Already become a common means of transport among all types of users, Xiaomi scooters (or Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter, as it is really called), are already part of the city at almost the same level as street furniture. They are everywhere and everyone has one, and as expected, each user tries to customize it to give it their personal touch in between skating. And that’s where it all begins.
A little faster, a little more powerful
Beyond putting stickers, a zippered case or indestructible wheels, the true customization of Xiaomi’s scooter is in the software. The firmware of the scooter can be modified, and with this action comes the new functions. Some enhanced features that a custom firmware can offer They are:
- brake improvement
- Activation of KERS (engine brake when not accelerating)
- Increased top speed
- Power boost
- Always start in ECO mode
- Change the minimum speed at which the motor starts (start with a boost)
- Modify the time in which the cruise control is activated
- Modify the battery voltage limit
All these improvements sound pretty good, however, many of them hide a common danger that many users are unaware of or try to ignore: battery tampering.
A time bomb
That the scooter runs more is something that many will see as an impossible improvement to avoid, however, behind that game of Firmware updatecustom settings and tricks, hides a serious handicap that could lead to very serious problems. Has anyone thought about battery life?
Changing the parameters that come from the factory means exposing the battery to moments of stress for which it is not prepared. The increase in power and prolonged activation of turbo mode cause the battery cells to degrade more quickly, and this can cause internal problems that show up when charging the device.
Because the battery degrades, it could simply affect the scooter not lasting so long in operation or that finally that power you were looking for ends up degrading. You could accept that, the problem is that other causes could cause very important risks.
fire caused by scooter
Surely you have read the occasional case of a fire caused by a scooter. These accidents are not very common, but they do happen, and in almost 100% of cases they are caused by a bad battery condition. All this degradation can occur after years of using the scooter, but the consequences are usually reduced range and loss of power. Electrical failures are usually common to us, and if they do occur, the most frequent cause is the modification of the skates.
That is one of the main reasons why you should think about changing the firmware. Scooters are normally charged at night while we sleep, and a power failure (with a battery of that capacity) during those hours can be fatal.
Why you should not modify a Xiaomi scooter
- Increasing the top speed is absurd. Local police can issue tickets for scooters that exceed the allowed speed. And the fine is no less than 500 euros.
- The engine suffers. Abusing KERS and taking the motor to extreme situations endangers the coil and its durability.
- The battery is very sensitive. The problem with the greatest risk that we see is the damage that can be caused to the battery, since, as we have seen, the consequences are fatal.
- loss of warranty: Obviously the manufacturer will not want to know anything about your skate if you have modified the firmware.
