The Essential Electric Scooter Buyer Guide
Travelling with a little bit of sleek plus speed is the new cool. Whether you’re a first-time electric scooter buyer, or you’re looking to make a more informed choice for your next e-ride, our essential buyers guide will prepare you for your e-scooter purchase.
Buying An Electric Scooter
Electric scooters have now become the fun, easy and relaxed way to get around for both adults and kids. Getting to work or school, or a quick nip to the shops is a lot cooler with this motorized two-wheeler. It is much easier to ride compared to a motorbike and less work than riding a bicycle.
Electric scooters are motorized vehicles powered by rechargeable batteries. They are known to sneak up on other road users since they make little noise. Because they come in various models, each with its unique specifications, buying an electric scooter can become both frustrating and a chore. Where to begin? Let us first determine what you want in an electric scooter.
Choosing the Right Electric Scooter for You
Making the right selection for one’s electric scooter can be a daunting task. It’s not as though all you have to do is pick your favourite colour and off you go riding down the road. There is so much to consider and many people simply do not know how to go about it. The pricing, functionality, battery capacity, weight, and very importantly your specific need(s) are just a few things to think about when choosing an electric scooter.
Are you a recreational user? Will you be commuting often? What distance will you need to travel on your e-scooter? Are you looking for something heavy-duty or will something more simple? If you’re a commuter, will you need to carry your e-scooter often? Do you live or work on a higher floor up? What kind of storage facility do you have? Asking these questions is often a good place to start.
What’s Your Budget?
If you’re looking at your pocket, selecting an electric scooter based on your budget is pretty straightforward. Let’s take a look at the different price ranges.
Less than £500
e-RIDES E-Scooter with Foot Control Accelerator
Available from £308.33 (and at £61.66 weekly interest-free payments), our eRIDES E-Scooter with Foot Control Accelerator has a full alloy, 350W brushless motor with a 3-speed level foot control accelerator. It can reach up to 30km/h and 15 miles. Made for comfort and stability, it has a 68mm widened surface and a patented Swallow Tail design for easy folding.
e-RIDES E-Scooter with Hand Control
Also at the same price of £308.33, the e-RIDES E-Scooter with Hand Control is quite similar to its kin. A major difference is its hand control accelerator. It is also built with a 10-inch inflatable front tire and an explosion-proof vacuum rear tire.
At these friendly prices, you can enjoy comfort and easy use while having lots of fun.
Less than £1000
Kaabo Mantis Lite Electric Scooter
From £707.50, the Kaabo Mantis Lite Electric Scooter is available in both black and blue colours. It can run up to 48km/h and do 34 miles maximum. It has full hydraulic brakes and Minimotors display and throttle.
Less than £2000
Kaabo Mantis 10 Pro Electric Scooter
The Kaabo Mantis 10 Pro is in a class of its own. It features a powerful 24.5AH Samsung battery, has a maximum speed of 90 km/h, and a full hydraulic braking system for pro-level stopping power. Although sleek in appearance and easy to put away, it is designed for high performance. It boasts dual 1000W motors and is fitted with Minimotors electrics and controls. At £1582.50, it is a great deal. It also comes in both red and black colours.
Dualtron Eagle Pro Electric Scooter
Going for only £1583.33, the Dualtron Eagle Pro Electric Scooter is the latest of the Dualtron Eagle Scooters and is a limited production model. It boasts a top speed of 65 km/h, a range of 50 miles, 3,600W BLDC hub motors and a dual brake system. It also has folding handlebars and a rear changeable suspension cartridge. This scooter can best be described as customer-specific.
Over £2000
In this price range, we carry four renown high-performance top-class electric scooters.
Kaabo Wolf Warrior II Pro Plus with Off-Road Tires
At £2165.83, the Kaabo Wolf Warrior II Pro Plus with Off-Road Tires is a steal.
This vehicle is a powerfully built, high performance, high speed and exciting top-end design. It is the most powerful electric scooter from the Kaabo range. It features premium specifications such as a fully hydraulic brake system, massive 11-inch pneumatic tubeless tires and is outfitted with off-road tires. It has a top speed of 72.5 km/h and a tested range of 67.9 km. It also borrows parts from Minimotors and Dualtron Thunder.
A cross between an e-scooter, electric bike and a Go- Kart, the Begode (Gotway) Extreme Bull K4 Electric Scooter is a lot of fun especially if you’re riding off the roads. It is multi-dynamic and can carry up to 70kg. Plus a liquid cooling system, it boasts a top speed of 90km/h and a cruising range of 250km. It is available from £2082.50.
At limited stock, our Dualtron Ultra Electric Scooter is priced starting from £2416.67. This powerful performer is built tough for off the road enthusiasts. It has unmatched durability, unmatched road prowess and endless performance. It boasts of an EYE LCD display that helps you keep track of everything from battery levels to trip odometer, a heat sink and a dual brake system.
