Motoring Discussion > KERS Car Deals
Thread Author: No FM2R Replies: 26

 KERS - No FM2R
After my exciting experience with electric scooters a while ago I eventually bought one and use it a lot.

It has KERS and it's configurable. Set to high recovery it stops the scooter very fast, over the handlebars if you're not wary, where as on low recovery it just slows it down.

Can anybody point me towards any figures on how much energy is recovered by such a system? I'm trying to work out how much I should bother with it.
 KERS - Zero
This is one of those piece of string analogies, its totally dependent on usage factors, terrain (hills n' stuff, environmentals, the fat lump on the handlebars, riding style. And the actually efficiency of the KERS system, which will only convert up to 60% of the braking energy into useful power.

about 4-5% range increase seems to be the norm. (been doing me research for an e-bike)
 KERS - No FM2R
Good information, thank you.

I think an e-bike is the most sensible approach. However, I can keep the e-scooter in the boot, without inconvenience.

I often drive into the city, park the car and then use the scooter to get around all day. Absolutely fantastically useful and convenient.

But you can't legally use an e-scooter in the UK as I understand it. What's the position with bikes?
 KERS - Bromptonaut
www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules
 KERS - No FM2R
Thanks.
 KERS - Bromptonaut
Electric bikes are not (or at least not yet) a thing I can get interested in though there are a few blokes who turn up om the Folding Society's 'Origami' rides with 'home brew' electrics. The Electric Brompton also has a dedicated following.

I have seen a number of articles which suggest that in some machines the wattage and speed limit for assistance are software selectable and can be bypassed with appropriate tools or button pressing.

Cyclechat or another bike forum would probably be good place to start if wanting to know more.
 KERS - bathtub tom
the KERS system

That's another one to add to LCD displays and PIN numbers.
 KERS - Lygonos
>>This is one of those piece of string analogies....

Indeed. If most of your cycling/scooting is on fairly flat surfaces it's just a piece of kit that can go wrong/add weight/add cost.

In saying that, it can be an effective ABS style braking mechanism for scooters and mean you can have "2 wheel braking" if there is also a brake on the undriven wheel - very useful if you unlock your Xiaomi M365 (other scooters are available) to be able to reach ~25mph.
Last edited by: Lygonos on Mon 9 Mar 20 at 16:32
 KERS - No FM2R
>> to be able to reach ~25mph.

Mine does 28kmph, about 17.5mph, and that is quite b***** fast enough!!!
 KERS - No FM2R
medium.com/@RosieCampbell/six-months-with-my-electric-scooter-a-review-of-the-xiaomi-m365-42fbc16c5b73

It does kind of seem like the UK needs to find a way to deal with them which doesn't include registration, license etc. etc.

UK Car drivers are such a bitter, humourless bunch, as can be seen in their reaction to cyclists, that I guess it's unlikely that they're emotionally able to deal with scooters.
 KERS - henry k
>>if you unlock your Xiaomi M365 (other scooters are available) to be able to reach ~25mph.
>>
My son imported one from China and I suspect it is an unrestricted version.
Having seen him at speed on the road outside I declined a try.
 KERS - Lygonos
I think they all arrive with ~17mph max, but there are plenty of guides on the net to show you how to allow the motor to run unrestricted.

I believe it can hit a peak of ~750W (which is 1bhp) which is impressive considering it lives inside the rather small front wheel.

images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31Ei9iT5alL._AC_.jpg
 KERS - maltrap
When travelling on my electric cross city train line which stops and starts every mile or so i often wonder why the energy used in braking cannot be converted into electricity and sent back into the system. Do domestic solar panels do something similair?
 KERS - tyrednemotional
Can't speak for your particular line and train, but such regenerative braking is reasonably common in the UK.
 KERS - Zero
>> When travelling on my electric cross city train line which stops and starts every mile
>> or so i often wonder why the energy used in braking cannot be converted into
>> electricity and sent back into the system.

It is.
 KERS - Zero
To add another factoid, certainly on south east, southern and southwest, the trains could only be fitted with aircon after the trains started putting regen power back into the third rail.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 10 Mar 20 at 17:22
 KERS - Bromptonaut
UK (or at least England) considering legalising electric scooters

www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/mar/16/electric-scooters-get-green-light-to-go-on-britains-public-roads
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 16 Mar 20 at 17:20
 KERS - No FM2R
That's a good step forward. Assuming there's anybody left alive to ride them.
 KERS - CGNorwich
As long as they are on the road and not the pavement it seems a reasonable move. Personally I would feel very vulnerable on one of those things on the road with cars and trucks roaring past me. A crash helmet is not going to offer much protection.
 KERS - bathtub tom
We need more organ donors.
 KERS - No FM2R
>> We need more organ donors.


Much as I love the UK I don't think I will ever understand why people are offended by, orean towards, other people doing something that they personally don't want to.

Sometimes the UK can be very small.minded.
 KERS - No FM2R
Here cycle paths are well spread across the city and cycles and scooters coexist pretty well.
 KERS - CGNorwich
As I say as long as they keep off the pavements. Roads and cycle paths no problem. Already have to contend with cyclists, pavement parking not to mention people with dogs on those stupid extendable leads and 25 stone people on disability scooters:-)
 KERS - No FM2R
25 stone? Dear God will they even carry that weight?

Edit: Oh I see, misread. I thought you meant on an electric scooter
Last edited by: No FM2R on Mon 16 Mar 20 at 20:09
 KERS - No FM2R
>> This is one of those piece of string analogies, its totally dependent on usage factors,
>> terrain (hills n' stuff, environmentals, the fat lump on the handlebars, riding style. And the
>> actually efficiency of the KERS system, which will only convert up to 60% of the
>> braking energy into useful power.
>>
>> about 4-5% range increase seems to be the norm. (been doing me research for an
>> e-bike)


Having been living with it for a bit now; I don't think the regen does much to be worried about. However it does provide very smooth, very stable and effective 'engine braking' which is a definite advantage on a scooter. Not so sure about on a bike.
 KERS - Terry
No idea about range increase and I am not sure range is a concern on scooters in quite the same way as a car.

What does seem clear, though, is that KERS will add to both cost and complexity. Cost starts to make the scooter uncompetitive against those not so equipped, and unreliability is the normal consequence off adding complexity at the lowest possible cost.

Probably not a winning idea for something easily portable, costing a few hundreed ££, which will always be vulnerable to scroats.
 KERS - Lygonos
As NoFM2R says - it effectively provides front wheel ABS while the brake lever worka on the rear wheel.

Slowing a 12kg scooter plus 80-90kg rider from 15-20mph solely using the back wheel ain't a great idea.
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