What Exactly Is an Electric Mobility Scooter?

Moving around and going to different places is physically impossible for a person with disability. If the disability is something that prevents you from walking or moving from one place to another, you need an electric mobility scooter.

You’ve probably seen a lot of this on the Internet. It’s like a motorized wheelchair that you can move without holding the wheels. If you have no idea what this is, here is a simple explanation of the importance of the best electric mobility scooter.

 

How Does an Electric Mobility Scooter Work?

Have you seen a regular scooter? The one that most kids use when playing? That is a regular scooter and a mobility scooter uses a battery to power an electric motor and moves it forward or backward. This electric motor will power the wheels.

To fully understand how it works, you should know the different parts that are responsible for running a 4 wheel electric mobility scooter.

1. Chassis

This is the main body of the scooter and it’s made from aluminum or metal. It holds the motor, steering column, battery, and all the other key components together. The chassis also has a lot of mounting points to allow you to modify your scooter. You can modify the seat, and front wheel, and you can even modify the electric motor.

2. Battery

This is the main driving force of your mobility scooter. Without a battery, your scooter will just be a simple wheelchair that you can’t move around. The battery is usually a lithium-ion battery or a lead-acid battery.

The battery is placed on the chassis and it stores the energy needed by the scooter to run. You’ll have to charge it every now and then.

3. Motor

Even if you have a battery, your scooter will not run without a motor. This is the part that drives the scooter. It can be an AC or a DC motor and it is typically between 200 and 300 watts.

4. Steering

The steering mechanism that you can find in a mobility scooter is usually a handlebar. It’s easy to maneuver so you can move around with ease inside your home or outside. There is a shaft and some gears connected to the handlebar to the front wheel. When you steer the handlebar, only the front wheel moves.

5. Seats and Armrests

Mobility scooters will always have a seat and armrests. The armrest can provide the support that you need while driving. It can hold your personal items and food like your coffee or any drinks.

The seats provide comfort while you’re driving. They can be adjusted and swiveled around so the user can easily get on and off the scooter.

6. Tires

You can choose from a wide variety of tire pressures for your mobility scooter. It will depend on the type of terrain where you will be driving. The tires of your scooter are also more expensive than regular tire bikes as they are bigger and more stable.

7. Wheels

The wheels on your mobility scooter will have a size of 8 or 10 inches. The 8-inch wheels are perfect for indoor use, while the 10-inch wheels are made for outdoor use.

8. Lights

One of the most important features of a mobility scooter is the light. It means that you can use it even during nighttime. The lights include a headlight, a taillight, and brake light. They are pretty much the same as normal motorcycles. There are also scooters with turn signals.

 

How to Use an Electric Mobility Scooter?

Before you start using a mobility scooter, there are a few things that you need to know about this. If you plan to buy one, here are some of the things that you have to consider including the simple ways to use it properly.

• Choosing a Scooter

Choose a scooter based on your preference. This is the most important tip that you need to consider because most scooters have the same basic functions. You need to figure out if it will be used daily or only during the weekends. Do you need a sturdy build or do you prefer any quality? Do you want a foldable model or one that still needs to be disassembled?

• Is the Brand Important?

Basically, you’ll want a scooter from brands that have been in the market for a long time. However, there are a lot of amazing mobility scooters made by new companies. Although the brand is important, quality is still the most important factor to consider. The brand only comes second unless you prefer to look at the brand before checking its quality.

• Do You Need Special Features?

Most of the special features offered by mobility scooters are not really as important as you think. There are models that allow you to put more items in your scooter. This is only applicable if you plan to travel while using it.

Some models also have a lot of lightings like turn signals and more. This is only usable if you plan to go outside at night to go around or if you plan to use the scooter on the road.

 

Tips for Using a Mobility Scooter

Seniors and people with disability need to understand that a mobility scooter is also considered a type of vehicle. Since you can use it on the road, it means that you need to understand how to safely use it. Here are a few simple tips that you can follow:

1. Always Stay Visible

When you’re using an all-terrain electric mobility scooter, you need to stay visible as much as possible. Your vehicle is smaller compared to others so there is a chance that they won’t notice you. The best thing to do is to add things to your scooter that would make them see you.

Adding a safety flag will be a good start or adding some reflective strips, especially at night. The lights would come in handy when it comes to this because this will tell the other motorists that you are on the road.

2. Pay Attention to your Surroundings

Even if you have a reflective strip or safety flag, there are instances when other drivers will not be able to see you. The best safety tip is to always pay attention to your surroundings. They are visible to you so you need to make sure that you always check your left and right, especially when crossing driveways and intersections.

Remember that your scooter is not too fast and it cannot cross an intersection as fast as the other cars. It means that you need to find the right time to cross so you won’t be a hindrance to the other cars.

3. Stay on the Footpaths

Your scooter is not too big to be a hindrance on the footpaths. It is also a privilege given to people with disability and seniors. You are allowed to drive on the footpath so make sure that you make good use of it.

You are safer on the footpath since no other vehicles would be allowed there. If you have to go to the road, make sure that you check tip number two for safety purposes.

4. Keep your Wheels on the Ground

This is a very important trick when driving a three or four-wheel scooter. Remember that scooters are not as heavy as cars so the chance of tipping over is very high, especially when used incorrectly. This will surely cause serious injuries.

If you don’t want to experience this, you have to keep your wheels on the ground. When you approach hills, bumps, and curbs, always drive head-on and not at an angle. You’re using a scooter so you should always make your turns slowly.

Even if your scooters can run up to 5 miles per hour, it’s not advisable to always run like that. It’s possible on the road, but when driving on a footpath, you should always drive slowly. Unexpected bumps can be found on a footpath so you need to be careful.

5. Don’t Carry Too Much

It’s not a good idea to load your scooter too much. Always keep in mind that too many items in your scooter can also put stress on its motor. Your scooter might even become unbalanced and there is a higher chance of an accident.

If you are planning to put a lot of things in your scooter, make sure that you consider this during the purchase period. Always buy a scooter that can handle a lot of weight. This will guarantee that you can still ride it and carry other things without any risks of tipping over.

6. Never Speed Through Crowds

This is a very basic safety tip since you are not allowed to speed through the footpath. Even if you’re on the road, it’s not a good idea to run your scooter too fast. Accidents can happen anytime so you should always be on the safe side. Be a defensive driver and use your scooters slowly.

 

Final Thoughts

An electric mobility scooter offers a wide range of benefits not only for seniors and people with disability but also for other people. It’s not too fast and it’s very easy to use. You don’t need to balance the scooter if you are going to use a three- or four-wheel model. As long as you choose the right scooter, you won’t have to deal with various issues in the future.

If you are searching for top electric mobility scooters for your loved ones, we’ve got a wide range of brands and models that you can choose from.