GoTrax Xr Ultra review: The cheapest electric scooter I’d still put my friends on

Now that I’ve had a few weeks with the GoTrax Xr Ultra electric scooter, it’s time to share my thoughts on it. As one of the most affordable electric scooters on the market, this could be a great option for anyone on a budget.

It of course makes compromises, like any budget electric scooter does, but the compromises still leave you with a nice ride for the price.

GoTrax has always been a price leader in the electric scooter industry.

No one has ever claimed that they make the best scooters.

Or the fanciest.

Or the fullest-featured.

But by golly do they make affordable electric scooters that somehow still manage to perform above their price class.

Take a look at my video review of the GoTrax XR Ultra scooter below, then continue reading for my full review.

GoTrax Xr Ultra electric scooter video review

GoTrax Xr Ultra tech specs

• Motor: 300W continuous, 430W peak front hub motor
• Top speed: 25 km/h (15.5 mph)
• Range: 25 km (16 mi) as advertised
• Battery: 36V 7Ah (252 Wh)
• Max load: 100 kg (220 lb)
• Weight: 12 kg (26.4 lb)
• Frame: Aluminum
• Suspension: None
• Brakes: Front regenerative braking, rear mechanical disc brake
• Wheels: 8.5-inch air filled tires
• Extras: LCD display with speedometer, LED headlight, safety lockout on folding mechanism, cruise control, IP54 water resistance

A winner in the super-budget category?

GoTrax has long dominated the budget category of electric scooters, and its new GoTrax Xr Ultra appears set to help the company continue that dominance. The GoTrax Xr Ultra is priced at $399, while the slightly lower spec GoTrax Xr (non-ultra) is priced at $299. You can also find it on Amazon for the $399 sale price.

I only reviewed the Xr Ultra, so that’s the one I’ll cover.

Now, I’m no scooter snob. Sure, I love a 40 mph dual motor and dual suspension electric scooter as much as the next crazy guy. But I can appreciate a fun electric scooter that doesn’t lighten my wallet too much. And that’s exactly what the GoTrax Xr Ultra is. It’s an e-scooter that cuts a few corners, but does it well enough to leave you with a decent scooter that is fun to ride.

The 300W motor is plenty of power for flat ground riding, though it won’t handle heavy-duty hills on its own. But for anyone cruising along the flats, you likely won’t notice much different between this one and larger motors, other than that the GoTrax Xr Ultra will be a bit slower to acceleration than some scooters that cost twice as much.

There’s no suspension on the scooter, but the air-filled tires mean that the ride is actually pretty good. Plus, because the batteries are actually enclosed in the stem and not the deck, the deck doesn’t have to be quite as rigid and thus can have a bit of flex to it. That further improves the ride.

That being said, this is in no way a good scooter for really rough terrain or super pockmarked roads. The 8.5-inch tires are bigger than some other scooters I’ve seen, but they’ll still get swallowed up by big potholes, and the lack of suspension will shock your sense on smaller potholes.

When it comes to handling, the GoTrax feels just about as good as any other budget e-scooter I’ve ridden. Favorites like the Xiaomi M365 can’t really claim any better handling than this. And the braking is strong as well, with a surprisingly powerful regenerative brake via the front motor and a mechanical disc brake in the rear.

The exposed brake cable that runs down the stem is a bit odd for a scooter. Despite being standard on so many bicycles, it’s the first time I’ve seen an exposed braided brake cable without a housing on a scooter. I’m not sure what the design choice was there, whether that saved money or did anything special. I imagine it takes a bit of sponginess out of the brakes since there’s less cable in the housing, but it still looks a bit strange.

I guess if the brakes work well, though (and they do), then I’m happy.

There’s no tail light, which is a bit of a bummer, but you do get a decently powerful headlight, so I’ll give it half marks there.

I’m definitely happy to see a true LG-based Li-ion battery in the GoTrax Xr Ultra. One of the hallmarks of budget electric scooters is cheap batteries. To bring the price down, many companies opt for non-branded batteries that simply don’t perform as well as the major players like LG, Panasonic, Samsung, and Sony. And so I’m glad to see that GoTrax gifted an LG battery to the Xr Ultra.

When it comes to range, don’t expect to get the 16 miles (25 km) that the company advertises, at least not in full power mode. I was getting around 12-13 miles in full power mode. That means that 16 miles is probably doable in the lowest power setting, but who rides in low power setting?

Lastly, there’s a cruise control option as well, which is surely nice for long straightaways, but which I eventually turned off. It weirds me out a bit when the “machine” takes over for me on throttle control, and so I’m happy to remain in charge of the throttle myself. But for those that prefer cruise control, you’ll be happy to see the feature even on this budget e-scooter.

So what’s the summary? Should you buy the GoTrax Xr Ultra?

That all depends on your budget.

There are objectively better electric scooters out there with more power, more battery, and smoother rides. But they also cost a lot more money. So for GoTrax to offer a decently powerful scooter that feels solid and rides pretty well, all for the low price of $399 on GoTrax’s site, well, that’s pretty impressive to me.

I’d recommend this scooter to students and anyone else on a budget. If you live in a pretty flat area with decent roads or bike lanes, this could be a good scooter for you. But if you want to go faster or climb bigger hills, it could leave you wanting more.

Let’s hear what you think of the GoTrax Xr Ultra electric scooter. Share your thoughts in the comments below!