Table of Contents
If you’re new to scooters and have no idea what exactly it is that differentiates one scooter from another, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’re going to go through each of the essential specifications of a scooter – such as range, battery type, and top speed – and then give you some idea of what most scooters offer in each category. We’ll also have a look at the best performing scooter in each category. Let’s get started with the feature that many future scooter riders will look at before any other.
Top Speed
The top speed is exactly what the name suggests; it’s the fastest speed that you’re capable of getting the scooter up to. However, it’s important to note that in most countries and states where electric scooters are legal, then there is a speed limit. This is important to abide by, not only for your own safety but also for the protection of others.
The quickest electric scooters on the market can get up to 100 km/h or 62 mph. Scooters that offer this extremely high top speed include the TurboWheel Phaeton scooter and the 11X scooter by Zero.
The vast majority of scooters have a top speed that’s somewhere between 30 km/h and 45 km/h or 18.6 mph and 28mph. This is sufficient for most people’s usage. Some examples of scooters that fall into this range include TurboAnt by X7 and Inokim by OX.
You’ll find the slowest top speed on an electric scooter is 12 km/h or 7.5 mph. The slowest electric scooter currently available is the GKS by Gotrax, which offers a top speed of 12 km/h.
Range
An electric scooter’s range is the distance that you can travel on the scooter at an average speed until the scooter’s battery runs out of power. The range is usually calculated in kilometers. We’ll give you the numbers here in miles too, but you have to be aware that this may not be the case when reading the information on manufacturers’ websites.
The maximum amount of range that’s offered by an electric scooter is 150 km or 93 miles. This is, however, very rare. The only scooter that offers such a high amount of range is the Dualtron X scooter by Minimotors. There are a limited amount of models that provide a range that’s more than 100 km or 62 miles. Some examples of models that do include a range of more than 100 km are the 11X by Zero, Phaeton by Turbowheel, and Wolf Warrior 11 by Kaabo.
The average range that you’ll find offered by an electric scooter will usually fall somewhere between 35 km and 50 km or 21 miles and 31 miles. This will be enough for most people to be able to commute to work or school and back. It will also mean that the scooter doesn’t require an extravagant or weighty power source, which is the case with scooters that offer an extended range of more than 100 km. Models that fall into this average range include Swift by TurboWheel, City by EVOLV, and Ninebot ES4 by Segway, all of which are excellent scooters.
When it comes to the low end of the spectrum of range, the smallest amount currently available is 6 km or 3.7 miles. That range is provided by the GKS scooter by GoTrax. It’s not unusual to find scooters that offer a range that falls between 10 km and 20 km or 6.2 miles and 12.4 miles, but it is rare to come across a scooter that provides such a limited range as the GKS by GoTrax.
Price
Of course, the price of an electric scooter is a crucial feature that will affect purchasing it. And to be able to compare scooters accurately, then it’s essential to know just how much they cost. Obviously, the more you pay, the better it is.
MiniMotors manufacture the two most expensive electric scooters currently on the market. The most costly of the two is the Dualtron X, which will set you back $5,999. The second most expensive is the Dualtron Thunder, which is slightly cheaper, but will still cost you $3,799. The third most costly scooter on the market is Phaeton by TurboWheel, and this scooter costs $3,590.
Most consumers won’t want to invest as much money as they need to for the previous three scooters, nor will they need to if they need a functional model that will tick most commuters’ boxes. The average price for an electric scooter is somewhere between $850 and $1,250. If you spend this amount, you can get a superb scooter that will be durable, functional, and offer a high top speed and sufficient amount of range. Examples of models in this price range include 9 by Zero, Dart by TurboWheel, and Touring by EMOVE.
At the bottom end of the price spectrum, you will find the GKS by GoTrax. This little scooter only costs $99, which explains why the range and top speed that it offers are so low. Budget scooters can be bought for between $200 and $500. Some examples of scooters in this price range include S2 by Hiboy, Eco by UScooters, and Swagger 7 by Swagtron.
Maximum Weight
If you’re a larger scooter rider, it will be essential to know the maximum weight the electric scooter can handle. It’s always important to check this statistic as there are lots of electric scooters on the market targeted at children rather than adults, so they will only function safely and effectively for people who weigh up to a certain amount.
The largest maximum weight available for an electric scooter is 250 kg or 551 lbs. One that offers this maximum weight is the Q1 Hummer by Qiewa. Another with an extremely high weight allowance is the I-Max S1+ by Magnum Bikes, which can accept up to 240 kg or 529 lbs.
Most scooters don’t offer such a high maximum weight. The vast majority will provide you with a maximum weight allowance of between 120 kg and 150 kg, and this translates to 264 lbs and 330 lbs. Some scooters that fall into this maximum weight range include City by Apollo, Tour 2.0 by EVOLV, and Dualtron Spider by MiniMotors.
When it comes to maximum weight, three scooters will only accept a maximum weight of 70 kg or 154 lbs at the bottom end of the range. These three scooters are the GKS by GoTrax and the RX200 and E200, both by Razor.
Tire Size
Having larger tires can allow scooter riders to take their vehicle off the road and onto rugged trails. Larger tires can also help to absorb more shock when you’re out on the open road too, and can simply give the scooter a more secure feeling.
The largest tires you can find on an electric scooter are 41 cm. These tires are on the EcoSmart Metro scooter by Razor. The next largest tires are on the DualTron X by MiniMotors, which has 33 cm wheels. Other models with larger tires include the QPower by Qiewa, which measures 28 cm, and the Phaeton by TurboWheel, which also measures 28cm.
The vast majority of electric scooters will have tires that are either 22 cm or 25 cm. Scooters with tires of this size include 9 by Zero, Light by Apollo, and City by EVOLV.
At the low end, you’ll find the smallest tires on an electric scooter measure at 14 cm. You can find this on the G1 Gliding Folder by GoTrax. Also, the GKS by GoTrax has tires that are 15 cm. It isn’t the only scooter with 15 cm tires, though. Both the Mini 2 by Inokim and the Swagger 2 Plus by Swagtron also have 15 cm tires.
Other Features
Other areas of electric scooters where there is a difference include the braking system. The majority of models either have disc or drum brakes. There are some scooters, however, that have electron brakes, and others that have foot brakes.
Tires on electric scooters will either be pneumatic or solid in most cases. However, some have mixed tires. Examples with mixed tires include Swift by TurboWheel and 8 by Zero.
Water-resistance is another area you’ll want to look at. Scooters tend to fall into three categories. Either they offer IP54 water resistance, IPX4 water resistance, or no water resistance. The only exceptions are the QPower by Qiewa and the Ninebot Max by Segway, which both offer IPX5 water resistance.
The final area where there is a big difference between scooters is the motor power. We always measure this in watts. The most powerful scooter motor on the market is 6,720 W, and you’ll find it on the Dualtron X by MiniMotors. The majority of scooters have an engine between 500 W and 1,600 W. The least powerful scooter motor on the market is only 150 W, and that’s on the GKS scooter by GoTrax.
Summary
Now you know what the best and worst-performing electric scooters are and what the majority offer in each category.
