Which factors affect your electric scooter range?

Emmanuelle Chatel November 5, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

First, what is the range? The range is the distance your electric scooter can travel on a single charge. Riders often notice that the range they get in real-life conditions is lower than the range advertised. Why is this? Your scooter’s actual range depends on many factors, particularly your environment and your personal riding habits. Below, we are going to explore the factors that determine your electric scooter’s range.

Why does your electric scooter range vary?

Not all riding conditions are ideal and equal. It is natural for the estimated range of electric scooters to change as it is impacted by a range of factors. These include:

Total weight
The weather
The terrain and the type of surface
Tyre pressure
Riding style

Total weight

The total weight of the scooter and rider will affect the range. The range will therefore vary for each driver, depending on their weight, size and possible luggage. Overloading your electric scooter will lead to drawing more power over the course of your journey.

The weather

Lithium-ion batteries operate optimally at around 23°C. When the temperature drops, it is normal to experience a shorter range than normal when riding. Your scooter performance decreases due to extra energy demands on the battery. Riding in a headwind will also affect its performance.

The terrain

It may seem obvious but when you go uphill or off-road the motor will consume more energy to tackle the demanding terrain. The ideal surface to ride further is a relatively flat and smooth road. To save your battery power, be mindful of hills and steep sections, as well as speed bumps and the general condition of the road.

Tyre pressure

The important thing to get the most out of your scooter is to maintain the pressure right (between 40 and 60 PSI). Under-inflated tyres will affect your scooter range, its handling and braking performance. As well as minimizing the risk of getting a flat tyre! Ideally get the pressure checked before each ride.

Riding style

The range will vary depending on your riding style. The faster and the more aggressively you ride your scooter, the more power the electric motor will consume. To increase your range you should limit sudden acceleration and deceleration during your ride. Instead, accelerate gradually until you reach your cruising speed. Maintain a constant speed for as long as possible for a longer range distance.

Ideal conditions

The environment you ride in plays a big role in your realistic range. As all the factors mentioned above will impact your scooter’s performance. The advertised battery range reflects ideal riding conditions for example, flat and smooth terrains, a 75kg rider, a steady average speed with minimal variation in riding style. The scooter simulations are performed by manufacturers under these conditions in order to get the best out of the machine on one charge and do not take into account weather conditions, rider ability or other external factors that you may encounter during your rides.

We designed our online range calculator to provide the most realistic value possible. So you can accurately determine how far you can expect to travel on your Fuze.

Understanding Your Electric Scooter

Emmanuelle Chatel October 9, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

The FUZE is a great way to move around and very easy to get used to. However, new regulations regarding personal mobility devices (PMDs) have been introduced and must be respected. If this is your first electric scooter, you will need to take the time to learn how everything works. Check our tips below and the mistakes you will want to avoid to get the most out of your scooter.

Familiarise yourself with your electric scooter in a secure area

Riding the scooter is very easy, it will only take you a few minutes to adjust to your scooter’s riding position and find your balance. Adjust the handlebars to your desired height to ensure maximum comfort. Be sure to make the most of the fair-weather conditions to start riding and choose a quiet place with little traffic, on flat and smooth ground.

Remember to wear protective gear

Although some protective equipment is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended that you wear a protective helmet and high visibility clothing if you are travelling at night or when visibility is poor. This will increase your conspicuity for other road users.

Find out about your local regulations

Make sure that you are aware of and comply with any new regulations and road traffic restrictions established by your local government and regulatory bodies.

The rule for private e-scooters

In the UK it is legal to use electric scooters on private land only with the permission of the landowner.

Beware of braking

The faster you ride, the longer your braking distance. On smooth surfaces, the electric scooter can slip under heavy braking, lose its balance and cause a fall. Braking requires anticipation so make sure to always maintain a safe distance from others and obstacles. Pay close attention to your surroundings so that you can brake in time.

Pay attention to your surroundings

Some electric scooter may seem slow unlike our fuze which goes up to 45kph, it’s important to stay alert and adapt your speed to your surroundings. Other people may present a risk for your safety if you drive carelessly or inappropriately. You are exposed to road accidents just as you are when you walk or cycle. Adapting your speed will help you to anticipate braking and prevent accidents.