The Currus Panther Electric Scooter is a powerfully built vehicle designed for ease and reliability. With a top speed of 50mph and a range of 75 miles, this e-scooter is safe and easy to use and fit for both adults and children. Its other features are a 5400W Max Dual Motor for extra output, a long lasting 60V 35Ah H35E Li-ion Samsung battery, and hydraulic brakes built in with an ABS system for improved stability and control. Price starts from £2665.83.
Electric Scooter Functions
We’ve looked at various price ranges and the kind of performance they come with. There are other considerations to make when selecting the best electric scooter for oneself.
Speed
Electric scooters are built with different speed ranges. Some start as low as 30km/h. Others are in the range of 40 to 60 km/h. The most top-speed e-scooters record 80km/h or 90km/h. It goes without saying that the more capacity for speed an electric scooter has, the bigger the performance in range and the more elaborate the specifications. This means that a higher speed electric scooter will be more expensive than one with a lower speed range.
In some countries, such as the UK, it is illegal to ride an electric scooter on public roads. They are however allowed on private lands, of course, with the permission of the landowner. Currently, large scale trials are on-going to guide final decisions on how to fully legalise e-scooters.
Performance
Manufacturers generally indicate the performance levels of their electric scooters. They advise what the range is for that specific vehicle based on the testings they have carried out. In reality, the user must take into consideration varying and non-ideal conditions such as uneven roads, travelling uphill, a route of many stops (compared to a direct trip), and travelling when the battery is not fully charged.
Electric scooters are deliberately designed for capacity and performance. More often than not, the higher the performance in an e-scooter, the heavier, more powerful and more expensive it is. If an e-scooter performs powerfully, it is usually built with extra weight, bigger batteries, bigger motors, etc. These features contribute to its power and capacity.
Brakes and Tyres
There are different types of brakes that are used on electric scooters. They range from hydraulic brakes (which can be fitted to either the front or rear wheels), magnetic brake, disc brake system or the newer kinetic energy regeneration system. When selecting an e-scooter, you should consider what sort of brakes you will be using. Some are easier to master than others. Overall, disc brakes are the best to use.
With tyres, the two general categories are hard tyres or air tyres. Hard (or solid) tyres are usually smaller and fitted with hard plastic while the air (pneumatic) tyres are fitted with an inner-tube. The latter are of better quality and perform better in poor weather conditions. Air or pneumatic tyres also have shock absorption. Conversely, this means that they are more expensive to maintain and will also add up to a higher price on the e scooter itself.
Weight
If you have to haul your electric scooter on almost every trip, you might want to consider buying a light-weight one. Depending on the size of the scooter itself, size and weight of the battery, the electric motor and other additions, an electric scooter may weigh anything from 23lbs to 33lbs and at the excess, as much as 350 lbs. Children-sized e-scooters are as light as 7 to 11 lbs.
The other thing to think about is the rider’s weight. When buying an e-scooter that is the most appropriate for you, you must consider what will best work for your body weight. The Begode Extreme Bull K4 is one of the heaviest e-scooters at 55kg.
Maintenance
Caring for your electric scooter can be as simple as wiping it down but there’s more. Your batteries, tyres and brakes all require regular checks and care. Not completely draining your batteries before recharging, using your brakes correctly and checking your tyres regularly are just some of the practical ways to carry out preventive maintenance. Familiarising yourself with the user manual can make a world of difference in your e-scooter getting the care it requires. Some electric scooters do not have easily replaceable parts. This means that where there is damage, it will cost more time and money to have those parts fixed.
Accessories
Accessories are an important part of your e-scooter experience. At eRides, we have you covered with parts and fittings as well as protective gear for your personal safety and for the optimal care of your e-ride. We offer a wide range of quality brands and cover everything from headwear, gloves and helmets, to lights, locks, indicators, horns, seats, bluetooth speakers and goggles. For example, the bluetooth speaker by envirorides contrary to headphones or earbuds, which can block out external sounds and potentially compromise your awareness of the surrounding environment, a Bluetooth speaker allows you to enjoy music without completely isolating yourself from your surroundings. This can be particularly advantageous when riding in urban areas where traffic and pedestrian activity require heightened awareness.
Whether or not you’re a first time buyer, your choice of an electric scooter deserves to be well thought out. The more deliberate you are about the selection and care of your e-scooter, the more lasting the quality of performance you are likely to get out of it.
We at e-RIDES are always on hand to offer advice and suggestions for any of your purchase needs – so don’t be shy contact us at info@e-RIDES.com
If you enjoy this article and find it interesting, please share it on social media platforms, and remember, ‘Ride With e-RIDES’.
