When we planned our group ride in 2022, we were all thrilled.
We didn’t have hyper-electric scooters, but part of the fun was to determine who would reach our intended destination first.
Out of the 10 e-scooter owners who were there, I trailed throughout the ride.
It was clearly an embarrassment for me since I was the master planner for the ride.
Determined to excel in the second group ride, I had to do everything to master how to make an electric scooter faster.
Let’s review the simplest ways to make an electric scooter go faster.
Our first tip is the simplest and needs to be checked first.
How to Make an Electric Scooter Faster
Follow these simple tips to make an electric scooter go faster.
1. Switch to the Fastest Mode
The main reason why I trailed in our group ride was that I rode in the ECO Mode.
I was still a newbie, so I hadn’t messed much with my scooter to know all the parameter settings and the different riding modes.
One of the simplest yet effective ways to make your electric scooter faster is by switching to the fastest gear.
Most e-scooters come with three or more riding modes, where you have the ECO, Standard, and Turbo Modes.
By engaging the Turbo Mode, you will hit the top-most speed after you floor the throttle to the maximum.
It’s essential for you to note that some models refer to the Turbo Mode to as the Sport Mode, but the functionality remains that while riding in this mode, you will hit the fastest speeds.
Just so you know, riding in the fastest mode will make the battery get drained faster and as such, you will get the least range.
Since electric scooters aren’t manufactured the same, you can refer to your manual on how you can engage the fastest mode.
For some models, you will need to set it with buttons in the cockpit, for others, you will need to access the P-Settings, while for the other lot, you must use a mobile application to switch to the gear that best suits you.
2. Remove the Speed Limiter
Some manufacturers sell their e-scooters while they are already speed-limited to achieve the speed legality thresholds.
Depending on where you are in the world, you may opt to remove the speed limiter and make your scooter faster.
There are many different ways to go about this and one of them is by disconnecting the speed-limiting wire.
Some of the models we had luck removing the speed limiter by unplugging the limiting wire include the Zero 10X and Zero 9.
The speed governor in these models is a white wire coming out of the controller, which when cut, more power gets to the motor and you have more speed.
For other models such as the Xiaomi 1S, you can make this electric scooter run faster by hard-resetting its controller’s software.
We have detailed all these steps in our “how to remove speed limiter on electric scooters” on undoing the speed limiter from electric scooters.
For some other models, the best way you can undo the speed limiter is by downloading an app provided by the manufacturer and then going for the “unlock speed” prompt.
Not many electric scooters come with an app as a function and as such, it’s worth it to reach out to your manufacturer to let you know if they have an application or firmware that can be used to unlock the scooter’s speed.
As a point of caution, always adhere to the speed limits as recommended by your local laws.
The worst that can happen to any e-scooter owner is to be pulled over by the cops and have your ride confiscated by the police.
If you are in strict countries such as the UK, be sure to ONLY unlock your scooter’s speed if you will intend to only ride it on your closed private property.
3. Swap the Components
If your e-scooter is fully unlocked and in the fastest gear, but then feels slow for you, then it means the electric components have just that ability.
The most reasonable way to make it faster at this point is by swapping the components with more powerful ones.
If, for example, you were riding the EMOVE Cruiser but feel like the 33 miles per hour top speed isn’t enough for you, then you can decide to swap its 25A controller to a bigger one.
Provided you have gotten a controller that is compatible with the battery and the motor, then you won’t face any issues.
If, for instance, you swap the stock 25A controller with a 30A one, then there won’t be a compatibility issue with the 30Ah 52V LG battery of the Cruiser.
Going for a more powerful controller ensures that more power flows freely and as such, features such as the top speed are enhanced.
A bigger controller than the stock one will lead to a reduction in the top range, though.
As a rule of thumb, an increase in power current leads to decreased total distance coverage.
Another component you may need to swap is the motor.
If you suspect that your electric scooter’s motor isn’t functioning as expected, it’s worth it to get a better one.
If the controller size allows, you may also actually get a bigger one than the stock one for faster speeds.
As you shop for a motor, it doesn’t necessarily mean that a more powerful one will always be bigger.
If possible, get one of the same size as the original one so that it can fit on the motor compartment.
4. Make the Scooter Lighter
As you read electric scooter descriptions from vendors’ websites, you will notice that most describe the top speed as dependent on the rider’s weight, and this is for a reason.
The top speed that a heavy rider will get will be lower than what say a teenager would record.
Heavy weights make the motor struggle relatively more, which makes attaining a high top speed harder.
If you had customized your electric scooter and added a seat, then removing the seat will significantly cause the scooter to go faster.
If you have added a trailer to your electric scooter and you are possibly hauling your pet, baby, or some shopping, disconnecting that trailer will also make the scooter go faster since the motor won’t be struggling as much.
The other example is for those who love to ride in two’s.
The optimal speed you will record while riding alone will definitely be higher than when two of you are riding in the same gadget.
Caution: Riding in twos makes safety more compromised and as such, it’s important for you to ride alone regardless of the situation.
5. Switch to Racing Tires
For most e-scooters, you can swap the stock tires with offroad, racing, or street ones, and depending on the occasion, some will do better than others.
If, for instance, you would like to be doing constant off-roading, it can only be realistic if you have off-road tires for your e-scooter.
City riders will be better off with street tires.
If you will be riding in smooth-tarmacked roads where there is not much traffic, then switching to racing tires will certainly make an electric scooter go faster.
As a matter of fact, off-road tires make riding knobby, which in turn, makes the scooter slower.
Not many electric scooters currently come with racing tires and as such, if your electric scooter comes with off-road or the street type, you may need to get your hands dirty and switch to the racing type or engage professionals for help.
Again, most racing tires for electric scooters come in the tubeless type.
