scooter for your next commute.
Whether an electric scooter will handle an uphill will depend on several factors like battery output, tires, suspension, and climb angle. Innovations in scooter technology have seen the emergence of some powerful scooters that are capable of outputs of 2000 watts and that can reach speeds of up 40 mph.
Let’s look at some vital factors that will influence how your scooter handles hill ascents.
Climb Angle
Not all scooters are designed to handle steep ascents. An electric scooter designed for your 8-year-old would probably not be recommended for going uphill. Climbing angles vary but most scooters in the market producing around 500watts are well capable of handling climb angles of around 20 degrees. If you are thinking of doing climbing angles of around 45 degrees then go for those scooters with more than 1000watts in power.
Battery and Power
A lead-acid or lithium-ion battery powers electric scooters. Lead-acid batteries are cheaper but come with the downside of been high maintenance, low on power and make the scooter heavy. If you are tackling hills then it is imperative that you do not carry a lot of weight. Lithium-ion batteries are similar to what you have on your mobile phone. These batteries are low maintenance, lightweight, and deliver more power. The charging times for the lithium-ion battery are also reduced.
An electric scooter works by sending power to the rotors hence causing them to rotate. This spins the wheels. How fast the motor spins is dependent on how much power it is receiving from the battery. For small hills, an electric scooter running on 250W would be adequate while for extremely rugged and steep hills you may need over 1000W of power. In addition to getting the right battery also consider charging time. This is the time it takes your scooter battery to be fully recharged. Times of 3 to 5 hours are descent while 10 hours is a disadvantage.
Tires
Tires play a key factor in how well your scooter handles a hill. There are two types of tires common with electric scooters – air-filled and rubberized ones. Air-filled tires – just like those in cars – offer protection against rough road shocks and vibrations. This gives you a smooth ride no matter the terrain. However, the tires come with the downside of been hard to maintain due to constant punctures and the need to inflate them. The rubberized tires are all rubber and this makes them low maintenance. However, they are not that good at absorbing shock in bumpy rides.
Once you have decided on the type of tires you want, you then need to consider their size. Small tires make it more difficult to climb hills as they create a heavy load on the tires. Most tires are designed small so that they can handle city traffic and flat terrain. If you want better ground clearance when navigating bumpy terrain go with Pneumatic tires of a tire ratio of more than 8.5 inches, if you can get a scooter with 10 or 11 inches the better.
Weight
The weight of the person riding the scooter plays a vital role in how the scooter handles the hill. The lighter the person is the less power the motor needs to push the scooter uphill. Electric scooters will come with specifications as to the maximum weight they can handle. Most can comfortably handle 200 pounds and above. If you want to climb hills in spite of your weight then factor in motor power. Power is everything when it comes to climbing steep hills. Anything less than 500W and you are going to have problems handling climb angles of even 25 degrees. A scooter with a power output of 1000W will handle most hills thrown their way.
Suspension
The kind of suspension you have on your scooter will not directly affect how the scooter handles the hill but it plays a vital role in your general comfort during bumpy rides. The benefit of good suspension is that they can distribute the scooter load evenly hence preventing one wheel from feeling all the pressure. The type of suspension on a scooter will depend on the manufacturer, brand, and budget for the scooter. High-end models come with serious suspension systems.
One of the best electric scooters for climbing steep hills is the NANROBOT D4. The scooter is all-wheel drive meaning you do not have to worry much about skidding on mud. If one wheel gets stuck you still have power from the other wheels. What makes the NANROBOT D4 really stand out is that two powerful motors that generate a combined output of 2000 watts power it. This enables this scooter to handle steep hills having climb angles of up to 45 degrees. With the powerful lithium battery, the NANROBOT D4 will achieve a speed of 40 mph and a range of 45 miles. You also get large 10” pneumatic tires and 5 shock absorbers.
Conclusion
Commuting daily to work has become more complicated for workers due to rising gasoline prices and city traffic jams. The electric scooter runs on clean energy and is small enough to offer a solid alternative to cars. Once you get to work or college, just fold it for easy storage. Most electric scooters will handle flat terrain with ease but few can handle hill angles of over 20 degrees. To handle such steep ascents you need an electric scooter that is capable of churning out over 1000 watts of power. Other factors you need to consider include rider weight, tire types, and suspension. Bumpy and hilly terrain requires a scooter with large pneumatic tires that are able to absorb shock while equally distributing the rider weight among all tires. Let’s hope that we answered the question “Can electric scooters go uphill?”.