[humanbeing21]

How to hack a lime scooter. Take the Ninebot ES2 to a whole new level by doing a factory reset and a GPS removal. Learn how to get custom firmware and circuit boards for the Segway Ninebot electric scooter to convert the Lime scooter into a personal scooter!

After feeling disappointed with the difficulty level to convert Bird's first generation scooter, the Xiaomi MIJIA M365, to a personal scooter I've started to look for a new project. You can check out the Xiaomi MIJIA M365 project here.

My sites are now focused on seeing if I can do the same thing with Bird's second generation scooter, the Segway Ninebot. The expectation is things will be more difficult this time around since both Lime and Bird have the same scooter model in their fleet. I'll be attempting to convert both companies scooters to function independently from the Bird or Lime platform.

I've gone to eBay for sourcing the OEM parts from China. Unfortunately, I'll be waiting until late December or even January for them to show up. To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


Here are the parts I purchased and will keep this thread updated with my progress.

Dashboard Assembly For Ninebot ES2 ES4 Electric Scooter Original Circuit Board
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.

Control Board For Ninebot Segway ES2 ES4 ES1 Foldable Scooter
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


Bird & Lime Model This Works With
Segeay Ninebot
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


Note from the Admin:
Interested in purchasing a scooter? Check out these posts.

• The Best Electric Scooters of 2019

• This is Where BIRD and LIME Get Their Scooters

• GoTrax GXL Electric Scooter Review Best Electric Scooter for the Money

[ZombieScoots]

Looks like the ES4 has some new way of wiring that doesn’t fit the motherboard you purchased. So it definitely won’t be plug and play. But I’m sure a new clip can be added

[Jray517]

Well the bird with the ext. batt pack and lights is an es2 right?

[guisar]

Bird's are ES2. Lime looks very similar and I though were a Ninebot. Are they a different model?

[Userhost]

Anyone know how to open the plastic, rectangular Bird head unit non-destructively? I don't want to break anything, but I'm interested in seeing how these things work. The non-destructive part is important because I want to return this Bird to service once I'm done studying it.

[druinthor]

@Userhost On top of the box is a giant sticker you can peel off to reveal the screws. You’ll need a T6 screwdriver to open the box. The one @humanbeing21 suggested is a good kit to have.

[Zik]

Looks like the ES4 has some new way of wiring that doesn’t fit the motherboard you purchased. So it definitely won’t be plug and play. But I’m sure a new clip can be added

Yes in deed, I did found an abandoned Lime, looks like a ES2, don't have a external battery just a GPS module in front and this is the motherboard that I found.

To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


1. Charging port
2. This is connected through the tube to the lower part of the scooter
3. Dashboard connection
4. Connection to battery
5. Goes down through the tube to the lower part of scooter passing by a long rail just in front of battery.
6. To battery
7. That cable was unplugged. I assume to connect directly to a kind of programing interface.
8. That cable goes to GPS module, I assume one of them brings the signal to the motherboard to turn on the scooter.

To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.

Anyone know how to open the plastic, rectangular Bird head unit non-destructively? I don't want to break anything, but I'm interested in seeing how these things work. The non-destructive part is important because I want to return this Bird to service once I'm done studying it.

And this is the GPS module

Just opened
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


As you can see the circuit on the left holds the SIM card
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


Connection description
To view images REGISTER or LOGIN for full access.


Pink arrow cable comes from motherboard.

Yellow cable it's the connection between that circuit and the big circuit to the left that holds the SIM card. I assume the white or the orange cable says to other circuit turn on the scooter.

The red arrow cable it's unplugged cable that I found in the back of module. I assume for programing.

So now I ask.

There's any way to replace the motherboard of this model? It's very different than the original one.

Or just run a jumper wires from one side to the other two complete connectivity and omit the SIM card entirely?

[John_Doe_1337]

There's any way to replace the motherboard of this model? It's very different than the original one.

Or just run a jumper wires from one side to the other two complete connectivity and omit the SIM card entirely?

Manually removing the SIM card seems to make the scooter disappear from the Lime radar, but it's not enough to get it started. Hot-wiring sounds like the best course of action to me.

[Zik]

There's any way to replace the motherboard of this model? It's very different than the original one.

Or just run a jumper wires from one side to the other two complete connectivity and omit the SIM card entirely?

Manually removing the SIM card seems to make the scooter disappear from the Lime radar, but it's not enough to get it started. Hot-wiring sounds like the best course of action to me.

Yes, that's the best option I think. But which cables may be jumped? I'm not sure

[JOHN E]

cell phone pry tools /plastic /thin metal