My Xiaomi electric scooter does not move fast, what should I do?

Do you notice a loss of power from your Xiaomi electric scooter? Unfortunately, like any electronic device, Xiaomi scooters can malfunction. And this breakdown is relatively frequent. Know now that many factors, more or less serious and therefore more or less easily repairable, can be the cause of the breakdown. Without waiting, discover then what to do when your scooter doesn't move fast enough or at all, seeing the factors and their resolution one after the other.

Why and what to do when your Xiaomi electric scooter does not go fast enough?

You may find that your Xiaomi electric scooter loses power over time. It also happens that she no progress at all. Several factors may be the cause. It is important to identify the one that affects your machine in order to find effective solutions to the problem. This is what we will see in this first part.

First of all, if during the first use your Xiaomi electric scooter does not move forward, you probably don't have not adjusted or not used the machine correctly. First, check that you have followed the start-up instructions. Then, know that to start a Xiaomi scooter, you have to push your foot to reach 5km/h. This is when you can press the accelerator and start the engine.

Secondly, if you have just bought it and it beeps without being able to drive more than 10 km/h, there is nothing abnormal. You have toactivate via “Mi Home” mobile app. Once the application is downloaded, click on the “+” at the top of the screen and follow the instructions on the screen.

Finally, know that a Xiaomi electric scooter can't go over 25km/h. The firmware (software) is flange so as not to exceed this speed. This makes it possible to comply with the regulations in force. If your Xiaomi electric scooter does not go fast enough, i.e. it does not reach the speed of 25km/h or it has lost power compared to its former capacity, several more or less normal reasons can explain it :

External factors

Personalized external factors may influence the maximum speed capacity of your Xiaomi scooter:

• the condition and surface of the road taken. If the road requires effort from the engine and therefore from the battery of your scooter (for example steep road, in poor condition, with stones or earth, etc.), the power of the scooter will be reduced.
• the elevation. It is normal to see Xiaomi electric scooter lose power when you are uphill. In this case, it is preferable to avoid forcing the motor because an automatic battery safety can engage and turn off the device.
• the total weight of the driver and his equipment. If the total weight approaches the maximum weight limit supported by the machine, the speed reached by the scooter will be lower. For example the total weight for the Xiaomi m365 scooter is 120 kg.

In these cases, the only solution will be toincrease the capabilities of the scooter. We will see this in the second part of the article.

Internal factors

It may also be that factors directly related to the components of the Xiaomi scooter are responsible for the fact that it does not move fast enough :

• a weak battery. If your scooter's battery is low, it automatically saves energy by reducing the power of its motor and therefore the speed of the machine. If you find that the battery is low, you simply need to charge the scooter to regain its maximum speed capacity.

• ECO mode was activated manually. If you find that one of the 4 lights on the scooter's dashboard is lit green (3 white LEDs and 1 green LED), then this mode is probably activated. In this case, it is normal that you find that your Xiaomi scooter does not go fast enough because it cannot exceed 15km/h. To deactivate economy mode, simply press the power button on the scooter twice briefly. The green LED should then turn white again. If you want to activate this mode again to save battery, you just have to do the same.

• Worn tires. Indeed, we do not always think about it, but when the Xiaomi scooter does not move as fast as before, it is possible that the tires are deflated or too worn and that they then reduce the power of the motor.

• the brake is too tight. Check that the scooter brake is not too tight and does not rub on the wheel when riding. If so, loosen it slightly. Please note that this procedure requires mechanical skills. If you release the brake too much, you risk an accident!

• An update has automatically clamped the Xiaomi electric scooter. This is what happened during an update in 2020 on the Xiaomi Pro scooter. The brand has decided to limit the scooter to 20km/h instead of 25km/h. If you have just updated, then you can either try to roll back to the old firmware or contact the Xiaomi brand.

• a firmware bug or security. If the battery has noticed an overvoltage, or the battery has grown too much to power the motor during a big climb, for example, it may be that the firmware has triggered an automatic safety device or that it has crashed. In this case, it will have to be reset electrically (procedure in the following section).

• A hardware failure. When your Xiaomi scooter does not move forward, it may be the motor, the motherboard, the battery or the throttle.

if your Xiaomi electric scooter starts but does not move forward at all, it may be locked. In this case, you will have to unlock it via the Mi home application by logging in with your password. In case you no longer have it, here's how to reset your password: press and hold the brake lever, the throttle lever and the power button simultaneously until you hear beeps. This means that your password will be reset. Then pair the scooter to the app. A wait of 3 hours is often necessary to fully unlock it.

