A quality braking system is essential for safety and control while driving an electric scooter. E-scooter brakes can be divided into two types: mechanical and electronic.
Mechanical brake systems are those that rely on a physical breaking mechanism and can include foot, drum, or disc brakes. The typical braking distance at 24 km/h for mechanical systems is six meters, and the absolute best is less than three meters.
The foot brakes, which are activated by pressing the foot down on the rear fender, cause it to rub against the rear tire and slow it down. This type of brake is not as effective as drum or disc brake.
Drum brakes are enclosed in a wheel, and require less maintenance than other types of brakes, and also perform very well in wet conditions.
Disc brakes have maximum braking power and are lighter than drum brakes. They are usually found on higher price scooters and high performance electric scooters.
Electronic braking systems rely on the use of the braking motor itself and include exclusively electric and regenerative braking systems. Electric and regenerative brakes are the weakest.
Mechanical brakes offer stronger braking than electronic systems. However, electronic systems do not require any adjustments or maintenance. Many electric scooters will have a combination of electronic and mechanical braking systems.
Many electric scooters have a built-in kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). The system works by storing the energy released during braking. Then use this energy to accelerate.