How to Maintain Your Electric Scooter

Even the most expensive electric scooter in the market can still get beaten up with regular – especially careless – use. Thankfully, you don’t need special equipment and mechanical expertise to maintain it.

Electric Scooter Maintenance Tips

Store your electric scooter properly. 

Electric scooters are equipped with powerful Li-on batteries that are affected by temperature. Make sure you don’t leave it under cold, humid, or rainy weather. They’re foldable and compact, so you don’t really need a lot of space or big storage to stow them away. 

Maintain your battery. 

The lifespan of your battery is limited. It’s not going to suddenly die and brick your e-scooter, but you will notice a slower and shorter ride. Fortunately, you can prolong the lifespan of your electric scooter battery with proper maintenance. If you decide to buy a new battery, don’t settle for generic brands. High-quality electric scooter batteries from Panasonic, LG, Samsung, and Sanyo make a big difference. 

Clean the scooter safely. 

Electric scooters are water-resistant, not waterproof. This means your electric scooter is built to prevent water splashes from getting into your electronics and battery, but not from being submerged. The best way to clean an electric scooter is to use a microfiber cloth, wheel and tire cleaner, and 40 WD degreaser. Alternatively, you can use detergent or dishwashing liquid. 

Routine check-ups.

Check your entire electric scooter before and after every ride, from the screws to important components. Electric scooters are simple machines, but this also means that the simplest of problems can affect your ride performance. Are there any bolts lose? is the stem wobbly? is the front wheel misaligned? is your tyre pressure adequate? is your disc brake making a noise? are your wheel threads worn out? Identifying problems early help prevent tyre punctures, potential accidents, and walking on foot halfway in your commute. 

Maintain your electric scooter tyres. 

You don’t have to go through the hellish experience of changing a punctured pneumatic tyre with proper maintenance. Using a tyre sealant and routine check-ups can reduce the chances of a tyre flat. You will eventually have to change your electric scooter tyres when they get worn out, but this is much safer than waiting for your tyres to give up under you.

Ride sensibly.

Ride conscientiously and adopt an active riding style. “Active” means using your body to steer the electric scooter and respond to the ground.

Instead of just being a passive rider, where you just stand on the scooter, you need to “drive” it like a motorcycle. This reduces the brunt impact of the ground on your pneumatic tyres and prevents pinch punctures. It stops you from shifting your entire weight on the handlebar (especially when braking) which damages the folding mechanism. More importantly, it promotes better scooter handling, which prevents you from going off balance and falling.

An electric scooter needs a diligent owner and responsible rider.  Following these tips can extend the overall lifespan of your personal transport vehicle, even if it’s just a budget e-scooter.