Folding an electric scooter is a convenient way to make a scooter as small as possible for easier transport or storage.
Although folding an electric scooter is quite simple, it is important to follow certain steps.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to properly fold an electric scooter, how to unfold it, and what to do if the folding mechanism doesn’t work.
What is a Foldable Electric Scooter?
A foldable electric scooter is a type of e-scooter that can be folded down to a smaller size.
Most often, the folding electric scooter has a folding mechanism to fold down the steering stem. It will decrease significantly the height of the scooter.
Additionally, some electric scooters have foldable handlebars. By that, you can decrease the width of the scooter.
What are the Benefits of a Foldable Electric Scooter?
In short, foldable electric scooters have increased portability over non-foldable e-scooters. But what does it mean?
Here are 3 main benefits of folding electric scooters:
- Easier storage: storing an electric scooter is much easier if you can shrink its size significantly. While you probably need a dedicated room to store a big electric scooter, you can store folded electric scooter in small spaces like a closet.
- Easier transportation: it’s really hard to transport a non-folding electric scooter. You need a very big car or a van for it. However, you can easily put the folded scooter into the trunk of a regular car and take it with you to the cottage or wherever you want.
- Easier to carry: in most cases, the stem will lock to the deck after folding. Then it’s much easier to carry the scooter. It’s like carrying a briefcase (only heavier). If you live in an apartment building, it’s much easier to carry the scooters up and down the stairs if it’s folded.
Related: Best Folding Electric Scooters
Different Types of Folding Mechanisms
There are several different types of folding mechanisms that can be found on electric scooters, some examples include:
- Clasp-based mechanism: This type of folding mechanism uses a clasp or clamp located on the stem or handlebars to lock the scooter in place when folded.
- Lever-based mechanism: This type of folding mechanism uses a lever located on the handlebars or stem to release the locking mechanism, allowing the scooter to be folded down.
- Screw-based mechanism: This type of folding mechanism uses a big screw that has to be untightened before you can fold the scooter.
- Hinge-based mechanism: This type of folding mechanism uses a hinge located on the stem or handlebars.
- Telescoping mechanism: This type of folding mechanism uses a telescoping stem that allows the handlebars to fold down towards the deck.
Here are some examples of different folding mechanisms:
How to Fold an Electric Scooter?
Although scooters may have different types of folding mechanisms, the process of folding is similar for all.
In this video, you can find our step-by-step guide on how to fold an escooter.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to fold an e-scooter:
1. Preparations before folding the scooter
Before you start folding your electric scooter, make sure the scooter is not in use. It would be dangerous to fold the scooter while still moving.
So, turn off and unplug the scooter before folding it.
2. Remove the security screw/switch
Most folding mechanisms have some security system, so it won’t fold if you accidentally hit the folding clasp.
For the Kugoo scooter, you have to pull out the security screw. Niu and Segway scooters have a small switch that has to be held down to be able to open the clasp.
3. Open the clasp
Then you need to just open the clasp or clamp on the handlebar. Some clamps are very tight and you must use force to open them.
4. Release the security switch/button
For some scooters, this step might not exist. But many scooters have another security lock to prevent accidental folding.
There have been cases where the clamp is already open but the stem won’t fold down. Then you must look for some additional switch or button.
To fold NIU KQi2 scooter, you have to push down the clamp a bit more to unlock the last locking mechanism.
5. Pull the steering column toward the deck
Then slowly fold down the stem. Just move the steering column toward the deck
6. Lock the steering column to the deck
In most cases, there is some locking mechanism to fix the stem to the deck.
Some scooters have a clamp on the deck and a dedicated hole on the handlebar that will attach together.
On the other hand, many scooters have a locking mechanism inside of the folding mechanism. Then just move down the stem until you hear a click.
However, not all scooters have the ability to lock the stem to the deck. Big beast scooters rarely have a such locking system.
In this case, you just have to slowly put the stem on the deck. And you can’t use the stem for carrying this scooter.
How to Fold Kugoo Scooter?
Folding many Kugoo scooters is slightly different from what we just explained. Here is a video of how to fold a Kugoo M4 Pro electric scooter:
How to Unfold an Electric Scooter?
To unfold the scooter, you mostly have to do the opposite of folding.
- Unlock the steering column from the deck
- Bring up the steering column to its correct position
- Make sure the security lever is back on
- Close the clasp
- Put back the security screw if needed.
How to Fix Folding Problems on an Electric Scooter?
Sometimes it happens that the electric scooter folding mechanism is stuck and you are not able to fold the scooter.
What to do if something similar happens to you? Here are a couple of suggestions:
Clean the Folding Mechanism
Sometimes dome dirt or debris can block the folding mechanism. That can happen if you have been offroading with your scooter.
Just clean the area around the folding mechanism. Use a dry cloth or brush to remove any dirt that might prevent the folding mechanism to work properly.
Lubricate Folding Mechanism
Another thing you can try is lubricating the folding mechanism.
If the scooter hasn’t been folded for a long time, it can get stuck. Lubricating the folding mechanism with a small amount of proper oil should fix the problem.
Take the Scooter to the Repair Shop
If you still can’t fix the folding problem, it would be smart to take the scooter to the repair shop.
Some sites suggest taking apart the components to check what the problem is. Unless you are sure that you have all the skills and tools for that, we recommend taking the scooter to the dedicated repair place.
Conclusion
Folding an electric scooter is an important step for storage and transportation. While there are different types of folding mechanisms, folding a scooter is a fairly easy process.
By following the steps and guidelines provided in this article, you can easily fold and unfold your electric scooter.
The founder and the editor-in-chief of the Electric Wheelers blog. With a previous background in IT, sales, and video editing, he has now established himself as a micromobility expert.
He bought his first e-scooter over 5 years ago and since then has owned dozens of e-scooters and e-bikes. His deep understanding of the technical aspects, coupled with a keen eye for market trends, enables him to provide insightful and reliable content.
His commitment to promoting sustainable and efficient urban mobility solutions has made him a respected voice in the community of eco-friendly transportation enthusiasts.
