What to Look for When Buying an Electric Scooter? – Beginner’s Guide

Do you see people riding an electric scooter around the city and it makes you wonder that maybe this would be the right choice of commute for you as well?

Does it happen that you start to plan on getting one for yourself but then stop because you simply know nothing about electric scooters?

Don’t worry anymore, because this beginner’s guide to an electric scooter will answer all your queries regarding the product.

What should I look for when buying an electric scooter?

An e-scooter is a green means of transportation that is both convenient and enjoyable.

But, with so many alternatives, you question yourself what should I look for when buying an electric scooter?

This question has a rather broad spectrum so let’s divide it into sub-headings to make it easier to understand.

Design

Choose an e-scooter with exquisite design characteristics if you don’t want to appear like a child on a kick scooter.

Choose the type of scooter that has all encapsulated in the handlebar, unlike some scooters that have messy wiring.

Your scooter’s design should be such that the shape makes it easy to transport and store, and all of the functionalities are easily accessible.

Get the one in which you can also change the colors of your scooter to match your particular preferences.

Even if appearing stylish on your bike isn’t your top goal, it’s something to think about.

Weight Capacity

When shopping for an e-scooter, keep in mind the scooter’s carrying weight, which affects handiness, as well as the riders’ weight constraints.

Think about how much weight you can lift up the staircase or keep steady on the bus during your journey.

Scooters that weigh between 23 and 26.5 pounds, depending on the motor, are available on the market.

These are great for average-weight humans as they are lightweight and easy to carry.

Related Post: Best Electric Scooters for Heavy Adults

Battery Life Per Charge

The battery life of an e-scooter determines how long it takes to charge it.

If you’re commuting long miles on your electric scooter, you should make sure that a full charge will get you there at the very least.

You should also consider how long your scooter takes to charge as well as the battery pack’s portability.

Always remember, do not leave your battery on charge for long after it has been fully charged because not only will it decrease your battery life, but it can also cause your ride to burst into flames.

Speed Limit

Speed demon, how fast would you like to go?

When answering this question, make sure to choose a scooter that is compatible with your top speed choice, but also think about weather and safety.

Most electric scooters have a top speed of roughly 20 miles per hour, but you might not need to go that fast.

Related Post: Fastest Electric Scooters under $500 and $1000 on Amazon

Motor Power

You should select an electric scooter with a power output of at least 250 watts.

That should be plenty to transport you through flat terrain and over short hills.

If you live in a region with a lot of hills, a scooter with dual engines or a single-engine with a higher power is a better option.

It’s possible that a 500-watt motor too might slow down if you’re climbing a steep incline.

Hill Incline:

When you’re shopping for an electric scooter, the one of vital thing to look at is the hill incline.

Hill inclines are typically given in percentage points.

If you live in a hilly region, or plan to travel on your scooter often, it’s important that your scooter have a high enough hill incline rating to handle what you’re asking of it.

Related Post: Best Electric Scooters For Climbing Hills

Lighting

Make sure your e- scooter’s illumination is enough to secure your safety.

You may purchase extra lights for your e-scooter, but the best scooters come equipped with excellent illumination.

Both front and rear lights are required for any after-dark ride.

Brakes

For e-scooters, there are many types of brakes:

•  Foot brakes
•  Electric or regenerative
•  Drum brakes
•  Disc brakes

Disc brakes work the best and are most dependable of these sorts, but they’re usually only found on the most expensive electric scooters.

Electric brakes need no maintenance and are effective when used in conjunction with a foot brake.

Tires

On electric scooters, pneumatic or airless tires are offered.

While pneumatic tires provide better stress absorption than airless tires, they also need more maintenance.

Choose one with rubber tires that are vented for shock absorption so that you can relish a fun ride without the chance of a flat tire.

Handlebar 

When buying an electric scooter, the stem height of the handlebar and stiffness are crucial factors to consider. 

Most scooter customers are unconcerned about the kind of steering tube or the height of the scooter, although it is a critical feature.

If you purchase a scooter that has a small steering column, you’ll have to lean in to reach a comfortable riding position.

For this reason, an adjustable steering column is necessary so that you may adjust it according to your height. 

It is also important that the handlebar is foldable.

A foldable handlebar enhances the portability of your electric scooter.

The third major factor to consider is the turning radius of the handlebar.

The turning radius of the handlebar should be enough to comfortably let the rider take a turn. 

However, if the turning radius is too much, the rider will automatically unbalance and fall. 

Considering this, it is better to choose an electric scooter with ab handlebar of a required turning radius.

Suspension

An e-suspension in a scooter functions similarly to that of other vehicles like a car, flattening out irregularities and shocks that come due to the road. 

Consider whether you’ll be traveling on a rough surface, in which case suspension should be a top priority when shopping for an electric scooter.

You’ll experience tremors in the handlebars if you don’t have it, which may be unpleasant when you are traveling for long.

Consider purchasing an electric scooter with good suspension in case you want to travel offroad more often. 

A suspension can navigate harder terrain. 

Suspension can be installed on either the front or back wheels or both.

