Electric Scooter Range

How far can I travel on one charge of the batteries in my scooter?

This is a FAQ with many people. The answer is not simple.

Theoretical Range. Add up the amp hour capacity of the batteries and multiply by .6. Then divide by the current amperage draw of the scooter when traveling. Say as an example A scooter has batteries with a 56ah capacity x .6 equals 33.6ah available. Say the scooter at 10kph uses 8 amps per hour it will travel 4.2 hours or 42 klms.

The theoretical range can be significantly influenced by many factors. The user should consider these factors when determining the possible range of the scooter. All manufacturers post a figure that is achievable under ideal test conditions. The actual range could be less than half this in some situations.

The main reasons of reduced range.

Battery condition. When the battery is new it will have maximum capacity. Even though the battery remains in a serviceable condition for many years. From the very first use its usable capacity will diminish. The amount the battery is used is the main factor in this process. In other words over time the battery just simply wears out. The further the batteries have been driven the less the usable range of these batteries will be. Batteries that have sat for long periods of times will also suffer from degredation. The better the quality the battery used the longer this process will take.

Ambient temperature. In cold weather the battery capacity will be greatly reduced.

Scooter condition: Motor condition, tyres, bearings and wheel alignment will all influence the amount of amps needed to propel the scooter.

Weight: Most tests are undertaken with a user weight of 60kg. The greater the weight the more amps the scooter will use.

Terrain: Soft surfaces, hills, slopes, bumps, crossings all have a significant influence on the amps used. As much as 50% of the capacity could be used in propelling the scooter across grass or up inclines.

Speed: Slower speeds will use less amps to propel the scooter

The signs of flat batteries are obvious. The scooter will slow and then may even shudder through the motor. Most scooters will have inbuilt low voltage protection. This will cut power to the motor when the battery voltage drops below a preset value. This protects the motor and controller from excess amperage and is desirable. When this occurs there is still usable power left in the batteries. Let the scooter stand for 1 hour and the batteries will recover. Depending on the scooter and the condition of the batteries, the batteries will recover enough to propel most scooters another 2 klm to 5 klm.