ECV battery life

[amypetecar]

i confirmed a scooter rental for my mom and they said the battery life is 6 hours.
Is that standard? Or is there a model/rental company people know of in which the battery would last longer?

The concern being we will apend 10+ hours in the parks.
Thanks formyour help!

 

[gap2368]

this should last all day if you turn off the scooter when not moving, so eating meals, seeing a show, are the ones we think about but even if the line you are in for a ride stops then turn off the scooter ( take the key out) this will become second hand for your mom in no time.

You can always bring the charging cabel with you and charge it some if need to.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

You don't need to remove the key! Just turn the power off. Then when the queue moves forward you can just turn it back on again and move forward. If you're in a constantly-moving line this won't be possible, but certainly works in cases where they take groups of people at a time (eg for a show).

I don't know what size of scooter you're hiring, but I usually get a Pride 10 (3-wheeled as they're more manoeuvrable) and I've had the batteries last from first thing right through until midnight!

Some of the very lightweight scooters have a low weight capacity and a poor battery life, but that's only to be expected. I would always recommend going to the next size up because you never know how much junk the rest of your party will ask you to carry for them!

 

[powellrj]

Do you know what kind you are renting. I have never had one with that short of a battery life.

 

[gap2368]

You don't need to remove the key! Just turn the power off.

Some ECV you turn it off by taking out the key ( although some you just have to pull the key out some not all the way)

another thing to save battery is not to load down the ECV with stuff, as the heavier the ECV is the more battery it will use, so if you would not have taken the item in without an ECV then do not bring it. ( maybe the power cord)

 

[Toffeewoffy]

another thing to save battery is not to load down the ECV with stuff, as the heavier the ECV is the more battery it will use, so if you would not have taken the item in without an ECV then do not bring it. ( maybe the power cord)

If carrying stuff on the scooter is enough to drain the battery, then you should be hiring the next size up. I could quite easily hire a smaller scooter (which would be so much easier to dismantle and haul into the back of the car), but I'd rather get a larger one - I always have a backpack and also carry the drinks for us all.

The company I hire from have got a slightly smaller scooter (between the GoGo and the Pride), but suggested that while I would comfortably fall within the maximum weight limit, knowing I have long park days means I don't want to risk it. I've just got very practised at the on and off thing, and since I've been hiring I don't think I've dropped more than one light ever!

Also, the Pride has a much more comfortable seat. I couldn't bear 8 hours in one of those tiny seats with very little padding and no proper back!

 

[mamabunny]

i confirmed a scooter rental for my mom and they said the battery life is 6 hours.
Is that standard? Or is there a model/rental company people know of in which the battery would last longer?

The concern being we will apend 10+ hours in the parks.
Thanks formyour help!

How long a battery lasts can be affected by a LOT of factors. Those can include (but are not limited to)

- What is the age of the battery, and the number of "charge cycles" it has gone through?
- Was the battery fully charged when starting the day?
- The total weight load of the ECV (so, ECV + rider + any accessories/bags/shopping, etc. on board)
- Ambient temperature
- Hills, slopes, ramps, inclines and curb cuts
- If the rider practices "good battery hygiene" (turning off the scooter (+ any built-in lights) whenever they are stopped for more than a minute - like watching a parade, eating a meal or snack, sitting in a line, riding the bus, etc.)

Every time you go DOWN a ramp, or a hill you can "coast" - the ECV doesn't have to work quite as hard because it only has to engage the clutch to act like a brake as you make your way down.

When you go back UP that ramp or hill... Now the ECV has to draw a lot of electricity from the battery to pull (or push, depending on which wheel(s) get power) that ECV + the rider + anything else on board back up!

Here's what you have to look at with that "6 hours" that you were quoted:

- First of all, most vendors will understate the amount of time you can expect from the battery. That way, if the battery runs longer, you are pleasantly surprised.

- Typically, that number (in this case 6 hours) is what's called "run time". That refers to the actual time that the ECV is turned on and in motion, and "stand by time" is anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 times the actual time it is turned on, but not being used. So, let's say you start the morning at your Resort. You drive a total of 12 minutes from your room to breakfast at the quick serve, and then out the Lobby and down to the bus. You turn off the ECV while you are eating, and again while you are waiting for the bus. The bus comes, you drive the ECV on, turn it off again, and go to MK. When you get to MK, let's say that it takes 20 minutes to get off the bus, through security, and to Starbucks on Main Street, where you sit in line to order your coffee. So far, your total run time on that battery is 32 minutes - but if you started at 8:00 am, it took 6 minutes to get to breakfast another 3 minutes to order food, breakfast took 30 minutes, 3 minutes up the ramp, across the Lobby and down to the buses, wait for the bus for 15 minutes, 10 minutes to load the bus and drive to MK, and another 20 at MK to unload the bus, get through Security, scan your Magic Band, and make your way to Starbucks. It's almost 9:30 am, but you only have 32 minutes of run time on the battery so far - because much of the last hour and a half was spent eating, waiting on the bus, sitting on the bus, etc., and like a good little ECV driver, you made sure the ECV was turned off when it was just sitting in one spot!

- 6 hours is an *average* number - based on a rider of an *average* size, on *average* terrain. That's why all of those factors I listed up there matter. Let's say that the ECV's manufacturer rated that battery at 6 hours when it is new, fully charged, with a 150 pound person on it (and no other items, like heavy purses or bags, or shopping bags, etc.) and moving over level, flat ground.

You can certainly take along the battery charger that you are supplied with, but you may find that you can make a whole day and not need to use it! The biggest, most important thing you can do is to make sure you charge the ECV battery EVERY NIGHT TO 100%. If you need to charge up the battery while you are in the Parks or at Disney Springs, simply ask a Cast Member to help you find a nearby outlet.

There is a very small percentage of people who have had battery issues with rental ECVs. But if you look at the overall number of ECV rentals in Orlando in a given week/month/year, the number of people who have battery problems is quite small compared to the number of rentals total. And quite frankly, there is always going to be a certain number of people who forget to charge the ECV, or who forget to turn it off once they turn it on in the morning, or who try to haul around everyones purses, water bottles and shopping. Or they try to save money by renting a standard size scooter, when they should be on a heavy-duty unit for larger folks.

Have a great trip!

 

[amypetecar]

I am always so amazed at the level of wisdom and willingness to help. Thank you all formyour replies, they were very helpful!!!