Electric Scooter

6 Key Factors to Consider When Buying an Electric Scooter

• Range

  When you know how far you can travel without needing to recharge the battery, you’ll have a better idea of whether a particular scooter suits your needs or not. Manufacturers can overestimate the range because the figure they provide assumes optimal conditions, so use caution. The range is reliant on the battery, so the two factors do go hand in hand. This means that the distance you can travel on one charge will decrease over time. Of course, a loss of battery life is not a catastrophe, because you can always use it manually. You might also think about buying a spare battery or bringing a charger for when you arrive.

• Weight

  The majority of e-scooters are compact in design, but their weight can vary dramatically. If you are planning to use one on your own land at home or close by, then a sturdier frame that weighs more will be ideal, but if not, go for a model that weighs around 11kg like the Micro Merlin, as it will be easier to get from A to B when necessary.

• Speed

  If you are making practical trips between two destinations, then speed is not going to be a priority. On the other hand, if you’ll be riding an electric scooter recreationally, the performance will be more of an issue. Most have a top speed of around 15mph (24kph), which will satisfy the majority of riders.

• Motor Power

  If hills will form part of your regular route, then the motor inside your e-scooter should be larger than 250 watts in order to cope with the additional strain. Scooters with a 250 watt or lower motor are adequate for travel up small inclines and flat roads. On particularly steep hills, even a 400-500 watt motor will not be able to maintain higher speeds. Again, you can always go back to manually propelling the bike, but the larger the motor, the faster and the quicker you’ll get up a hill.

• Suspension

  In the same way as it is used in a car, the suspension of an electric scooter keeps the impact of potholes and dips on a road surface to a minimum. If you have airless tyres, the ride will be noticeably bumpy without a quality suspension system. The suspension can be either at the back or at the front, or in both places on costlier scooters.

• Lights

  You can find electric scooters with a red rear light and a white front light, just like a motorbike. These are essential if you’ll be travelling on dark evenings, as they allow you to see where you’re going and also, other people can see you coming. This is essential on quiet lanes, especially as most e-scooters are almost silent. For regular nighttime travel on your own property or private land where you have permission to ride, it’s a good idea to add extra lights to a scooter.