Riding Electric Scooters in the Rain
In our latest blog we are looking into a question we get asked a lot, and that’s about riding electric scooters in the rain?
It’s safe to say that most people know that electricity and water don’t mix very well. Not only does the rain potentially damage the components inside the battery housing and motor, but it also hugely reduces grip making manoeuvring and stopping a serious issue.
If you take for instance the Xiaomi electric scooters that we stock, the braking is done using a rear disc brake. When the discs and pads get wet, the friction is heavily reduced meaning that they are far less effective. Even when the brakes work, the friction between the tyre and the road is also reduced, meaning that stopping distances are increased so you will simply skid instead of coming to a halt.
The same issue applies when trying to turn. The traction between the scooter’s tyres and the surface being ridden is reduced to the point where you will turn your handle bars to make a turn but the scooter will continue straight on potentially throwing you off in the opposite direction.
Wet drain covers also become a serious hazard. In many case they are reasonably slippery without the introduction of water. As soon they get wet they become potentially lethal to electric scooter users.
It’s not so much the falling rain that causes the issues, it’s more about the spray that gets kicked up when the tyres push through the surface water, and of course puddles. This means that even after it has stopped raining it’s a good idea to try and avoid riding your electric scooter until the riding surface has dried up a little.
Even though the scooters that we sell here at Electra-Zoom are of a very high quality they certainly aren’t classed as waterproof.
If you are left with no choice but to ride your e-scooter in the rain it is a good idea to give it a thorough wipe down with a clean cloth the second you get back indoors. We also recommend storing it a warm, dry environment to aid the drying process. However, even after wiping your electric scooter dry on the outside and leaving it to dry, the water damage could be irreparable. It would also void the warranty.
The Xiaomi M365 and M365 Pro have a IP54 rating. This means that they are water resistant but not waterproof. IP stands for International Protection but can be interpreted as Ingress Protection. It is a standard that rates electrical products for their resistance to dust and liquids. The first number is the product’s rating of protection from solids, such as; fingers, dust and dirt. It ranges from 0 to 6. The second relates to the product’s ability to protect the electrical components from liquids and ranges from 0 to 8.
If we look at the Xiaomi’s IP54 rating. The first digit, 5, means that they are ‘Dust Protected’ - Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment; complete protection against contact.
The second digit, 4, means that the components are protected from ‘Splashing water’ - Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.
In short, most reputable electric scooter brands are water resistant but not waterproof, and we do not advise customers from riding their electric scooters in the rain, especially not in heavy downpours, and definitely do not ride your through puddles or standing water.