Electric scooters have become an essential part of the daily commute in many cities. However, people living in hilly cities have one perplexing question about these micro-mobility devices. Can electric scooters climb hills?
The answer is yes. They can go up hills, but with a few caveats.
Factors to consider before driving uphill
There are several factors that must be considered before driving uphill in an electric vehicle. Some of these factors include
Slope of the hill
Most electric scooters can climb inclines of 10 to 15 degrees with no problem. More powerful ones can climb up to 20 degrees with no problem, but anything above that may be difficult.
Just as you wouldn’t expect a car or motorcycle to climb a mountain or a really high hill, it is quite unrealistic to expect that from a scooter. So before you start accelerating up a hill, pause and think about whether it is too high.
Some manufacturers specify the angle of hill climbing in their user manuals. So it is essential to study the manual for more clarification.
Weight of the rider.
A boy weighing 50 kg can easily ride a scooter up a hill, but can an electric scooter carry a man weighing 90 kg up a hill with the same ease? The answer is no! The heavier the weight of the rider, the more difficult it is to ride up a hill.
The weight carried on the vehicle determines the amount of work the engine and motor must do. Therefore, before going uphill, always check the maximum loading weight and make sure it is not exceeded.
Battery and Motor
The motor powers the electric scooter and gets its energy source from the battery. Ideally, when traveling on flat surfaces, the motor requires less power because there is less resistance. However, the power requirement increases when climbing hills.
If you live in a hilly city or plan to ride up hills, look for an electrically power assisted bicycle with a powerful battery. Just as it takes more effort to climb stairs than to walk down a street, running an electric scooter up a hill will drain the battery faster.
If you want to program your device to regularly go uphill without draining the battery, you should consider getting a more powerful battery. Alternatively, you should opt for a ride with a powerful battery and a high-torque motor of at least 250 watts.
Tires.
Given that cars need powerful tires with sufficient grip to climb hills, one might be tempted to ask whether electric scooters can climb hills with poor tires. It stands to reason that such a micromobility device would need treaded, well-pneumatic tires to climb hills.
For an e-scooter to seamlessly climb a hill, the tires would need to be at least 8.5 inches (about 22 centimeters) long. This would ensure that the load on the deck is evenly distributed and that the body of the vehicle is well balanced. Larger tires also minimize the extra load on the motor.
Suspension
When climbing a hill, the body tends to lean backward, thereby shifting most of the weight to the rear wheels. If the suspension is not good, the rear wheel will bear a great deal of load, making it difficult to climb hills.
Suspension reduces most of the load on the rear wheel, allowing for a smooth ride uphill.
Breaks
When driving an electric scooter uphill, one should make sure that the brakes are sharp and sensitive. Brakes are needed to slow you down when you are going too fast. They are also practical when you encounter an obstacle and need to avoid or overcome it. High-end scooters like the Mangosteen are equipped with a double braking system designed to allow the rider to ride safely uphill.
Therefore, these should be considered when traveling uphill.