This means undergoing repairs after flats is essentially faster than in the case of the tubed ones.
Some e-scooter sellers such as Voro Motors sell these types of tires and one of the advantages is that they are compatible with most models.
For instance, the 11-inch racing slick tires from Voro Motors are compatible with all the 11-inch tire Dualtron and Kaabo models.
Provided you know the rim size of your electric scooter, visit your browser and search for the fitting racing scooter tires.
You are guaranteed to not only have a better ride quality at smooth tarmacked surfaces, but also get your scooter riding faster than if it featured the street or off-road type.
The exact way in which racing tires make an e-scooter way faster than the street or off-road type is that they provide the narrowest contact surface with the road.
Besides, they lessen the rolling resistance, which is the exact opposite of the knobby off-road type.
6. Beat the Cut-Off Voltage
The Battery Management System (BMS) in most modern electric scooters will have a cut-out to keep the battery in perfect health.
One of the best ways you can always ensure that you beat the cut-out is by ensuring that you keep your e-scooter fully charged before you get out of the house.
Scientifically, a fully charged battery will lead to faster speeds.
On the converse, the scooter will struggle to even reach 5 miles per hour when the BMS activates the cut-out.
In our blog post on why electric scooter cuts off and the solutions, we mentioned that low battery is one of the leading causes.
To solve this, always ensure that your e-scooter has sufficient charge.
Even if your e-scooter lacks the cut-off voltage feature, a low battery will make the scooter so slow.
You will floor the throttle but no high speed will be recorded.
You can actually end up thinking your scooter accelerator is faulty.
As a matter of fact, a fully charged battery produces more voltage.
The electric scooter motor relies on the voltage to determine how fast it runs.
To ensure that you don’t get distracted by the cut-off voltage, we again insist that you keep your battery stays with the highest charge possible.
If you are covering a long distance, it’s worth it to have a fast charger and keep your scooter on charge.
However, it’s advisable that you only charge your ride when it has already cooled down.
In case you would like to know how you can charge your e-scooter faster, we have a detailed article on this how-to process.
7. Change the Battery
Most electric scooter owners who have had to replace their batteries did so after 500 charging cycles.
This is mostly in three years.
As we have mentioned above, a low battery can make an electric scooter slow.
How about a dead battery that has worn out cells?
Well, it will be lucky for you to hit more than ½ of the top speed if you have a dead battery.
To have a scooter riding faster, the battery MUST be in perfect shape.
If yours is not, then you can replace the battery and go for a relatively bigger one if it’s compatible with the controller.
As I always say, an electric scooter battery is the most expensive component of an electric scooter, and as such, expect to spend a high amount.
If you have an electrical background or have a professional near you, you can also check for worn out battery cells and replace just those.
However, this may take a huge chunk of time and so be prepared appropriately.
8. Replace the Battery Management System
A BMS is a crucial component that ensures the battery doesn’t overcharge or undercharge.
While the battery may be in a pristine condition, you may end up thinking that it’s bad if it doesn’t keep the charge for long.
The main culprit in this case, though, could be a dead BMS.
When you let a malfunctioning battery stay for long, it will definitely end up destroying the battery since there won’t be charging regulation.
Replacing a faulty Battery Management System will lead to the scooter riding faster since the battery will stay in great shape because of receiving the accurate charge.
Before replacing a scooter battery, we always recommend that you determine if it’s indeed the battery that isn’t properly functioning.
It may be a case of a BMS, and unless you test it, you may also end up destroying a new batt.
9. Adjust the Brakes Properly
Poorly adjusted brakes are known to rob speeds due to the added friction while in motion.
Ensuring that there is no contact between the scooter rims and the brake pads is one of the little-known ways you can make a scooter to go faster.
If you are handy enough, this shouldn’t be a problem.
However, you can go to the nearest electric scooter repair shop for professional brake tuning.
FAQs about Making an Electric Scooter Faster
Below are the Frequently Asked Questions we have been able to gather about making an electric scooter faster:
Can You Remove Speed Limiter on Electric Scooters?emove speed limiter on electric scooter?
Yes, you can remove speed limiter on an electric scooter.
The ways in which you can remove this limiter varies from a model to the other.
For some, you will need to remove the speed limiting wire while for others, you will have to use a custom compatible firmware on your mobile phone to unlock the speed.
Why Won’t My Electric Scooter Go Faster?
Some of the main reasons why your electric scooter won’t go faster include being in the slowest riding mode, low battery voltage, the speed is restricted, or the scooter is subjected to heaviness.
Keep it as light as possible, engage the Turbo Mode, and keep the battery in the highest voltage as you start the ride.
How Do You Speed Up a Slow Electric Scooter?
Since low speed electric scooters feature inferior electrical components, you can speed them up with swapping by swapping the stock components with more powerful ones.
Changing the battery, controller, and motor to more powerful ones will make a low speed e-scooter faster.
Will a Higher Voltage Battery Make My E-Scooter Faster?
Yes, a higher voltage battery than the original will make an electric scooter faster.
It’s important to note that the battery needs to be compatible with the controller and the motor for better speed to be recorded, though.
For the battery you intend to switch to, ensure that you have a well-suited motor and controller for seamless functioning.
How to Make Electric Scooters Faster: Pro Tips
Yes, you can make electric scooter faster by following these handy tips:
- Always engage the highest-speed mode
- Do away with the speed limiter
- Swap the speed-involved components with more powerful ones
- Make use of racing tires where possible
- Keep the battery with the highest voltage possible.
In Summary
Making an electric scooter faster is a great idea, especially if you are looking forward to beating a deadline.
However, it’s important to note that you will need to operate under the legal thresholds put in place by your local government.
For instance, if you make the scooter faster by removing the speed limiter, you may end up having a lawsuit or even getting the scooter confiscated by the police.
