The offer for electric scooters is constantly growing and evolving.
If you’re looking for an electric scooter but unsure about which model to choose among all the possibilities available on the market, or if you’re just curious about e-scooters, we have prepared this guide, how to find the perfect e-scooter based on your needs, to help you select your perfect ride.
Why buy an electric scooter?
Electric scooters are a viable and reliable personal travel alternative to more traditional modes of transport such as cars. Not only e-scooters are eco-friendly commuting rides as a sensible approach to urban congestion, they are also fun and easy to operate.
Electric scooters come in a more compact form factor compared to bikes and… There is no need to peddle.
Available in a wide range of different sizes and performances, you need to consider your personal circumstances – what you want to use it for – to decide which electric scooter to buy.
To help you find the perfect e-scooter for your needs, we have detailed below some of the main factors to consider, covering three main themes: performances, comfort and safety.
What to consider when choosing your e-scooter
Power
The motor defines the e-scooter power. It conditions the acceleration of the scooter and its ability to climb steep hills.
For adult e-scooters, the motor power starts from 200W and goes past beyond 1000W.
250W are usually enough to operate on flat grounds but you may want to choose a more powerful motor (350W minimum), specially if you need to go uphill regularly. For indication, a 500W motor will allow you to climb gradient of about 20%.
Maximum speed
All e-scooters have a maximum speed. Most of the adult scooters can reach 25 km/h (15 mph). Some can go above, but in reality not bringing anything in normal conditions. Your surrounding limit anyway your maximum speed.
Note that a lot of electric scooter offers 3 to 4 different speeds, ranging from 6 km/h (~3.5 mph) eco mode to the maximum advertised speed.
Range
The range is also a main factor to consider. It’s given in kilometres or miles, and once again , your choice will be based on how much distance you need to cover on a single charge. Typical example could be your commute, going to work and coming back home on a single charge.
Tip: always aim for a range higher than your theoretical need. The reason being that the advertised range is the maximum range the e-scooter can reach in optimum conditions: flat ground, battery fully charged, lightweight rider, neutral to favourable conditions (no wind). Also consider the battery will lose charging capacity over time.
Weight & Rider weight
Weight and rider weight are very important.
You need to select a scooter adapted to your weight + the gear you’re carrying (backpack, etc). Usually scooters support up to 100 to 120 kg, but higher limits alternatives exist.
Going above the rated rider weight is usually possible, the machine should not fall apart. However the e-scooter will not accelerate properly, will not reach the highest speeds nor cover the expected distance on a single charge and the most important it may have difficulty breaking hence impacting your safety and the safety of others.
Tyres and wheel sizes
Tyres comes in two main families: solid or pneumatic.
Solid tyres (also called airless tyres) are low maintenance and the way to go if you are looking for a machine always ready to use. The downside is that they don’t offer any shock absorption and therefore not comfortable to ride on uneven surfaces.
The pneumatic or air-filled tyres drastically increase the level of comfort of your ride as thanks to the shock absorption they offer. They also offer better control. The trade-off is that they require maintenance (air pressure to be checked regularly) and can be prone to puncture.
With regards to wheel sizes, 10″ in diameter should be a minimum. Smaller wheels will not absorb well the bumps in the road.
Suspension
Suspension is also a key factor to consider when it comes to the comfort. There are different options on the table: suspension on the front wheel, the rear wheel, or both.
Suspension is specially useful for long distance and when you go through lots of rough surfaces, but please note they are not always mandatory, based on your personal circumstances and if you have good quality tyres.
Brakes
By far the most important safety feature on your electric scooter, the brakes come in different configurations: mechanical or electronic.
Efficient mechanical brakes are either discs or drums. The most effective braking system is usually disk brakes. They are reliable and allows you to stop on short distances. Like for suspension, you can find brakes on front wheels only, rear wheels only or both. However, mechanical brakes will wear over time and require checks and maintenance.
Electronic brakes are less efficient if you need to suddenly stop, but the plus side is that they are regenerative, meaning they “recycle” part of the energy used for braking to recharge your e-scooter’s battery.
Water resistance
Obviously, you’re going to ride your electric scooter outside. Unfortunately, not all e-scooters are built the same and some are not adapted to our lovely UK climate and may get damaged when operated on wet surfaces, in the rain or going through puddles on wet surfaces. It is usually stated on the manufacturer’s specifications.
Warranty
E-scooters are reliable machines, due to a relatively simple architecture and a limited number of moving parts. But like with any device, it may happen that your electric scooter need some repairs.
You should not neglect the warranty and buy a scooter with one. Avoid buying a scooter with no warranty. Warranty terms may vary between manufacturers.
Electric Scooter Accessories
You can add some accessories to your electric scooter to enhance our safety.
First of all, we strongly advise you to always wear a helmet. You may be the best pilot in the world but never forget you are not alone. Cars, pedestrians, animals, unseen danger or significant pothole are just a few example of dangers you are exposed.
If you’re planning to ride at night (from mid-afternoon in winter time…), then you may want to invest in additional lights to be sure to see where you’re going and to be more visible for your surroundings.
Another thing to consider: electric scooters are popular targets for thieves. If your e-scooter is staying outside, we recommend you to purchase a lock, or even invest in an alarm or tracking device.
And what about the law?
The United Kingdom has not yet review the legislation with regards to electric scooters.
While it is perfectly legal to buy, sell and own e-scooters, currently there are limitations on where they can be used. It is lawful to use privately owned e-scooters on private land with the landowner’s permission.
As per the current legislation, e-scooters are considered as motor vehicles (such as moped). This means they would need to comply with the requirements motor vehicles must meet in order to be allowed to drive on roads, including insurance; technical standards; payment of vehicle tax, licensing and registration; driver testing and licensing; and the use of relevant safety equipment.
Obviously, electric scooters don’t meet these requirements.
There is a lot of activity on the government side nowadays to review the current law and possibilities to amend it (maybe even by creating a specific vehicle category for e-scooters?). The challenge is to provide an adequate answer to tackle safety concerns, to determine how electric scooters could possibly fit among the other mode of transport on public land, and to keep all or most of the benefit offered by the flagship of micro-mobility.