Electric Mobility Scooters

Electric mobility scooters - How they are powered?


Electric mobility scooters are without a doubt the best aid ever invented for people who are able operate a vehicle but find it hard to walk distances. Whatever their disability, these people may be able to conduct daily activities on these vehicles, just like able boded people. They are able to have back independence that may have been lost to them.



Electric mobility scooters nearly always use 12-volt batteries to power their motors and electrical systems. Whilst a front-wheel drive scooter has a 12-volt system and uses only one 12-volt battery, a rear-wheel drive scooter is equipped with a 24-volt system thus requiring two 12-volt batteries.



Batteries for electric mobility scooters are designed to provide the scooter with a constant supply of power that needs to be discharged and recharged on a regular basis. They are very different from car batteries, which are designed to provide short bursts of power. In general, electric mobility scooters batteries should last between 12 and 18 months which can be further extended if charged correctly and careful maintenance is ensured.



Electric Mobility Scooters Batteries

There are three types of batteries used in electric mobility scooters. Lead acid batteries which are the least expensive but require the most maintenance, sealed lead acid batteries that require no maintenance and are safer to use, and gel cell batteries which are the safest and most commonly used, despite the fact that they are more expensive and may have a shorter life than the other batteries.



Batteries for the scooter can be recharged, using external chargers that are provided with the scooter. This requires the user of the scooter in some cases to carry extra weight especially when travelling distances. Most importantly, external chargers allow the batteries to be charged away from the scooter. This is often useful during travel, as the batteries can be recharged without the need for the scooter being there.



When purchasing any scooter, the type and size of batteries used on it should be in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation and the batteries should also be compatible with the charger.