If you have tested out electric scooters through the wide variety of rental services, or even if you’ve invested in your own commuter scooter, you may have noticed that the average electric scooter can start to struggle on slopes. As the majority of scooters are designed with flat riding in mind, it can be more than a little disappointing when your average electric scooter can’t beat a pedestrian up a hill. After all, no one wants to kick their electric scooter up a hill!
What’s The Best Electric Scooters For Hill Climbing Have In Common
So what does an electric scooter need to speed up those steep hills? The answer lays right where you would think it would – in the engine, and more specifically, in the torque that the engine can output. To understand the concept of torque and why it is essential when looking at the best electric scooters for climbing hills, its essential to understand the difference between torque and horsepower.
Torque And Horsepower, What’s The Difference?
The easiest way to explain the difference between these two, admittedly quite similar factors, is to look at bikes. When you’re riding a bike, you put your foot on the pedal and press down. The power that you can press down with is effectively torque, whereas horse power on the other hand, can be defined as how fast you can pedal is the horsepower. If you start to climb hills on your bike what is more effective at getting you up the hill faster, more powerful strokes or lots of fast but weak strokes? For those of you that aren’t avid bike riders, the answer is power, and this hill climbing power – torque – is just as essential to an electric scooter for climbing hills as it is for a bike.
“A specialised climbing electric scooter can output 1000 Watts whereas most other electric scooters will only be able to output somewhere around 250 Watts”
The next thing to understand is how to identify torque, as sadly, going into an electric scooter retailer and asking for the ‘biggest torque’ will most likely only get you a confused look from the sales assistant. When it comes to electric scooters, torque is measured in a unit known as Watts, a figure which can show exactly how much torque an electric motor can generate. For example, a powerful electric scooter with dual motors that is specialised as a climbing electric scooter, could output 1000 Watts between its two motors. Most electric scooters that aren’t focused on power however, will only be able to output somewhere around 250 Watts.
This is why terrain vehicles of different sorts are not about outright speed but enormous torque, which is why they can climb obstacles and rocks you would need a mountain guides help to climb by hand. This is important if you are about to invest in your own personal electric kick scooter and you live in a hillier area. You will want to ensure that you choose an electric scooter with a powerful motor enough to do what you ask of it.
What Else Should I Look For?
Climbing Angle
Climbing angle is another way of measuring torque output and it is a bit easier to understand right off the bat. Put simply, climbing angle is the maximum degree of incline that an electric scooter will be able to handle without severely slowing down or coming to a complete halt. The majority of common electric scooters have a climbing angle of 10-12 degrees, which might be enough for slightly steeped slopes but not for highly steeped hilly areas where every hill has its own gradient.
Scooters that specialise on hill climbing on the other hand, should be able to handle 20 degree slopes as a bare minimum. In fact, some hill climbing scooter can even manage load bearing climbs on up to 35 degree hills and slopes! Realistically, you won’t need more than 25-30 degrees of climbing angle unless you are doing extreme off-roading, as most roads dont reach such large sloped angles, but regardless, climbing angle is a still an important factor to be aware of when looking for your best hill climbing electric scooter.
“If YOU have a higher than average body weight then it would be best to pick an e scooter with a higher weight limit, to ensure your battery and motor wont burn out”
Battery And Weight Limits
Evidently maximum speed, although a favourite topic amongst many, is not the primary focus of hill climbing electric scooters, however many factors that benefit maximum speed will also benefit a scooter’s maximum torque. Namely, the overall weight of the scooter and the rider, as well as battery power and output, are two factors that will really influence not only top speed, but also motor power in regards to hill climbing.
As a consistent high level of power input is essential to a motor’s torque output, it is key to pick a battery that is large enough to handle not only the duration of your trip, but also the extreme battery usage that comes with high torque motor output. One way to put your motor and your battery at ease is of course to select a lighter scooter for climbing hills.
Given that weight is a factor that can have a large impact on a scooter’s hill climbing ability, choosing a lighter scooter can get a few extra volts from your battery as your motor will have to work less to get you up a hill. If you’re a person with a higher than average body weight then it would be best to pick an e scooter with a higher weight limit, to not only guarantee a smooth ride, but also to ensure you will not burn out the battery or the motor as you climb slopes.
If you combine the right package of battery power, weight and motor power, you are guaranteed to find a scooter that can climb any hill you throw at it. Want some suggestions? Below are a few of the best electric scooters for hills for you to pick and chose between!
“You need an electric scooter with power, or torque, for climbing hills”
Good Places To Start When Looking For Electric Scooters For Climbing Hills
Qiewa Q1 Hummer
The Qiewa Q1 Hummer is a top notch scooter that checks all the boxes when it comes to hill climbing electric scooters. Powered by a 800 Watt motor and a 48V 26Ah lithium battery this scooter can travel up to 105 kms, at a speed of 60 km/h , in one go. The scooter also boasts a carrying capacity of 250kg, making it more than suitable for any and all riders.
The climbing angle of the scooter is 35 degrees which is more than anyone can ask of a scooter for traveling uphill. The 10″ pneumatic tires and 45 degrees double shock protection gives smooth rides on bumpy roads and dual disc brakes provide perfect stabilization and stopping power when brakes are applied.
Not only is it high performing, this scooter is also highly portable, weighing only 20kgs and being foldable to a size of 0.9 meters, it can be carried easily and kept stored anywhere without occupying a whole lot of space. A such, the Q1 Hummer is a great pick for people who travel regularly on hills, or even want to try some adventurous off road riding, whilst still being convenient to store and transport.
Dualtron II S
The Dualtron II S is a beast of a scooter, with an ultra-powerful dual BLDC dual hub motor that generates 1800 Watts of power, letting the scooter get up to a blazing top speed of 90 km/h. The scooter also features a 60V battery to back it up for as long as you’d like to ride it, making it ideal for not only speed, but more importantly, uphill scooting with a climbing angle of up to 30 degrees!
The Dualtron II S also features dual suspension for greater shock absorbing when riding through rough areas to preventing jerking and shock. With 10-inch pneumatic tires, the wheels provide a firm grip when traveling over slippery roads. The Dualtron II S also comes with an LCD display that keeps you connected with your ride, while you ride. This powerhouse of an electronic scooter is a must have for all those wanting to fly up hills and get the best out of their vehicle.
Turbo 1000 Watt Elite 36 V Electric Scooter
The Turbo 1000 Watt Elite boasts a high powered engine and a top-notch 36 V lithium battery for highly efficient performance in attacking slopes. With pneumatic tires for better grip, mono and dual shock suspension for smoother rides, a highly durable steel body and disk brakes on the front and rear wheels, this scooter is truly the top of its class. Not to mention it also comes with a removable seat.
Despite all of the facilities that come with this scooter, the highlight of it remains its super powerful 1000 Watt battery with a drive-chain motor that runs at 3000 rotations per minute, more than enough speed for rev heads and more than enough torque to get you up any hill that gets in your way.
The only noticeable problem with the Turbo 1000 W Elite electric scooter is its whopping 30kg weight, which makes it difficult to lift and carry around. However, all the other benefits out weigh this minor flaw, making it a good purchase for anyone who wants an electric scooter that makes its way up hills with ease.