How to Remove the Speed Limit on Xiaomi Scooter: Safe and Risky Ways

Xiaomi scooters are some of the most popular vehicles in the city, but factory speed limits (usually 20-25 km/h) often disappoint owners. The manufacturer sets these limits for safety and compliance, but many users want to unlock the full potential of the technology. M365, Pro 2, 4 Pro, Essential and others – from official firmware to hardware modifications.

It's important to understand that changing factory settings can cancel warranties, increase the risk of accidents and reduce battery life. We don't call for breaking traffic rules, but if you're determined to speed up, look at the nuances.

• 🔧 Official methods (without loss of warranty)
• 📱 Software methods through applications and firmware
• 🔌 Hardware modifications (for experienced users)
• ⚠️ Risks and consequences of each method

1.Why does Xiaomi limit the speed of scooters?

Factory speed limits are not a whim of the manufacturer, but a necessary measure.

Legal requirements: In most countries (including Russia, EU, USA) electric scooters are equated to personal mobility (SIM) with a speed limit of 20-25 km / h. Exceeding this threshold can classify the device as a moped, for which driving rights and insurance are required.

Safety: Xiaomi scooters are not designed for extreme speeds: braking, tires and suspension are designed for moderate loads.+ km/h increases the risk dramatically:

• 🛑 Control losses on irregularities
• 🔥 Overheating of the controller or battery
• 🚨 Extension of the stopping distance (especially on wet roads)

Battery life: High speeds require more current, which accelerates the degradation of lithium-ion cells. Tests show that when you drive 28 to 30 km/h, the battery capacity drops 15 to 20 percent faster than normal.

⚠️ In some countries (e.g. Germany, France) unauthorized removal of restrictions is equivalent to unauthorized modification of the vehicle and can entail a fine of up to 500.€.

2. Official ways to increase speed (without loss of warranty)

If you don’t want to risk the warranty but need a small boost in speed, try these methods:

2.1.Sport mode in the Mi Home app

Xiaomi Pro 2, 4 Pro and Essential models support three driving modes:

• 🐢 Eco (economical, up to 15 km/h)
• 🏃 Standard (standard, up to 20-22 km / h)
• 🚀 Sport (sports, up to 25-27 km/h)

To activate Sport:

1. Open the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Home for new models).
2. Connect the scooter via Bluetooth.
3. Go to Settings. → Driving mode.
4. Select Sport and confirm the change.

This method does not remove hardware limitations, but allows you to accelerate to the maximum permissible factory speed, M365) There is no Sport mode - it can only be added through custom firmware.

2.2. Update the firmware through Mi Home

Xiaomi periodically releases updates that may slightly improve overclocking dynamics to check the relevance of the software:

1. Open Mi Home and connect the scooter.
2. Go to Settings → Update firmware.
3. If a new version is available, install it.

After the update, some users note the smoothness of acceleration and an increase in the maximum speed by 1-2 km / h. However, radical changes should not be expected - this is more optimization than removal of restrictions.

⚠️ Attention: Do not interrupt the upgrade process! If the scooter is disconnected during firmware, the controller may fail. The battery must be at least 50 times charged%.

3. Unofficial firmware: pros and risks

The most common way to remove restrictions is to install custom firmware (custom firmware, CFW). This is a modified software that allows:

• 🚀 Increase speed to 30-40 km/h (depending on the model)
• 🔋 Turn off power limit
• 🛠️ Set up the regenerative braking parameters
• 📊 Unlock additional data in the application (for example, battery current)

However, this method has serious disadvantages:

• ❌ Loss of warranty (manufacturer easily identifies unofficial software)
• ⚡ Risk of overheating of the controller (especially on older models)
• 🔥 Possibility of battery fire with incorrect settings
• 🚨 Unstable operation of Bluetooth and sensors

3.1 Popular custom firmware for Xiaomi

Before installing custom firmware, it is necessary to:

Download the original firmware (in case of rollback)|Check the battery charge (minimum 80%)|Connect the scooter to the PC via the original cable|Disable antivirus (can block utilities)|Make a backup of current settings-->

Step-by-step firmware instruction through SHU

Let’s look at the process on the example of Xiaomi M365:

1. Download ScooterHacking Utility (version for your OS).
2. Connect the scooter to the computer through USB-cable (use the port on the steering column!).
3. Run SHU.exe and select Connect.
4. In the Firmware menu, click Read to save the current firmware (backup).
5. Select Write and specify the modified firmware file (e.g, M365_30kmh.bin).
6. Wait for the process to be completed (about 5-10 minutes).
7. After restarting, turn off and turn on the power again.

Critical information: Firmware M365 DownG on models older than 2019 may cause controller failure due to incompatibility with earlier versions BMS (battery-control).

4. Hardware modifications: for experienced users

If software methods don't work, you can intervene with hardware, which requires soldering skills and an understanding of electronics.

Replacement of the controller (ESC)

The speed controller (electronic speed controller, ESC) — "A brain scooter that limits power can be replaced with a modified one:

• 🔧 For M365/Pro The controller from Ninebot Max is suitable (requires soldering connectors).
• 📌 AliExpress sells ready-made "unblocked" ESC For Xiaomi (see on request Xiaomi) ESC 30A 40A).
• ⚡ Maximum speed after replacement: 35–45 km/h (depending on battery).