How to take good care of your electric scooter

Check your FUZE before each use. When you notice loose parts, low battery warning, flat tyres, excessive wear, strange noises, malfunctions, and other abnormal conditions, stop riding immediately. When the electric scooter is not in use, keep it indoors in a cool, dry place.

Keep an eye on the charge level of your battery, we advise you to keep a charge of about 40%/60% when not using the vehicle for a longer time than a few hours. Make sure it is not left in an environment above or below -20°C/50°C (for example in a car exposed to direct sunlight).

Use a damp cloth to clean and remove stains from your electric scooter. Do not use alcohol, paraffin or any other corrosive product to clean your Fuze.

Folding and transporting

Slightly push the handlebar stem forward and pull the locking pin around the folding joint, allowing you to fold the handlebars onto the deck. Please also ensure your bars are set to their lowest height to avoid them hitting the rear mudguard. To carry your FUZE, simply grab it by the stem.

Download your Owner’s Manual

Test our autonomy calculator to anticipate your journey!

If you have any further questions after receiving your Fuze, please do not hesitate to contact us here.

Why Owning an Electric Vehicle Is Better Than Sharing

Eliott Wertheimer July 7, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

Dockless electric bikes and scooters are becoming a common part of the urban landscape in cities all over the world. It’s easy to see why – they’re a cheap, convenient, and ecological way of getting around town. However, dockless electric vehicles are less than ideal for frequent riders. This may already be painfully obvious to you if you use them every day for, say, commuting to and from work.

For regular use, there are several good reasons why you should buy an e-bike or e-scooter. In this article, we’ll show you the advantages ownership has over hiring.

You’re Safer on Your Own E-Bike or E-Scooter

You’ve always got a good idea of what condition your electric bike or scooter is in. You know when its battery needs charging and you can tell when a part needs fixing or replacing.

You don’t have that knowledge with a shared dockless vehicle. You’re always at risk of hiring a ride that prematurely runs out of juice or has broken or defective parts, potentially causing serious injuries or worse. Ownership of an e-bike or e-scooter gives you far more peace of mind than a vehicle you just grab off the pavement.

Sharing is Not Caring

There’s no debating that dockless electric bikes and e-scooters are an environmentally friendly mode of transportation – as long as we’re talking purely about riding. This benefit loses some of its lustre when we look at dockless operations as a whole.

Consider this: how do all those electric scooters and bikes get relocated, repaired, and recharged? The answer transforms them from being sustainable to climate-unfriendly: vans, trucks, and cars. Every day and night, bands of gig workers drive around picking up and transporting e-scooters and e-bikes, increasing traffic congestion and polluting the air. Buying an electric bike or scooter won’t make this issue disappear overnight, but it certainly won’t make it worse.

Dockless electric bikes and electric scooters don’t last long. A 2018 study indicated that, on average, electric scooters have a lifespan ranging from just under 29 days to nine months. Operators tend to discard rather than reuse them, increasing their negative impact on the environment. As the owner of an e-vehicle, you’re more likely to maintain it to maximize its lifespan. When you’re ready to get a new e-scooter or e-bike, you can always resell your previous one rather than just hauling it off to the dump.

Owners Don’t Have Abandonment Issues

Perhaps the biggest problem with shared dockless bikes and scooters in the urban clutter they create. A large number of riders are simply leaving them anywhere: across sidewalks, in front of doorways, on lawns, in car parks, in rivers,… really anywhere. Unsurprisingly, this inconsiderate behaviour is infuriating city residents all over the world, giving shared e-scooters and e-bikes a kind of social stigma.

When you own a vehicle, you’re not going to just park it wherever you want – doing so could result in a fine, theft, or vandalism. Buying a folding e-bike or e-scooter has the added benefit of portability, so you can keep it with you wherever you are, without creating obstacles for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

Ownership is Cheaper in the Long Run

If you’re just riding every now and again, a shared vehicle is cost-effective. On the other hand, daily use over the course of a year could easily end up costing you more than a brand-new e-scooter or e-bike. Best of all, you don’t have to share your vehicle with a bunch of strangers.

Let’s do the math, using the pricing of a shared Lime bike. You pay £1 to unlock a bike then 15p per minute until you lock it back up. In the UK, commuters who cycle spend 44 minutes per day travelling to and from work. So we’re now at £7.60 per day. Using an average of 253 working days per year, this comes out to £1,922.80 annually.

