Electric Scooter

Electric Scooter

Electric scooter reviews often focus on just how good these scooters are in terms of the environment. And it's true--traveling on an electrically powered scooter will save the air and the road from a whole lot of pollution. You will feel the wind in your face and know that you are helping keep it clean.

As a bonus, you will be doing so on the cheap! Prices for electric scooters are dropping every day, now that manufacturers are responding to consumer demand and making more efficient, more cost effective vehicles every day. You will also save a bundle by skipping trips to the gas station, what with gas prices the way they are.

People ride electric scooters because they:

crave the feel of scooting -- like skiing on land;
enjoy making local errands fun, quick and easy;
like to save money, meet new people, and protect the environment;
still need convenient, point-to-point transportation after losing their driving privleges;
want their own traffic "lane", convenient parking spots and shortcuts;
would use public transportation if they could avoid the "long walk";
find electric scooter dates even more romantic than motorcycle dates;
regularly travel farther than the 1-mile range of kick scooters;
deserve more fun and freedom in their lives.

For either recreation or transportation, electric scooters offer major advantages over the most popular gas-powered scooters:

Electric scooters are allowed on public transit (bus/train/plane) whereas gas-powered scooters are prohibited.
Noise and air pollution of gas-powered scooters is eliminated.
Electric motors provide quick starts and hill-climbing without the delay of gas engine "ramp up".
Although often purchased as a "toy", electric scooters often serve as transportation - whether for local errands or when youngsters go to college.

How e-scooters work is by adding a motor and battery to an adult kick scooter. A switch to control speed (on/off or variable) and bicycle hand brakes are mounted on the handlebar. Batteries generally fit beneath your feet. Due to wide variety of scooters available and the minimal legislation regarding them, their speeds and range vary dramatically. Speeds start below 10 mph for some inexpensive imports to over 30 mph for the Badsey EMX Racer. Range varies from a few miles to 20 miles. Some have motor-protecting circuitry that requires your scooter to be moving before the assist starts. When the throttle switch is released, some scooter designs allow the motor to coast or "freewheel" like when you stop pedaling a regular bike. Simpler designs don't freewheel, and the drag of the idle motor slows the scooter.

Scooter users enjoy easy acceleration, hill climbing, and cutting through headwinds. Rechargeable batteries, usually sealed lead-acid (SLA), provide power for the electric drive motors. Charging costs less than 5¢ of electricity from common 110 VAC wall outlets. Charging times vary widely due to charger output and battery capacity, but you can expect to recharge in less than 8 hours with most stock chargers. Quick chargers are available.

How e-scooters perform depends on many factors. The most important factors are listed here with the (generally speaking) most important at the top:

terrain (number and incline of hills)
battery size (measured in volt-amp-hours)
e-scooter speed (range at 10 mph is 8 times as far as at 20 mph)
wind conditions (going 10 mph against a 10 mph headwind feels like 20 mph to the scooter)
correct tire inflation (under-inflated tires slow you down)
weight of rider
motor/controller/drive system efficiency

As you can see, rider weight and system efficiency rank near the bottom. The size of your battery pack and the speed you go both make a big difference in how far you go.

All else being equal, range is a function of either 1) battery capacity (amp-hours X volts) or 2) speed and ease of recharging (high-power chargers provide lots of miles in less than one hour). There is a close relationship between battery capacity (A/hrs) and both weight and physical size (total volume). Generally speaking, the bigger the battery, the greater its capacity. For hill-climbing, expect about 3 feet of elevation gain for every volt-amp-hour. For example, a Currie Flyer with a 24-volt, 10 amp-hour battery pack will take you up about 720 feet (3 feet X (24 X 10)).

All else being equal, speed is a function of motor (watt rating) and controller. Most scooters are capable of higher performance characteristics than the controller allows.

