One of the first questions that people ask before buying an electric scooter, is “How fast can it go?” This question has multiple answers because the speed that a scooter can attain is affected by state laws and can vary quite a bit from brand to brand.
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How fast a scooter can go is also determined by physical factors such as the rider weight capacity of the model, the motor and wattage output, and the battery power. External factors such as terrain, weather, and tire pressure can also affect the speed of a scooter.
What Is the Scooter Speed Limit in Your State?
It may not matter that you have purchased a scooter that goes 50 miles an hour if the scooter speed limit in your state is 10 miles per hour. There is no sense in buying a scooter that travels at high speeds if you are prohibited by law from driving at that speed.
Some scooter manufacturers must comply with state laws that dictate how fast a scooter is allowed to go.
According to the lawyer at Electric Scooter Laws by State scooters aren’t even street legal in Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In many states, scooters may only ride on bicycle paths and sidewalks, no matter what speed they are going.
Scooters are also often manufactured with low voltage 350 to 500w that limits the scooter to a 20k speed limit. A scooter that is speeding at 50 miles an hour on a sidewalk is likely breaking a local by-law.
States Where Operating a Scooter at 10 to 20 Miles Per Hour is Legal
In some places, scooters that travel more than 10 to 20 miles per hour may simply not be available in stores.
According to the Recharged Commute Organization, the following states allow you to operate a scooter between 10-20 miles an hour:
- Arizona
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Nevada
- New York
- Ohio
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
States That Allow Scooter Speeds 25 MPH and Above
States that allow scooter speeds of 25 -30 mph include Michigan at 25 mph and Florida and Missouri at 30 mph. You are also required to wear a helmet in these states, likely because you are riding at higher speeds.
Scooter Speeds Around the World
Globally, it seems that scooter speeds are much faster than those in the United States.
According to Recharged Commute, the 25 km/h speed limit is almost universal with it being in place in Australia, Belgium, Canada (24km//h), Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the U.K.
Germany, Sweden, and Denmark limits riders to a top speed of 20 km/hr.
The Need for Speed
Despite all of the laws limiting the speed of a scooter, extremely fast scooter models do exist. These include these fast models from Amazon:
- The Outstorm Folding Electric Scooter 3200 watts: 56 mph
- The YW05 Electric Scooter 5600 watts: 52 mph
- The Generic X60 Dual Motor Electric Scooter 5600 Watts: 50 mph
- The Jay Lion Electric Scooter 5600 watts: 50 mph
- The Wheelspeed Electric Scooter Pro 400 watts: 46 mph
Factors that Impact Scooter Speed
Several factors impact how fast a scooter can go: the rider’s weight, the power of the motor, the battery strength, tire pressure, and the type of terrain you are riding on.
Rider Weight Capacity
If a 275-pound rider gets on a scooter that has a maximum weight capacity of 250 lbs, then the electric scooter is going to slow down. The scooter may simply not be able to accelerate as supporting the excess weight is draining its capacity.
Keep The Battery Charged
In order to keep your battery operating optimally, always charge it before it has the chance to run down to zero. To reach speeds over 20km, you would also likely need a 4500-watt motor with two 48v batteries, to obtain enough power.
Tire Pressure
Keeping your tires pumped up can help them resist bumps and provide the right amount of shock absorption so that your electric bike does not lose speed every time you hit a bump or a hill.
Hilly Terrain
The more your scooter has to go up and down hills, the more power it is going to need to maintain speed while going up an incline. High-quality scooters will advertise what percentage of an incline the bike can handle without losing power.
Final Words
There are several things that you should do to make sure that your scooter is operating at optimal speed, even if it is only 10 miles an hour.
First of all, make sure that you are buying an adult bike that is at least 350 watts or higher to support your adult weight. Never buy a scooter meant for an adolescent, as excess weight will slow down the bike’s speed.
Be aware that the speed of your scooter will be compromised as your battery begins to run out of juice; it is important to keep it charged.
Be sure to fill your tires to reduce stress on your battery and your bike frame. Make sure to also buy a scooter with a battery and voltage that are compatible. This will help you to ride your scooter at the top speed allowed by law.
