The GoTrax XR Elite is the newest budget-minded electric scooter from GoTrax. And at the silly low price of $399, the GoTrax XR Elite is as affordable as it is whelming. Which is to say, quite.
If you want high-end suspension, underdeck lighting, a long range battery, and enough power to climb the Rockies, that’s awesome.
But look somewhere else.
Because the GoTrax XR Elite is all about filling the sensible niche of a no thrills, no frills, plain old e-scooter that just works.
Check out the scooter in action in all of its glory below with my video review. Then keep reading to get into the nuts and bolts of why the GoTrax XR Elite may be the perfect electric scooter for your budget.
GoTrax XR Elite electric scooter video review
GoTrax XR Elite tech specs
- Motor: 300W continuous
- Top speed: 25 km/h (15.5 mph)
- Range: 30 km (18.6 mi) as advertised
- Battery: 36V 7.8Ah (280 Wh)
- Max load: 100 kg (220 lb)
- Weight: 14.6 kg (31.9 lb)
- Frame: Aluminum
- Suspension: None
- Brakes: Front motor braking, rear mechanical disc brake
- Wheels: 8.5-inch air-filled tires
- Extras: LCD display with speedometer, LED headlight, safety lockout on folding mechanism, 6 reflectors surrounding the scooter, IP54 water resistance
A scooter that lands its punches where it counts
When it comes to cheap scooters, you know going into them that you’re not getting a premium product. But GoTrax has seemed to always nail the “good enough” niche.
That’s exactly what the GoTrax XR Elite is, a scooter that is good enough for most riders that aren’t looking for high speeds or high performance.
It’s designed to get the job done and absolutely nothing more.
With a top speed of 15.5 mph (25 km/h), you’ll keep up with most riders in the bike lane but you won’t be passing cars.
For me, I find that to be fast enough for true city riding, such as city blocks, but it can feel a bit slow when I get into the suburbs. With open streets, 15 mph sometimes leaves me wanting more.
At those times though, I remind myself what I’m riding: a $399 electric scooter. It’s not one of my 40 mph crazy e-scooters, it’s a budget scooter. And when I keep that in mind, suddenly things look peachier.
With 280Wh of battery (around 10% more than the previous GoTrax XR Ultra), I can get around 15 miles (25 km) of range out of the GoTrax XR Elite when I’m riding pretty hard. I’ve never seen the 18.6 miles (30 km) of range that the company claims, but then again I pretty much ride it at full throttle, so that could be why.
A few other changes compared to the previous XR Ultra version of this scooter include hiding the brake cable inside the stem of the scooter and also surrounding the scooter with a pile of reflectors. There’s an LED headlight and taillight for good measure, but the sheer number of reflectors on this thing is impressive. They’re everywhere – and no one is going to miss them at night.
The one major downside of this scooter is probably the lack of suspension. But again, you can’t really ask for suspension on a sub-$400 electric scooter.
I find that smooth roads are wonderful and sidewalk cracks are manageable, but you really don’t want to hit a super pockmarked road on this scooter. If your commute is entirely on cobblestones, steer clear of this one and grab something with full suspension.
For just your run of the mill road debris and brick gaps, the air-filled tires are decent at absorbing the shock.
Some people hate air-filled tires since they mean you could get a flat tire one day. I’m in the pro-air-filled tires category though. Yes, there’s a chance for a flat. But the ride is just so much nicer than solid or honeycomb tires on a non-suspension scooter.
What’s the verdict?
So here it is: the GoTrax XR Elite is decent. It’s not amazing. But it’s got an amazing price.
And for its budget price of $399, it does everything I need it to do. As a city commuter for moderate length commutes and only light hills, it would be an excellent choice for a budget scooter.
If you have big hills or super bumpy roads, I’d recommend going with something more powerful and with real suspension. Just keep in mind, you aren’t going to find it for a price like this.
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