Water Resistance

Usually, electric scooters really aren’t waterproof, which is a lesser-known truth.

Because a few of the world’s leading e-scooter manufacturers are Chinese, their scooters are designed specifically for the Chinese environment.

As a result, riding most e-scooters on damp surfaces, through puddles, or in the rain may cause them to stop operating.

Furthermore, getting your e-scooter wet will void the guarantee, so you’ll need to fund the repairs personally, according to the tiny print of many e-scooter warranties.

For this reason, it is better that you drive your e-scooter carefully, away from puddles or pools of water so that your ride does not get damaged, or consider purchasing an electric scooter that bears an IP54 rating, enabling it to withstand minor splashes of water.

However, it should be noted that water resistance is not waterproof.

Electric scooters should be kept away from rain.

Portability 

Portability is an important factor to consider when buying an electric scooter.

In most cases, it is hard to find a parking spot for the scooter so the scooter should be built such that you are easily able to carry it around. 

Consider buying a scooter that is lightweight so that it is easy to move around with it. 

It is even better if the scooter has a folding mechanism.

This mechanism compacts down the scooter hence allowing the person to effortlessly carry the scooter.

Price

When purchasing an electric scooter, you have a broad variety of price alternatives, but the quality often rises in tandem with the price.

The majority of high-quality scooters for adults are priced at at least $600, but spending more will bring you additional features.

Related Post: Best Electric Scooters Under $200 [Reviewed]

Warranty

It is necessary that you stay vigilant and research thoroughly when buying from a foreign nation because not all e-scooters come with a reliable guarantee.

There are also a lot of inexpensive scooters on Amazon that don’t come with a guarantee.

It is preferable to get those with a one-year warranty.

They should also claim to swap your stuff if there is any problem inside the first three months.

What features should you consider when buying an electric scooter?

Having knowledge about an electric scooter’s features is necessary when you decide to buy one because these features help you choose an ideal scooter.

Let’s have a look at some basic electric scooter features.

Boot Space

Electric scooters have greater trunk capacity than regular scooters, and may occasionally hold up to two helmets. So make sure you have enough boot space.

Ride Ergonomics

Only after you’ve test-driven your scooter can you assess this, so make sure you’re comfortable riding it and that the pillion is as well.

Display

Check to see if the e-scooter comprises a standard or touch-sensitive LCD.

Aside from speed, distance, and battery life, some e-scooters’ displays include GPS navigation, smartphone alerts, and more.

Riding Modes

Check to see if the scooter has several riding modes, such as Eco mode, Sport mode, Power mode, etc.

Bluetooth Connectivity

Bluetooth allows you to link your smartphone wirelessly to the scooter’s display and get notifications from it.

Charging Ports

Check to see if the e-scooter has a charging port in the front part of the scooter or underneath the seat.

This will be useful for charging your mobile phone or other electronic gadgets.

Navigation

Some e-scooters include built-in GPS, so you can obtain turn-by-turn directions on the display.

How many types of electric scooters are there?

When it comes to discussing different sorts of electric scooters, many nowadays are a little perplexed.

There are several different types of e-scooters to choose from, and you may find it difficult to understand that things are a lot easier than they appear.

There are mainly three different types of electric scooters.

It will be a lot easy for you to select the proper one once you understand that.

Electric Kick Scooter:

They can be classified into:

• Two-Wheeled Electric Kick Scooter
• Three-Wheeled Electric Kick Scooter

Mostly, an electric kick scooter contains two wheels, a standing deck, and folding handlebars.

It’s as easy as that.

There is nothing else you should have.

If you desire greater corner stability, there are even three-wheeled models available.

It’s fantastic!

However, if you want to move through crowds more quickly, a two-wheel electric scooter is preferable for traffic and pedestrian zones.

Related Post: Best 3 Wheel Electric Scooters for Adults

Further division of electric kick scooters:

• Foldable Electric Kick Scooters:

These are ideal for folks who have to commute to work every day.

Nearly all the kick e-scooters these days can be folded.

This one is quick and strong, just like any other, but the major focus is on practicality.

Related Posts: Best Folding Electric Scooters for Adults

• Off-road Electric Kick Scooter:

If you want one of them, be prepared to pay a premium.

For those who want to have some fun in the off-road areas and on more challenging terrain, this may be a great option.

That is unless you find roads to be tedious and, certainly, you only use them when absolutely necessary.

Fat Tire Electric Scooter:

This is simply a scooter with somewhat larger tires.

It has a seat and is really comfortable.

It looks amazing and has a chopper-like appearance.

Some automobiles’ tires are as wide as this.

If you want to cruise comfortably, this is a once-in-a-lifetime deal.

Self-Balancing Scooter:

•  Hoverboards
•  Unicycles
•  Self-balancing personal trainers

Electric scooters that are self-balancing take some getting used to.

You may find it difficult to balance at the start, but trust me when I say that no matter how difficult it appears at first, you will rapidly master it.

