Can Electric Scooters Go Uphill?

Electric scooters have become an essential part of the daily commute in many cities. Almost everyone out there wants to own one, but people who live in hilly cities have one mind-boggling question about these micromobility devices. They always ask: “Can electric scooters go uphill”? 

The answer is yes. They can go uphill, but there are a few cautions to it. 

If you’ve been to a hilly city like San Francisco or the Montmartre region of Paris, you’ll see people enjoying a fun ride on these devices. Ideally, watching them should give you all the answers you need to stop wondering if electric scooters can go uphill. However, the truth is that not all of these light electric vehicles have what it takes to ride up an incline.

Things You Need to Consider If You Want to Drive Uphill 

There are a few factors you must consider before taking your electric ride uphill. Some of them include:

Steepness of the Hill

Most electric scooters won’t have a problem climbing an incline of about 10-15 degrees. The more powerful ones will seamlessly climb up to 20 degrees, but anything higher than that may be difficult.

Just as you don’t expect your car or motorcycle to climb a mountain or really high hill, it’s quite unrealistic to expect scooters to do it. So, before you start throttling up that hilly path, pause and consider if it’s too high.

Some manufacturers specify hill climbing angles on their user manual. So, it’s essential to study the manual to get more clarity.

Weight of the Rider

A boy who weighs 50 kg can easily ride scooters up an incline, but can electric scooters go uphill with the same ease while carrying a man weighing 90 kg? The answer is no! The higher the weight of the rider, the more difficult it is for your ride to go uphill.

The weight mounted on the vehicle, to a large extent, determines the amount of work the engine and motor have to do. So, before you set out to climb an incline, make sure to check and not exceed your ride’s maximum weight capacity. 

Battery and Motor

The motor is the powerhouse of your electric scooter, and it gets its energy source from the battery. Ideally, the motor takes up less power when riding on flat surfaces because plane roads exert less resistance. The power requirement, however, increases when climbing a hill. 

If you live in a hilly city, or you intend to ride on hilly paths, lookout for electric rides with powerful batteries. Just as it takes you more effort to climb a flight of stairs than it takes to walk down a street, making electric scooters go uphill depletes the battery faster.

If you want to program your device to go uphill regularly without draining the battery, then you should consider getting stronger batteries. Alternatively, you should choose a ride with strong batteries and a high torque motor of at least 250 watts.

Tires

Considering that cars need strong tires with adequate grip to climb a hill, one may want to ask if electric scooters can go uphill with bad tires? It’s a no-brainer that these micromobility devices require treaded and well-inflated tires to go uphill.

For an e-scooter to go uphill seamlessly, its tires need to be at least 8.5 inches (ca. 22 centimeters). This way, the load on the deck can spread evenly, and the vehicle will have enough balance. Large tires also minimize the excess load on the motor. 

Suspension

When climbing a hill, your body tends to lean backward, thereby shifting most of your weight to the back wheels. If your ride doesn’t have good suspensions, this will exert lots of stress on the rear wheels, making the upward ride more difficult. 

A suspension takes the bulk of the load away from the rear wheels to facilitate smooth uphill movement. 

Breaks

When driving an electric scooter uphill, you need to ensure that your brakes are sharp and sensitive. You’ll need them to help you slow down when you’re moving too fast. They’re also practical when you encounter an obstacle and need to avoid or climb over it. High-end scooters like the Äike T have a double-braking system designed to keep you safe when riding uphill.

How to Ride an Electric Scooter Uphill

Before you start riding uphill, ensure that your battery is fully charged. You want to avoid running out of charge and get stuck in the way. While approaching the hill, ensure that you’re balanced on the deck. Also grip the handlebar tightly, as this increases balance and keeps you in control. 

Climbing a hill requires more power than riding on a regular street. So, when you approach a hilly slope, throttle harder to increase the acceleration. Be careful to not over-speed to avoid having an accident.

Lean forward and bend your knees. This reduces the weight on the deck and tires and makes climbing easier. If the hill is too steep and climbing becomes difficult, increase the speed, but always be conscious to not over-speed.

These Are the Consequences When You Ride Uphill 

The most common consequence of using electric scooters for uphill movement is that it strains your battery. The more you ride on steep slopes, the more your scooter requires charging. This, eventually, will reduce the battery life.

Other consequences of riding uphill can include:

• It can cause motor damage because of excessive workload.
• Climbing really high slopes regularly could reduce range and efficiency by up to 50%.
• The wheels may break or become faulty due to increased workload.
• The motor starts overheating after an uphill ride.
• The lifespan of your battery reduces. 

Conclusion: Can Electric Scooters Go Uphill?

People living in hilly areas often ask if electric scooters can go uphill. While many scooters can climb a hill, it is necessary to have strong batteries, suspension, and powerful pneumatic tires. Most importantly, you should buy a high-end scooter like the Äike T, which is designed to give you the highest efficiency no matter the terrain.