How does an Electric Scooter work
03 Dec 2022
We all go through that new experience and excitement, of riding an Electric Scooter for the very first time. The technology behind giving us a quick torque and silent ride is modern, but it is not that complex compared to other vehicles.
The purpose of this guide is to provide a very simple understanding on how this efficient futuristic machine works.
How does an electric scooter work?
When the rider uses the throttle, electric signals are sent to the controller through wires, which instructs the battery to turn on one or more motors in the wheels. The motor converts that energy into a movement of the wheels, which moves the scooter forward. Quite simple! HuH?
Now, to understand the electric scooter’s functionality better, let's have a look into the main components of an electric scooter and how they make a complete electric scooter functionable? Curious to know? So we are, to explain it to you!
Main components of an Electric scooter are as follows:
Battery
Electric scooters’ battery is one of the key components as it determines how far the scooter can go on a single charge. The more powerful a battery is, the longer the ride will be on a single charge, and the overall performance will be better.
Electric scooters may come with one of these three types of batteries:
- Nickel Metal Hydride
- Lead-Acid
- Lithium-ion
How Does an Electric Scooter Battery Work?
There are three parts to an electric scooter battery: an anode, a cathode, and a separator. Between the two terminals, lithium ions (or energy) can move through a medium.
When discharging, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode, and when charging, they move from the anode to the cathode. Anodes and cathodes exchange lithium ions back and forth, generating electrons and electricity, on which the electric scooter runs.
This process makes Li-ion batteries the best option out of other. Because where other battery takes upto 10 hours for charging, Li-ion batteries only take about 3-4 hours, making it the most reliable and efficient option. Gemopai is one such brand out of all, which uses Li-ion batteries and does not compromise on quality.
Motor
A scooter's motor is one of its most critical components. Speed, climbing ability, load capacity, and to some extent, range of a scooter are determined by its power.
Brushed DC (direct current) motors and brushless DC motors are the two fundamental types of motors found in e-scooters nowadays.
How Does an Electric Motor Work?
The workings of electric motors are simple; they listen to the rider's input through a controller. A controller on the handlebar signals the battery to release energy to the motor when you push the throttle button.
Throttle
The throttle is a very important component of an Electric scooter which plays a critical role when riding an electric scooter. E-scooter throttles aren’t created equal. Today, there are three main types of throttles, including a twist throttle, finger (trigger) throttle, and thumb throttle. Let’s see how the throttle works?
How Does an Electric Scooter Throttle Work?
Simply, the throttle is the commander of the e-scooter which commands the scooter to accelerate at a certain speed. When you push the throttle, it sends a signal to the controller via cables
In response, the controller instructs the battery to release more power to the motor. Lastly, the scooter is propelled forward by the motor.
Your speed will completely depend on how much pressure you apply. All in all, throttles are handy when riding on hilly or elevated terrain, cruising at different speeds, or preserving battery life.
It is well said that once you know the technology behind any machine, you understand their language while using it. It is important to know the basics of how an Electric Scooter works, so that you can feel and elevate your riding experience without causing harm to your Electric Scooter. We believe this article gives the reader a better understanding of how an electric scooter works.
