Hobbyist turns a Razor A5 Lux push scooter into a drill-powered ride

The author of the blog eddieabbondanz.io describes how they electrified a push scooter with a cordless power drill. The idea came back in July (the year is not given). The author mostly uses the scooter to get around at autocross events while working the course, and it did fine, but with electric scooters now so cheap, they were jealous watching everyone else zip around on them. Buying one was an option, but the author already had a scooter and did not want a second one lying around unused. So they converted the existing one.

The scooter is a Razor A5 Lux, which the author says was never designed to be converted to electric. With a welder, a 3D printer and parts from Harbor Freight, Amazon and McMaster, the author cobbled it into what they call something amazing. It is front wheel drive, "just like my Civic", and powered by a Hercules cordless drill. The drill sends power to the front wheel through a keyed shaft and one-way bearings, so the front wheel can still free spin when the drill is off.

Performance, in the author's own words and estimates: the drill is fairly loud and has way too much torque, so it has to be run in its lower speed setting. Even so, the scooter can top out at about 10mph with the author onboard. It slows down a bit uphill, though the drill takes it like a champ. Throttle control is the drill's original trigger, relocated to the handlebars. The trigger is overly sensitive with minimal ability to feather in, because it was never meant for a scooter, so the scooter does a little burnout at first acceleration until it gets up to speed. The author's usual technique is one or two kick pushes, then a switch to drill power. Battery life is described as pretty decent: a 5Ah battery gives about 2 miles of riding, which the author says is not bad since the drill is at full tilt.

On design and assembly, the author admits to few build notes or photos, because they were not sure if or how it would work and went in without much of a plan. The rough parts list is: one Hercules 20v cordless drill; two CSK12PP one-way dual keyway bearings; two 6201-2RS bearings; two 12mm shaft collars; two 4x4x12mm keys; 1 foot of 1/16" x 1/16" key stock; ten m6x30mm bolts; ten m6 lock nuts; and a 200mm 12mm keyed rotary shaft.

Relocating the trigger was harder than expected. Opening the drill was not too difficult (the hardest part was removing the left hand bolt holding the chuck in place), but the trigger had many more wires than the author anticipated. Each wire had to be cut and extended with 12awg and 18awg wire on hand. The author says they should get some wire loom to protect them eventually, but has decided to embrace the jank for now.

For the front wheel, the author over-engineered it a little by 3D scanning the scooter. The wheel and tire are printed in 3 pieces: the wheel is ASA and the tire is TPU. The two wheel halves are joined by 10 m6 bolts and nuts and 5 keys, one in each spoke. To keep the tire from spinning on the wheel, it is a squish fit with teeth added to the inside mounting surface. The author's verdict: a fun project, but no money saved compared with buying an electric scooter.

Key facts

The author converted a Razor A5 Lux push scooter, which was never designed for electric conversion, to front wheel drive powered by a Hercules 20v cordless drill.
Power reaches the front wheel through a keyed shaft and one-way bearings, so the wheel still free spins when the drill is off.
The author reports a top speed of about 10mph with the author onboard and about 2 miles of riding per 5Ah battery; both are approximate estimates.
The front wheel is 3D-printed in 3 pieces (ASA wheel, TPU tire), with the two wheel halves joined by 10 m6 bolts and nuts and 5 keys.
The throttle is the drill's original trigger moved to the handlebars; it is overly sensitive and causes a little burnout on first acceleration. The author says it saved no money versus buying an electric scooter.

Why it matters

This is a small personal hardware project, not an industry event. Its interest is in the approach: a cordless drill supplies the motor, battery and trigger, and a printed wheel plus a keyed shaft and one-way bearings handle the mechanical side. The author's motive was simple: electric scooters are cheap now and everyone else at autocross events had one, but the author did not want a second scooter sitting unused.

Who it affects

Mainly hobbyists with a welder, a 3D printer and access to parts suppliers such as Harbor Freight, Amazon and McMaster, the sources the author names. The author uses the scooter to get around at autocross events while working the course.

How to use it

The post gives a rough parts list rather than step-by-step instructions: a Hercules 20v cordless drill, two CSK12PP one-way dual keyway bearings, two 6201-2RS bearings, two 12mm shaft collars, two 4x4x12mm keys, 1 foot of 1/16" x 1/16" key stock, ten m6x30mm bolts, ten m6 lock nuts and a 200mm 12mm keyed rotary shaft. The author's riding technique is a kick push or two, then drill power. The article does not say whether the design files (3D models) are published, and no total cost or parts prices are given.

How solid is it

It is a first-person build write-up. The speed (about 10mph with the author onboard) and range (about 2 miles on a 5Ah battery with the drill at full tilt) are the author's approximate estimates, not measurements. The author also says there are few build notes or photos, so the build is only partly documented. The rider's weight is not given.

Risks and caveats

The author lists several rough edges: the drill is fairly loud, has way too much torque and must be run in its lower speed setting; the trigger is overly sensitive with minimal ability to feather in, so the scooter does a little burnout at first acceleration; the scooter slows down a bit uphill; and the rewired trigger has no wire loom yet. The author also says nothing was saved compared with buying an electric scooter. No safety, legal, or regulatory discussion is given.

“I didn’t save any money building this vs buying an electric scooter but I had fun.”

— Author, eddieabbondanz.io