How Far Can a Battery Powered Scooter Go on a Full Charge?

Regardless of your mobility needs, there is a battery-powered device that can help you. Battery-powered scooters and power wheelchairs are essential because they can successfully restore mobility where there was none. To ensure the device runs smoothly, a certain level of upkeep and maintenance is required, much the same as caring for your automobile. 

We will focus on the battery power of a mobility scooter and the different factors that affect its distance in a single charge. Also, to ensure you are optimizing the battery, we will chat about the care, handling, and changing of the mobility scooter battery.

Does the Type of Mobility Scooter Affect the Battery Range?

The model of your mobility scooter, along with a few other factors, makes a difference in the distance you can travel on a single charge. The average distance is consistent with a minimum of five miles in range. However, it can reach up to 10 miles. There are also long-range mobility scooters whose charge can sustain a travel distance of 45 miles before dying.

Is your Mobility Scooter for Indoor use only?

If you have a scooter restricted to being used in your home, that will influence the battery's charge. There have been some instances where scooters, which are not used for long durations of time daily, last up to three days before needing to be recharged.

Do you use your Mobility Scooter Outdoors? 

If your mobility scooter is the primary mode of movement for you and you have quite an active lifestyle, your battery power may drain quicker. Using your scooter often will lead to the need to charge more often and increase the amount of recharges required.

What Other Factors Influence your Mobility Scooters Battery Power?

Tire Pressure 

At first glance, it may not be easy to recognize whether or not your tire pressure is low. But, once you are in the scooter and rolling down the pavement, it will become much more clearer. In particular, the device will feel a little sluggish and not feel like it is handling corners well.

If you feel this happening when driving your mobility scooter, your tire pressure is likely the culprit. The best way to know for sure is to use a gauge and measure the tire pressure. Low tire pressure could result in overexertion of your battery power, trying to compensate for the lack of air in the tire. Which will cause your battery levels to drain much faster. 

Payload

When you are in the market for your mobility scooter, it's all about you. It is essential to consider your body shape and size when deciding on a mobility device. Speak to an expert to ensure you choose a scooter that can adequately support your weight. Consequently, the weight, or payload, of the mobility scooter plays a part in the duration of the battery. Typical scooters can carry up to a capacity of around 220 lbs. But, other models have a higher carrying capacity, heavy-duty mobility scooters can easily carry up to 450 lbs. As for the correlation, the greater the load, the more power the battery requires. 

Weather

Factors that you may not have thought about can have an enormous effect on your scooter’s battery power. You may be thinking, "what effect can weather have?" Well, rain is a major factor, but strong headwinds can also drain a battery's charge much quicker. Heat will also play a negative role in your battery's power. Keep the latter in mind when storing your mobility scooter. The comfortable spot for your device would be between the temperatures of 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

Going Uphill

Mobility Scooters need to use a lot more battery power to charge up hills, especially if the terrain is rough. There are specialty All-Terrain Mobility Scooters that are fantastic at powering up hills and over rough terrain. The more hills you have to drive up, the more energy your scooter uses, so the faster the battery will drain. If you live in a hilly area, you may want to opt for an all-terrain scooter or a High Power Scooter Battery. 

Frequent Speed Changes

This factor may be one of interest. Sudden braking or change from one speed to another contributes to high energy consumption. Aim to keep your riding pattern as smooth as possible to save your mobility scooter’s battery power.

Can You Upgrade Your Batteries on a Mobility Scooter?

Yes, you can upgrade the battery of your mobility scooter. Reaching out to the manufacturer of your mobility scooter may be ideal when it comes to this arrangement. A note to remember: certain models require specific batteries and cannot be changed. 

The desire to upgrade your device is natural. You will learn about it as you use it and realize that for certain elements you would like a different sort of performance. A desire for a high-performing battery is no different. But, before heading off to purchase the largest, best battery you can find, let's take a look at the different types of batteries available.

Deep Cycle AGM Mobility Scooter Batteries

The deep cycle AGM battery is the most common battery used in a power wheelchair and mobility scooters. They tend to be very affordable and store a more significant power capacity than their counterparts. For these reasons, they are the general go-to when replacing the battery of a mobility scooter.

Gel Sealed Lead Acid Mobility Scooter Batteries 

The gel-sealed lead-acid batteries are virtually maintenance-free. Some experts as well consider them as a safer alternative to the deep cycle AGM battery. The gel sealed lead-acid batteries require a more considerable investment when first purchased; however, they sustain more recharges. The latter quality makes it more attractive as the more charges it can maintain, the fewer replacements.

How Long Does a Scooter Battery Last

A rule of thumb when it comes to battery health is to recharge your scooter whenever it has a battery power of less than 25%. Preserving the health of your battery is vital to the life of your mobility scooter's battery. 

The typical life of the battery of a mobility scooter is one to three years, depending on a range of different factors. The main factors are those which contribute directly to the large amounts of power usage that we listed above. Another factor to consider is the actual care of the battery and its housing unit - your battery-powered scooter. Proper care and maintenance of your equipment will play a large part in how long the scooter battery lasts.

A Few Battery Care Tactics to Keep in Mind:

• Be Mindful of the Battery Percentage Before Use:
  Always check the amount of battery power you have before using your mobility scooter. If you forget to connect the scooter to a power source after you use it, then you will be unable to use it to its full capacity the next drive. If the available power amount is over 25%, then your mobility scooter is considered to be at an acceptable level for usage. If the amount of charge is below 25%, connect it to the charger before use, or you may find yourself stranded with a dead scooter battery. 
  
  
• Use Compatible Scooter Battery Chargers Only:
  Have you ever misplaced or forgot your phone charger and borrowed someone else's? If the charging device is not compatible with your phone, you may receive a warning message of some sort that alerts you to the incompatibility. Depending on the device you have, this function may or may not be applicable. However, one thing that is consistent between the cell phone and your mobility scooter is that an incompatible charger can cause lasting effects to your equipment. It can even eventually kill the battery altogether. Always use the proper charger for your device. 
  Contact Scooter' N Chairs to discuss the right battery for you. Our experts can answer all of your questions about mobility devices and their batteries. If you are looking to upgrade your mobility device, check out these top folding mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs. 
  
  
• Do not Overcharge:
  The number of hours to full charge will depend on the type of device. It may take only 4 hours or as much as 12 hours. The number of hours to a full charge can also be based on the number of batteries that your mobility scooter may have. Some may have as many as four. Either way, once your device is at total charging capacity, disconnect it from the power source. Some devices are manufactured with smart chargers. The charger can sense when the battery is fully charged and shut off on its own. Older models may not have this feature. Check with the retailer or manufacturer you purchase with to be sure. When your battery-powered scooter is not in use, ensure it has a full charge and store in a dry, cool storage space. 

Batteries for Mobility Scooter Prices

The price of the battery for your mobility scooter will vary depending on the model you have. Prices for a replacement battery can be as low as $12 and as high as $799. Before purchasing a new battery, confirm if there are any warranties in place with your manufacturer. Parts under warranty may allow for the manufacturer to replace them at their cost.

Contact Scooters' N Chairs for your battery-powered scooter needs. Living without the independence of mobility can become a thing of the past. Our expert can answer any questions you may have about the best mobility scooter or powered wheelchair for you.