Regenerative braking doesn't yield much "juice" back into the battery. Even hi-tech regen on electric automobiles regains less than 10% of the original charge. Therefore, given a choice of either regen or freewheeling, you will get more range with freewheeling - unless you have a very hilly route. Some scooter designs, however, effectively use regen for slowing/braking.

We recommend you get a scooter with at least twice the range you usually expect to ride.

Styles of e-scooters.

From among dozens of available electric scooters, here are three representative examples: the Zappy, the Flyer, and the Voloci.

The Zappy, from ZAP, can carry a rider 4-5 miles at 10-12 mph. For most of us, that's enough to get to the video store, the ATM, and some food places. Often quicker than using a car, it's almost always more fun. Folded, it easily fits under the seat of a bus or train for easy commuting. Designed to be easily rolled around when folded (see photo), at 36 pounds it's light enough to carry "on board" as luggage. Thus, it blends extremely well with transportation alternatives: bus, train, subway, light rail, aircraft, taxi, shuttle, and car pooling. Charging requires less than 10 hours with the included charger, less with an optional fast charger. The handlebar height can be adjusted, so your Zappy fits everyone in the family (except those 6'2" or taller).

The Phat Flyer, from Currie Technologies, provides 5-8 mile range and 15 mph speeds at the expense of portability. At 48 lbs. and a folded height of 24", the Flyer is more like a bicycle when combined with transit. It's also more like a bike in speed, handling, and "feel". With larger wheels and chain drive, it handles off-road and wet/icy conditions better than most scooters. Aftermarket products allow for speed, range and comfort improvements.

The eGO, from eGO Vehicles, looks and feels more like a moped. The eGO Cycle comes with the same safety equipment as a moped (powerful headlight, turn signals and brake light). Precision tooled T6000 aircraft-grade aluminum is precisely aligned and TIG welded into an incredibly strong yet arrestingly beautiful monocoque chassis with room inside to hold batteries, electronics, and drive components. With the onboard smart charger and 70 lbs. of batteries, the total weight is 120 lbs. Because it accepts bicycle components, you can easily add a trailer for hauling kids or groceries. Other stock features include selectable performance modes, quick-swap battery pack, range and state-of-charge indicators and a keyed ignition for added security.

Best Electric Scooters

Scooters we rate "Best Buys" offer superior value resulting from a combination of factors:

manufacturer's number of years in the U. S. electric scooter market;
solid company (experience, resources, and commitment) behind the e-scooter;
quality and performance;
after-sale service and support;
innovation or niche-market appeal.

For most people, top speed is less important than range and reliability. Although scooter speed, range and weight vary, all three correlate well with with one another - and are inversely proportional to portability.

Selecting your e-scooter.

Although the "Best" list above offers our favorites, there are many quality e-scooters available.

Choose your preferred method of selecting a scooter:

By application: shopping, commuting, recreation, combined with public transit, etc.;
By price: under $500, under $1000, under $2000
By computer questionaire: let the computer select appropriate scooters for you based on terrain, need for a seat, range, speed, portability, and price;
By comparing features such as speed, range (under different conditions), ride quality, hill climbing, brakes, etc.

If greater speed/range modifications are important to you, consider Currie (speed/range) and HYC (range) scooters.

Testing, riding & buying e-scooters

For each electric scooter listed on this site, we offer a way to purchase; just follow the link(s) at the end of the scooter's description. Those particular dealers we list are trustworthy and provide good customer service. (If you find that's not the case, please contact us so we can make appropriate adjustments.)

For most people, a "name" product is often your best entry into the world of electric vehicles. Knowing that a company has been in business for several years, offers customer-tested products, and will likely be there in the future with parts and upgrades to keep your investment rolling makes a big difference. Check our list of "Best Buys" above. Generally, a low-priced unknown product with little or no backing will become difficult or impossible to maintain. And sooner rather than later.

Find a retailer near you who offers test rides. Purchasing an electric scooter from a local retailer generally guarantees good service. Though far from complete, our list of retailers is a good place to start. For those who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we list local LEV dealers along with alternatives and tools to avoid driving.