Electric scooter shares are great, and people are loving them by most accounts. At just $1 to start and $0.15 per minute afterwards, they are an affordable way for many people to test ride their first personal electric vehicle.
However, when people start using them as a regular form of transportation, the cost can quickly add up to the price of buying an equivalent electric scooter. That has led to a surge in sales of consumer electric scooters over the past year. Here’s a rundown of the best and most affordable electric scooters on the market.
Gotrax GXL electric scooter
The Gotrax GXL has become one of the most popular electric scooters.
The GXL features a top speed of 15.5 mph (25 km/h), a range of 12.5 miles (20 km). Its 36V battery recharges in approximately 4 hours.
The scooter has 8.5″ air-filled tires to help absorb some of the road shock. The GXL’s weight capacity is 220 lbs (100 kg).
The Gotrax GXL electric scooter comes with a 250 W motor with two speed settings. It also has a digital speedometer and battery meter, which is a nice feature not found on many scooters.
While the Gotrax GXL is normally priced at $499, it is currently available on sale for just $399 on Amazon. That’s actually a heck of a deal for this robust scooter.
Xiaomi M365 electric scooter
The Xiaomi M365 wasn’t the first electric scooter, but it was the one that helped set off the electric scooter craze.
If you’ve ridden a Bird, Lyft, Goat, Spin or many other electric scooter sharing company scooters recently, you’ve probably ridden a rebadged Xiaomi M365.
This is a top-notch scooter that we reviewed in detail earlier this year.
To summarize, it’s a 15.5 mph (25 km/h) and 18.6 mi (30 km) range electric scooter weighing 27 lbs (12.2 kg). Unlike some other scooters, it has a mechanical rear disc brake in addition to the front regenerative braking.
The Xiaomi M365 used to be available for $499. However, after sales went through the roof and the company had trouble keeping it in stock in the US, it finally came back at a higher price of $599. That’s a little supply and demand lesson for you.
Zoom Stryder electric scooter
The Zoom Stryder has a slightly higher top speed than most other electric scooters, clocking in at 18.5 mph (30 km/h). Range is fairly standard at 15-18 mi (25-30 km).
Manufactured by a Singapore-based company, the Zoom Stryder is a very comfortable scooter to ride. It features both front and rear suspension, smoothing out the ride and making up for its solid rubber tires.
An LCD display shows battery life, speed and distance. The scooter includes front and rear lights, and the rear light illuminates even brighter when the brakes are activated.
Braking is accomplished by regenerative brakes in the front using the 500 W hub motor and a foot activated scrub brake over the rear wheel.
We reviewed the Zoom Stryder in-depth here and can definitely recommend this scooter.
The Zoom Stryder costs $799 and includes free shipping to the US and a 30-day money back guarantee.
Swagtron Swagger 5 electric scooter
Swagtron is a company known for their small, inexpensive yet surprisingly good quality personal electric vehicles. We reviewed a few of their e-bikes in the past, including their $449 EB-1 and $489 EB-5 (my personal favorite).
Their Swagtron Swagger 5 electric scooter looks a lot like the Xiaomi M365 above, yet costs just 2/3 the price.
The Swagger 5 has a 250 W front hub motor that can reach speeds of 18 mph (29 km/h). The range is a bit more limited though, at 11 mi (17.7 km).
The scooter weighs 27.5 lbs (12.4 kg) and can carry up to 340 lbs (154 kg) of weight.
Recharging takes around 3.5 hours.
The Swagtron Swagger 5 electric scooter is one of the most affordable, at just $399.
Razor E-Prime electric scooter
You probably remember Razor as the ones who started the original kick scooter craze almost two decades ago. Well the company hasn’t gone anywhere, and actually has their own line of electric scooters. Razor has even gotten into the electric scooter sharing game with their own fleet of electric scooter share rides.
Razor’s E-Prime electric scooter is a smaller model than most on this list, but can still reach speeds of up to 15 mph (25 km/h).
Braking is accomplished with both regenerative braking via the front hub motor and a rear scrub brake.
Razor says the 36V battery should last for 30 minutes of continuous use.
At 21.5 lbs (9.8 kg), the E-Prime is the lightest scooter on this list.
We’ll have our own review of the E-Prime scooter coming up soon, but I can already say it definitely offers some good bang-for-your-buck. The E-Prime scooter is available for $379, making it one of the most affordable options.
2,000 W NANROBOT D4+ electric scooter
The NANROBOT D4+ electric scooter is not for the faint of heart. This electric scooter can hit speeds of 40 mph (64 km/h) thanks to its twin 1,000 W motors.
And it doesn’t just go fast, it also goes far. The NANROBOT D4+ is rated for 45 miles (72 km) of range, thanks to a 52 V and 23 Ah (1.2 kWh) battery pack. That’s over twice the size of an average electric bicycle battery!
The scooter includes front and rear disc brakes and regenerative braking, which is critical at such high speeds. Dual suspension should also help keep you from getting thrown off when you hit a bump.
I won’t say this scooter is safe. Actually, I’ll come right out and say this scooter is probably dangerous. But hey, I’m not your mom. If you want something crazy like a 40 mph scooter, then you’ll have to fork over $1,289 for it.
So that’s it. If you’re looking for an electric scooter to commute around town, you’d be hard pressed not to enjoy one on this list.
What do you think about electric scooters? Let us know in the comments below.
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