Can electric scooters go up hills?

A common question I get asked a lot via email from people purchasing an electric scooter is: Can electric scooters go up hills?

You might use an electric scooter for covering shorter distances like for instance your daily commute to work. While some of you might be living in hilly areas. (I have a couple of friends in San Fran and they were asking me not long ago can electric scooters go up hills?) In the case you live in an area that has many hills or inclines, your electric scooter must have the ability to go uphill without losing power or without too much effort, no matter how steep the terrain is.

Therefore, many new potential riders consider it an important question whether their electric scooter can tackle the steep inclines or not. If you too are someone who is looking for an electric scooter for a daily commute, and you have a couple of hills or inclines on your way to work or wherever then you must also consider a scooter that can easily go up hills.

Before you go and look for the best electric scooter, there are a couple of things to consider. The good news is some electric scooters can definitely go uphill. But a lot depends on factors like the capacity of the motor(s). Count the fact that there are also many electric scooters nowadays that come with extremely low-quality components, which in turn results in poor performance, and some electric scooters don’t run smoothly even on a small slope.

A rule of thumb is that if you buy an E-scooter with a motor under 500watt will have a hard time getting up a hill.

So if you want a robust climbing experience with your electric scooter, then you must consider a few important factors, the first one being a premium and high-quality construction.

However, you also need to consider the following important factors to determine the power of your electric scooter.

Climbing Angle

Although most electric scooters can climb up hills that don’t mean they can go up any type of hill. You need to consider many factors in order to determine whether it can go up the hill or not. Therefore, the climb angle must be considered when looking for an electric scooter.

If your electric scooter is less powerful, then a climb angle of more than 19-degree shouldn’t be crossed. 

Weight of the rider

The climbing power of electric scooters can also be affected by the weight difference of each person. If the weight is less, the electric scooter will be more efficient because the motor won’t be subjected to the maximum load. Similarly, with more load, the scooter will be less efficient, and in turn will require much more power to climb up the hill, resulting in a very slow pace going uphill.

Under such scenarios, it is best to consider opting for more powerful electric scooters which can withstand maximum load and climb up more efficiently.

Motor Power and Battery

This is the most important factor which can affect the hill-climbing power of your electric scooter: the motor power and battery capacity. Since electric scooters are operated on batteries, it’s very important to look for the ones with powerful and long-lasting batteries. The power of the motor is also a very important thing to consider, obviously the more power it puts out, the easier it drives when conditions get bad like uneven roads, climbing hills, and “heavy” riders. In other words, battery power and motor strength are directly proportional to each other.

If you are a resident of an area with a lot of hills and you want to get yourself an electric scooter, don’t forget to look for the one with a high-torque and powerful battery.

Type of Tires

Your electric scooter relies entirely upon two main factors: the battery and the tires. If the tires aren’t on par and they cannot withstand high pressure then you can forget about the hill climbing functionality of your electric scooter.

The most common issue which arises while climbing up a hill on an electric scooter is small-sized, weak tires. The ideal tires should be grooved, larger in diameter, and must be strong enough to tolerate pressure. A diameter of around 9- to 10inches is best in this case. Only then your electric scooter will be able to climb up the hill or any steep slope. There are many owners that switch to full (airless) tires but this doesn’t aid when you need to go uphill a lot and also takes away all comfort when riding (even if the road is as flat as possible)

Suspension

An electric scooter can go up the hill more efficiently if it comes with suspension. Here, the universal laws of physics are applied. When your body puts a load on the scooter, the scooter (with suspension) exerts that load back in order to create a balance. Thus, this reaction allows comfortable and smooth climbing, and you can easily ride and go anywhere you want.

Sturdy Construction

The construction and building material of your scooter is also necessary if you want to use it when the road has inclines or hills. A robust and hard-wearing scooter is more likely to withstand heavy hilly conditions as compared to a delicate one with poor and low-quality construction material. The durable build of your scooter is also important to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Therefore, we highly recommend you consider looking for a heavier and strong electric scooter if you want to pass through the hills with ease.

Final Thoughts

The final advice for all those wondering can electric scooters go up hills, and who reside on uneven terrain or encounter hills on their way to work or wherever you go is to consider the factors mentioned above before choosing your electric scooter. If your commute is not flat and you are having difficulty going to work or school every day, then an electric scooter can be your best friend. They will not only let you cross the rocky trails with ease, but they will also help you reach your destination quicker and in a fun way.