Cost of the new controller: 3000-8000 ₽. Risks:

• 🔥 Overheating under prolonged loads
• 🛑 Incompatibility with the original BMS
• ⚡ Possible voltage surges, harmful to the battery

Modification of the speed sensor (hall sensor)

Some users are changing the Hall sensor signal to "cheat" the controller.

1. Disassemble the rear wheel (Torx required) T20).
2. Find the Hall sensor (a small board with 3 wires).
3. Seed a resistor 1-10 kΩ between the signal wire and the ground.
4. Collect the wheel and test the speed.

This method gives an increase of 3-5 km / h, but can cause unstable brakes and errors on the display.

⚠️ Warning: After hardware modifications, the scooter may not be diagnosed at the service center, even if the problem is not related to your changes.

💡

Before soldering, be sure to turn off the battery and discharge the capacitors by shortening them with a screwdriver, which will prevent electric shock when working with the boards.

5. Alternative methods: tuning without firmware

If you are not willing to risk a warranty or technique, try these methods:

Increase in tyre pressure

Low pressure increases rolling resistance. Optimal values:

• 🚲 M365/Pro: 2.5–3.0 bar (front tyre), 3.0–3.5 back-bar)
• 🛴 4 Pro/Essential: 3.0–3.5 bar (both tyres)

At the right pressure, the scooter accelerates faster by 1-2 km / h without risk to the equipment.

Replacement of gear (for models with a geared motor)

On the Xiaomi Pro 2 and 4 Pro, you can install a gear with a different gear ratio, for example, replacing the standard gear (1:14) with 1:12 gives you an increase in speed up to 5 km / h.

Cost of gear: 1,500–2,500 ₽. The installation requires disassembly of the engine.

Use of an external booster

There are devices on the market like the Xiaomi Turbo Booster that plug into the battery and temporarily increase the voltage.

• ⚡ Speed increase: 3-7 km/h
• ⏱️ Duration: 5-10 minutes (further cooling is required)
• ⚠️ Risk: overloading of controller and battery

Booster price: 4,000-6,000 ₽. Suitable for rare use (e.g. on the road).

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Any modifications that increase speed reduce the range on a single charge, for example, acceleration to 30 km / h instead of 20 km / h can reduce the distance by 20-30%.

Risks and consequences of lifting restrictions

Before you change the factory settings, assess the possible problems:

Effect on the battery

Lithium-ion batteries Xiaomi designed for the current discharge of 10-15A. When accelerating to 30+ km/h current increases to 20-25A, which leads to:

• 🔋 Accelerated capacitance degradation (loss of 20–30% per year)
• 🔥 Risk of bloating or fire during overheating
• ⚡ Unstable work BMS (battery-control)

Wear of mechanical parts

High speeds increase the load on:

• 🛞 Bearings (wear for 3-6 months instead of 1-2 years)
• 🚲 Brake pads (wash 2-3 times faster)
• 🛠️ Rama (risk of cracks when driving on irregularities)

Legal consequences

In Russia and most countries, scooters with a maximum speed of more than 25 km / h are equivalent to mopeds.

• 🚓 Necessity of category “M” rights"
• 📄 Mandatory registration in the traffic police
• 💰 Fine for driving without documents: 5,000-15,000 ₽

In 2023, more than 1,200 fines were recorded in Moscow and St. Petersburg for speeding on scooters.

Loss of guarantee

Xiaomi easily identifies unofficial firmware and modifications.

• 🔧 Denial of warranty repair (even if the problem is not related to speed)
• 💸 Increase in the cost of diagnosis by 30-50%
• ⚠️ Possible denial of service at all

How to check if the warranty is saved? in the Mi Home app go to Settings → Device information. If the firmware section includes Custom or an unofficial version, the warranty is cancelled.

7. How to return the standard settings?

If you change your mind or run into problems after the modifications, here’s how to roll back the changes:

Recovery of the original firmware

This will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with ScooterHacking Utility or Xiaomi Flash Tool
• 📁 Original firmware file (download from the official website)
• ⚡ Battery charge of at least 60%

Instructions:

1. Connect the scooter to the PC.
2. V SHU Choose Firmware → Write.
3. Please specify the original firmware file (for example, BMS_1.3.6.bin for M365).
4. Wait until the end (don’t turn off USB!).
5. Reset the scooter.

Resetting to factory settings

If the firmware hasn’t changed, but you’ve experimented with settings in Mi Home:

1. Open the app and connect the scooter.
2. Go to Settings → Reset settings.
3. Confirm the action.

It'll bring back the driving modes (Eco/Standard/Sport) standard.

Replacement of the controller with the original

If you've changed ESC, must:

1. Buy the original controller (price: 2,500-4000) ₽).
2. Disassemble the scooter and replace the fee (soldier iron is required).
3. Switch the original software (see paragraph 7.1).

After the restoration of factory settings, the scooter can again be handed over to warranty repairs (if the deadline has not expired).

FAQ: Frequent questions about speed unlocking