Power-assisted cart retriever with attenuated power output

A method of operating a shopping cart retriever, the method comprising:

• placing a controller in electrical communication with an electric motor adapted to power a drive system of the retriever;
• placing a throttle control in communication with the controller;
• setting the controller at a first power limit that is less than a second power limit, wherein the second power limit is the controller's normal power limit that results when the controller self-limits its maximum power output through a sensing feature of the controller that exists to prevent damage to the controller;
• attaching the retriever to at least one shopping cart;
• and
• activating a burst mode to accelerate the retriever and the at least one shopping cart from a complete stop to a terminal velocity, wherein power provided to the motor from the controller rapidly increases to a burst limit and then rapidly decreases from the burst limit to reach a level approximate the first limit when the retriever approaches the terminal velocity, wherein the burst limit is less than the second power limit and greater than the first power limit.

A shopping cart retriever comprising:

• an electric motor;
• a drive system powered by the electric motor;
• and
• a controlling means for controlling power to the electric motor including
• a first power-limiting means for limiting power to the electric motor;
• a second power-limiting means for limiting power to the electric motor;
• a burst means for overriding the second power-limiting means.