If you notice that your Xiaomi scooter no longer turns on or no longer charges, we invite you to read our article on this subject: Xiaomi m365 scooter does not turn on anymore, what to do?

How to fix your Xiaomi electric scooter that no longer moves?

We have previously seen the causes and their solutions for those that can be resolved very quickly. If the solutions did not solve the problem, unfortunately, the problem affecting your scooter is probably more important. So, without waiting, discover in this part the resolution to other problems that can explain that a Xiaomi scooter does not move forward or that it does not go fast enough.

Check and inflate the tires of the electric vehicle

As seen previously, it is possible that your Xiaomi electric scooter no longer moves fast enough because its tires are underinflated or damaged.

First check the tire pressure and reinflate them if necessary. Remember to do this check regularly.

If the tires are too worn, they will have to be changed. This will allow you to save a few significant kilometer-hours (between 3 and 4 km/h more), but also to prevent the motor from over-exerting and therefore increase battery life. It is advisable to replace the tires with solid tires as they wear out less quickly.

Electrically Reset Xiaomi Scooter Firmware

When your Xiaomi scooter does not climb hills, it may be that a Firmware crash (software) is the cause. Indeed, the firmware is programmed to make the battery safe when it detects an anomaly (overvoltage or an excessive requirement such as climbing a hill). He may then have planted. To enable the potential bug in the software to be removed, it will then be necessary to reset electrically as follows:

1. Switch off the Xiaomi scooter and turn it off
2. Remove the battery cover by removing the screws located on the underside of the footrest
3. Disconnect battery power (large red and black wires to control board)
4. Connect the charger to the scooter for about 30 seconds (do not touch anything while charging)
5. Unplug the charger and reconnect the battery power

Reassemble the cover and then try to drive the machine. If you still notice a loss of power from the scooter, you will then have to try to unclamp it or repair it depending on the origin of the problem.

Unclamp the electric scooter from the scooter

Si your Xiaomi scooter works well, but it does not move fast enough for your liking (i.e. it manages to exceed 15km/h), the problem comes either from an external factor (weight, elevation, road) and therefore the use/power ratio, i.e. firmware that throttled the scooter at a certain speed to comply with applicable laws or for increased security.

In this case, the components are all operational and the scooter works, but the speed does not satisfy you. It will then be necessary unclamp the scooter, that is to say to remove the speed limiter incorporated in the Xiaomi software which does not allow it to reach its full performance by integrating another firmware into the scooter. However, to do this, a number of parameters must be taken into account:

• First, you lose warranty rights.
• Two, driving at a speed of more than 25km/h is officially prohibited on public roads and can cost you a fine. If you have an accident with your scooter, that can also land you in trouble.
• Three, if you install bad software (low-end or malicious), you can permanently crash the device.
• Finally, you will probably need to change components (battery, motor) to adapt the speed and power of your scooter. Indeed, Xiaomi scooters are not designed with components adapted to go at too high a speed.

Note: If your scooter stops working or doesn't move at all, the problem is with a faulty component. Then go directly to the last part of the article without trying to unleash the machine. 

If you are interested in unclamping your Xiaomi electric scooter, we advise you to do so at a professional so that it can incorporate new safe and quality firmware, adapted to the characteristics of your Xiaomi scooter model.

Contact after-sales service or a repairer

If your Xiaomi electric scooter that no longer moves fast enough could not be repaired by the manipulations above, it is very likely that the problem comes from a component failure.

Note that if your Xiaomi scooter has lost a lot of power or does not move forward at all (while it is starting), the motor is probably faulty. In the case where the machine turns on but does not start, the problem can also come from the motherboard or a connector. If your scooter no longer holds a charge and goes into ECO mode very quickly, it is most likely the car's battery performance. Finally, if the scooter starts, you hear the motor engage but it does not accelerate, the problem may be with the acceleration handle.

At this stage, you will need to contact the Xiaomi after-sales service if the scooter that does not move forward is still under guarantee. You will then most likely get your device repaired or replaced free of charge. If your machine is no longer eligible for warranty, you can then contact a professional repairer and ask for a quote.