| Electric Scooters have been around for several | | | | 12-volts each. The more batteries, the more weight the |
| decades. In the old days, when you bought an electric | | | | scooter can carry at optimum output over a specified |
| scooter, you would be lucky to get eight to ten miles | | | | distance. Voltage is important in determining the |
| out of a charge and would be thrilled to go as fast as | | | | distance an electric powered scooter will go. |
| twelve miles per hour. That was then. These days, | | | | Say that you have a three-hundred-fifty watt, 24 volt |
| electric scooters can get as much as twenty to thirty | | | | (that's 2 batteries) electric scooter and you had a rider |
| miles on a charge and can easily cruise at speeds up | | | | that weighs 150 lbs. You can take that scooter about |
| to in excess of twenty to twenty-five miles per hour. | | | | 15 to 20 miles on a charge. Put a 220 lb person on that |
| If you have been toying around with just replacing your | | | | same scooter, you will only be able to get 12-18 miles |
| old time scooter, you do have a few choices. You can | | | | on the same charge. |
| either retire your old scooter or you can upgrade. Most | | | | If you put that 150 lb rider on a three-hundred-fifty watt, |
| if not the majority of scooter dealers will tell you either | | | | 36 volt (that's 3 batteries) electric scooter, you would |
| that it can't be done, or it's a waste of money. As a | | | | be able to increase the distance by about 3-6 miles on |
| scooter sales and service center, I'm telling you that it | | | | a charge. The same goes true for the 220 lb rider. |
| is possible and can sometimes be cheaper than just | | | | The average cost for the 12 volt batteries is from |
| replacing your old buddy. | | | | $35.00 to $45.00. |
| Things to keep in mind is that all electric scooters are | | | | The motor need to be able to work with the controller |
| designed around the same gut system. As long as the | | | | and the batteries to pull the right amount of juice to run |
| control box, the motor and the battery setup can work | | | | efficiently. Contrary to popular belief, the more wattage |
| together, you can upgrade. If one of these important | | | | the motor, the further it will go. As well as the belief |
| items is a mismatch, then you will have wasted your | | | | that there is such a great speed advantage from |
| money. | | | | getting a higher wattage motor. No matter what you |
| At the shop, we have upgraded some two hundred | | | | do to a 350 watt motor, the only thing that is going to |
| fifty watt systems to three hundred fifty watt and five | | | | change is going to be the traveling distance and that is |
| hundred watt systems. The key, as stated is that the | | | | with the increased battery power. The same hold true |
| control box (The Brian), the battery setup (The Voltage | | | | with the 500 watt systems and above. |
| required) and the Motor all work in harmony. | | | | When you get above 500 watts, the real difference is |
| The brain, as we call it is the control box. This is a | | | | so minuscule that we have decided not to even carry |
| circuit board that is designed to regulate such functions | | | | these expensive and troublesome alternatives. The |
| and the amount of voltage pulled from the batteries | | | | best you're going to do with a 500 watt, 36 volt |
| for the motor, the operation of the light system. If the | | | | system is from 20 to 25 miles per hour and 18 to 25 |
| brain is not compatible, the motor could fry, the | | | | miles on a charge, and that's being realistic. Any higher |
| batteries will drain too fast, there might not be enough | | | | than 500 watts, will give you maybe 2 miles more in |
| power for the motor, and worst case, it could catch | | | | speed and distance, so it is our opinon that these are |
| fire. | | | | not worth the extra $100.00 to $200.00. |
| A controller, depending on the type and model can | | | | When you are ready to upgrade you old electric |
| range in cost from $25.00 to $45.00 depending on the | | | | scooter, remember that all three main components; the |
| type required. | | | | control box, the battery setup, and the motor all have |
| The Primary Guts is the batteries. Most scooters will | | | | to work together. |
| have at least two batteries. These batteries are | | | | |