Introduction to Electric Scooters

Electric scooters are basically a battery with an electric motor that controls a drivetrain, and an on / off switch.

Electric scooters are the simplest mechanics of any self-propelled vehicles, often included with gears and mechanisms to control the flow of electricity, yet range widely in wheel layout (2, 3 and 4 wheel scooters), styles, ride position with either standup or sit down, and a number of other features including the 3 and 4 wheel electric mobility scooters designed specifically for the mobility challenged and the varieties inherent with those products.

However, it is the single feature shared by all of them which defines this simple yet revolutionary change to global personal transportation solutions - the battery.

Batteries are often one of the most weighty of parts in the scooter, and in an effort to increase range and speed, manufacturers are looking at lighter methods of supplying power. The traditional notion of lead batteries that store potential electrical energy in the form of chemical energy which can be converted into electricity, is being challenged by new and emerging technologies.

The future of the battery, or the "closed container of finite chemical energy" to supply electricity is being challenged by fuel cells, which are like batteries except that the elements carried inside react to release energy rather than store energy. They can operate continuously as long as the two elements (their fuel) that combine to react to produce the required electrical energy are present and continually supplied.

The many benefits of electric scooters

Electric scooters are rising in popularity because of their incredible convenience and the rising cost of gasoline prices. Not only is the cost of "fuel" much lower for electric scooters, but the emissions produced by electric scooters is zero. Even when the volume of emissions created by power stations to generate the required electricity is taken into consideration, the savings both financial and to the environment are substantial.

Battery technology is gradually improving making this form of transportation more practical. Manufacturers are continually developing systems that increase both the speed and range of electric scooters, while at the same time increasing their efficiency.

Since an electric scooter uses no fluids such as gasoline and oil to power and lubricate moving parts, it makes them a very low-maintenance and thus a low-cost vehicle.

Since traditional 2 wheel electric scooters are a relatively new product in the US, it has yet to obtain any standards as to its definition from state to state, and in many states the scooter doesn't meet the requirement to be a vehicle, and doesn't require registration, licensing or scooter insurance.

Electric scooters are allowed to be transported in most public transit systems, such as buses, trains and planes, a courtesy not provided to owners of internal combustion powered scooters, ie. gas powered engines. This benefit to electric scooters is often extended to public places, a great advantage to those who are mobility challenged.

The electric motor enjoys most of it's torque at start (meaning 100% of it's power is available immediately), which makes going up steep hills and accelerating much more responsive in an electric vehicle than a gas powered vehicle, which tends to have to gain power before being able to accelerate enthusiastically.

Before buying an electric scooter, it's best to understand what the limitations are to make sure that it works with your lifestyle

The two most obvious distinctions of an electric scooter is it's battery and price. Not only does an electric scooter cost more than other powered scooters, but the electric scooter has a shorter range and it takes longer to recharge or "refuel" electric scooters. The opportunities to recharge the battery are few and far between, and often inconvenient as electricity is often not conveniently located near streets or driveways. If a scooter owner doesn't have a garage with a plug, then an alternative needs to be found.

The same issues don't neccessarily apply to other types of electric scooters such as smaller modeps, motorboards, and some carts and electric mobility scooters as their size and weight make it much easier to overcome some of the problems in sourcing power outlets.

Getting around is also a little slower for an electric scooter and requires a bit of planning to get to the destination to make sure that appropriate roads are available. If the battery is cold, it further reduces the performance of an electric scooter, adding to that a reduced storage capacity as low as about 20% of it's capacity on a warm day. Clearly, the ability to store an electric scooter inside while recharged and stored is the ideal situation.

Electric scooters also bring with them the sound of silence, which may be a nice change for the owner, but also presents an interesting challenge for riders and those around them. The sound of an engine is often one of the indicators that there is a vehicle near by, and for other drivers and pedestrians who don't look around them when maneuvering in traffic can often spell danger for the silent rider.