For just £77.20 more, you can get our Furo X folding electric bike, saving yourself nearly £2,000 in e-bike rental fees every year!

We don’t have shared e-scooter figures yet, but we’re sure that owning our popular Fuze electric scooter would save you as much, if not more, money.

To learn more about our folding electric bikes and scooters, pricing, and the benefits of owning over sharing, feel free to get in touch with us!

E-Scooters to Become Legal for Road Use in the UK

Eliott Wertheimer June 23, 2020 No Comments Uncategorized

As our cities set out on the road to coronavirus recovery, we’re seeing a growing acceptance of electric scooters. In the UK, the public has become more supportive of e-scooters, and the government is revising road traffic regulations so councils can set up trials in their cities.

Here’s the latest on the UK government’s e-scooter plan, which should help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution low and prevent overcrowding on public transport. This is great news for e-scooter riders across the country. Let’s take a look at the progress that has been made recently.

E-Scooter Trials Get the Green Light

The UK is catching up with several European governments that have embraced e-scooters as a means of reducing car usage. The COVID-19 lockdowns have made the benefits of micro-mobility abundantly clear, as Hamish Stewart, the organiser of London Car Free Day points out:

“During the crisis, we have seen lots of people realising that they don’t need a car to make short trips and the decision to accelerate e-scooter trials will provide another non-polluting way for people to travel safely and take the pressure off public transport.”

To determine the impact that more widespread use of electric scooters will have on road traffic, air quality, and pedestrian safety, 30 city councils are planning pilot projects. The potential reduction in congestion and pollution is high as 60% of car journeys in the UK cover a distance of merely one to five kilometres. The results of coronavirus-related restrictions support this assumption, as we’ve seen a massive decrease in vehicular traffic and air pollution has dropped by up to 60% in parts of the country.

Based on a government consultation, the regulatory framework of the pilot programmes states that:

E-scooter riders can use public roads, cycle lanes, and tracks
E-scooters are exempt from vehicle registration
Riders must be at least 16 years old and hold a driver’s license
Riders require insurance
Riders are not legally required to wear helmets
Top speed: 12.5 mph (20 km/h)
Maximum e-scooter weight: 35 kg

Stay on the Road

The same consultation emphasizes that electric scooter use in the UK should only take place on roads (with the obvious exception of motorways) and in cycle lanes. The reasoning behind this is that e-scooters and bicycles travel at similar speeds.

It goes without saying that e-scooters are not permitted on pavements. This is a serious concern among pedestrians, especially in European cities that are coming to grips with an overabundance of rented electric scooters. Only responsible for riding and parking will result in successful trials and nationwide adoption of these eco-friendly vehicles.

The Benefits of E-Scooter Ownership

While the pilot projects in the UK are for rented e-scooters, there are numerous advantages that come with owning an electric scooter. Currently, one of the most important benefits is that you’re eliminating the risk of coronavirus infection. Shared e-scooter companies are doing their best to sanitize their fleets, but they’re also advising you to wipe the handles and wash your hands before and after riding, and wear gloves – all things you don’t have to think about when you’ve got your own e-scooter.

You’ve also got an awareness of the condition of your e-scooter that you don’t get with a rental. As its only rider, you’re aware of its performance, so you know when a part needs tuning or replacing. Rentals may be sturdy, but you still have no idea how much wear and tear they’ve been through.

Additionally, ownership may be seen as more socially acceptable. Rentals are seen at best an amusement for tourists, at worst the source of an American phenomenon that’s been dubbed “scooter rage”, which has prompted city residents to throw rented e-scooters into rivers. You can easily store our Fuze anywhere, including your home or office, so you’re not contributing to the piles of rentals that are taking up pedestrian spaces.

This is Great News for Electric Scooter Riders

We at FuroSystems will be keeping an eye on the progress of the pilot projects. Hopefully, their success will bring this sustainable, environmentally friendly mode of transport into mainstream acceptance, and help keep the UK’s roads clearer while lowering pollution levels. Watch this space for the latest news about the e-scooter trial, as well as advice on electric scooter use and maintenance.

FUZE

FURO X

Aventa

Tag: high performance scooter