SCOOTER PERFORMANCE TIPS

INCREASING PERFORMANCE

This article provides some tried and true suggestions and tips for increasing your scooter performance. In some cases there will be a trade off in that higher speeds can cause less torque (acceleration from start). It all depends on how you modify your scooter.

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MOTORS AND POWER PERFORMANCE

Motor are available in different wattage sizes and drive types: belt drive or chain drive. The also mount in two different ways: bracket mount where the mounting bracket with four tapped holes is attached to the motor (usually smaller motors under 350 watts), and by band mount where the motor is round and a band is attached to the scooter frame that squeezes the motor to secure it in place inside the band.

Increasing the wattage of a motor can yield higher speeds and acceleration (torque), increased hill or incline climbing ability. Most small motors use belts, but these are not acceptable for larger motors due to the power and torque generated. Using belts would strip the teeth from the drive belt. Chains are more capable for higher wattage motors and most use a #25 chain for motors up to 1000 watts.

Replacing an existing motor is typically the trend when the new motor can fit the cavity provided for a motor on the scooter. The new motor may require a new control box to furnish the current (amps) necessary to prevent a control box burn out. If the new motor requires more voltage then the entire battery, electrical system, and control box will be replaceed. If the new motor is chain driven then a new rear wheel which has a sprocket will be required along with the drive chain.

Driving a 24 volt motor with 36 volts power from the electrical system (batteries and control box) will yield higher speeds at lower torque (acceleration). The motor can also overheat if used excessively over a period of time and cause windings to short out (motor burn out). Acceleration is slow, but higher speeds are generated.

If you already have a band mounted motor of 400-500 watts, 24 volts, then it might be a simple matter to slide in a 600 watt 24 volt motor. Your control box may be adequate, but if not then a new control box is available. See 80 amp 24 volt 600 watt Control Box and 600 watt 24 volt Motor.

The best motor for the cost available is our 800 watt 36 volt Motor that is controlled by our 85 amp 36 volt 800 watt Control Box. The acceleration and torque with high speed output is the best for the cost of any motor on the market, bar none. It requires a 36 volt battery electrical system, but otherwise standard throttle, etc. Motors over 1000 watts can cost upwards to $500 for the same quality.

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WHEEL SIZE AND DRIVE RATIO PERFORMANCE MODS

Most 8 inch (200 X 50) Rear Wheels are driven by a belt. But we have 8 1/2 inch rear wheels which are chain driven. Replacing the wheel with a chain drive sprocket wheel will also require replacing the motor with a chain drive sprocket motor. Some motors up to 350 watts are also mounted with four tapped holes on a bracket attached to the motor. You can simply replace the motor, rear wheel, and use a chain. We have a 36 volt 360 watt bracket mounted chain drive motor which allows this conversion or build (if you are building a scooter from scratch). It is necessary to have three batteries and a control box that supplies 36 volts to the motor. The result is a scooter capable of near 25 mph speed and good acceleration. See these components: 350 watt 36 volt Control Box, 350 watt 36 volt Motor, bracket mounted, batteries, and 8.5 inch rear wheel.

Sometimes you can mount a new tire on an existing rim. Our Rad2go 10 inch (3.00-4) can be replacee on the rim with the 3.5/4.10-4 tire. This provides a 10% increase in circumference which translates into a 10% increase in speed. See 10 inch tire.

You can also decrease the number of teeth used on the rear sprocket. For example we have 12 1/2 inch rear wheels that are very similar except that one has a 64 tooth sprocket and the other has an 80 tooth sprocket. Obviously the 64 tooth sprocket will translate the power from the motor into more speed - nearly 25% more speed. The acceleration will be reduced, but the top speed increased. Somewhat more difficult is replacing the front 12 tooth sprocket on the motor with a sprocket with more teeth - more difficult since sprockets that fit motor shafts are hard to find. This ratio decrease is a means to achieve more speed.

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BATTERIES and CAPACITY IN AMPHOURS

Batteries produce the power. Batteries can be capable of producing so many amperes per hour such that if the scooter electrical system requires a sustained amount of amperage then the batteries should provide that amount or more. Restricting the amount of AH may cause a reduced performance since the batteries cannot produce the amount of AH needed. Batteries are also rated for length of time between charging, the larger the battery the longer it will run your scooter before needed a recharge. Sometimes there is a trade off in that even small cells required for an upgrade can be used to power larger voltage systems due to space requirements for installation of the three cells. The scooter may accelerate a bit slower, but top speed may be the same. Obviously the larger the cells, generally 12 volt 17 ah being the largest, then the better the overall performance and more time in service between recharging. Your own use and requirements will govern your best alternative choices for the batteries you use. 12 volt 12 ah battery cells are the most commonly used, but it is not uncommon to use two 12 volts 5 ah batteries in parallel (yielding 12 volts 9 ah) to save costs - smaller cells are generally cheaper. And even three 12 volt 4.5 ah batteries in series will produce 36 volts at 4.5 ah for powering 36 volt systems where acceleration, torque, and length of time between charges is not an issue. In fact, 36 volts powering a 24 volt motor produces extended time between charges for most situations.

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RESULTS VARY

There are many factors that can produce differing results. Outside temperature, surface conditions, operating environment, motor windings, battery quality, etc. We have seen customers install 300 watt motors in place of 200 watt motors only to realize an increase in torque and acceleration when they actually wanted extra speed. We have a great article about rewinding motors which sheds light on how to get more speed by reducing the motor windings (something akin to using a 24 volt motor instead of a 36 volt motor). There are many approaches. Manufacturers have spent time to find the proper balance of torque and speed and the combination of motor size, drive gear ratio, batteries used, with the control box choice is not an accident. Scooters are designed with these factors in mind. But many customers are unhappy with their purchases and want improvements. We hope this article will provide you some help in achieving a desired result.

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SUMMARY: Electric scooter performance can be increased rather simply. Change the gear ratio so the rear gear is smaller or the motor gear is larger, or increase the size of the rear tire diameter. The motor size can be increased to compensate for loss of torque and acceleration. Bottom line - Performance is a matter of the gear ratio and motor size.

PERFORMANCE TIPS