Related Post: Best Self Balancing Electric Scooters Reviewed

Electric Moped:

•  Diverse types of mopeds for kids
•  Regular mopeds for adults (up to 1,000 Watts)
•  Extremely powerful mopeds for adults (4 + Kilowatts)

Because of the seat, which can generally accommodate two people, various varieties of mopeds are more comfortable.

A suspension and wider tires contribute to the comfort.

A trunk is located inside the seat for items that cannot be carried on the handlebars.

How to manage the charging time and the charging cost of my electric scooter?

The ideal practice is to charge your scooter at night so that it is ready to ride again the next day.

Also, it is best to plug it in when you go to work, so it’s ready for your return ride home.

As a result, it isn’t all that troublesome.

However, shorter charging periods will always win out over lengthier ones.

The cost of charging will be determined by your scooter as well as the cost of power in your country.

Even the scooters with the largest batteries, in nations where energy is plentiful, won’t cost much.

Even so, the fees can add up over time in certain cases.

If all other factors are equal, there’s no reason not to pick the scooter that has the lower charging cost.

This is a bit of a conundrum because all other factors are seldom equal – various charging durations generally entail diverse battery sizes, which implies varied ranges.

How to know how long is your scooter’s battery life?

You should learn about the battery parameters for your scooter.

The voltage and ampere-hours (Ah) of the battery should be specified in the vehicle’s specifications or on the battery itself.

The watt-hours are also shown on certain scooters.

If not, multiply the voltage by the ampere-hours to get this value.

It’s useful to have this knowledge on hand.

More significantly, you’ll need to have knowledge of how long your scooter’s battery can last when completely charged, so you can plan your travels properly.

The range depends on the type of your scooter, as well as on how big the battery and engine are.

How to extend your scooter’s battery life?

Developing excellent riding habits, such as accelerating carefully and allowing plenty of stopping time, will help increase the life of your battery be it during a single trip or over a long period of time.

Improper use and charging practices can substantially reduce the battery life of a scooter.

Good habits, on the other hand, can extend its battery life that can last for many years.

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries power almost all high-quality electric scooters, including the motor, lights, electronic brakes, controller, digital displays, and other features.

Lithium-ion batteries are high-capacity, high-efficiency, and long-lasting batteries.

They may be charged and discharged several times before diminishing their storage capacity.

How to know which electric scooter supports your weight?

The majority of electric scooters currently have a maximum weight capacity of at least 220 pounds / 100 kilograms.

Up to 265 pounds / 120 kg may be carried by half of all motorbikes.

This shouldn’t play a significant role in your selection.

You can buy an electric bike with a 220 pound / 100-kilogram capacity if you weigh around 216 pounds / 98 kg.

Your scooter will carry you even if you weigh 224 pounds / 102 kilograms.

You’ll notice a considerable decline in performance when your weight approaches the scooter’s maximum weight limit.

You have nothing to be concerned about if you have never weighed more than 176 lbs / 80 kg.

You will need a scooter for hefty individuals if you are overweight.

Here is the list of best electric scooters along with their weight carrying capacities:

How to choose an electric scooter that is within my budget?

The majority of scooters in the inexpensive e-scooter category are not advised for anything other than mild recreational use.

Expect underpowered engines, low-capacity batteries, and flimsy brakes at this price point.

In this category, however, there are several great and extremely useful electric scooters.

If your budget allows, they are worth considering.

Here is a list of a few electric scooters that are both affordable and of good quality.

Commuter Electric Scooters ($300 to $1200)

The electric scooter’s commuter class is the largest and is thus classified into three groups.

We find that scooters at these price points are often well-balanced in terms of features, performance, and quality.

• Budget commuter ($300 to $600)
• Mid-ranged commuter ($600 to $900)
• Premium commuter ($600 to $1200)

Performance Electric Scooters ($1200 to $1600)

Electric scooters with high performance begin to offer either extreme speed or ultra-long range.

Dual motors and large battery packs are common features on these scooters.

The scooter with the longest range in this category can travel up to 81 kilometers in real-world conditions.

Large tubeless pneumatic tires, semi-hydraulic or hydraulic brakes, strong lights, and turn signals are among the luxury equipment available at this price bracket, which varies from $1200 to $1600.

Extreme Performance Electric Scooters ($2500+)

These extreme scooters are the best in every area except portability.

They have large twin motors, long battery life for long-range (>64 kilometers), excellent suspension, and hydraulically operated disc brakes for quick stopping.

Their bigger tires are developed for off-roading, despite the fact that they are still adequate for regular travel.

These high-performance scooters are also the heaviest (usually +32 kgs), so be sure you can fold and transport them.

What should you avoid in electric scooter brands?

Unbranded items are the most apparent thing to avoid.

Any item that is a knockoff, clone, or has no brand name should be avoided.

Unbranded scooters may have untested constituents, be of low quality, and be unsafe to ride, among other things.

Unbranded scooters are simple to recognize on Amazon and eBay; you’ll frequently notice scooters and listings with no branding or photographs that don’t clearly display a scooter brand.

Unbranded scooters should be avoided at all costs; you won’t know whether what you’re riding is safe, and you won’t be able to acquire spare parts or repairs if something goes wrong, so once it’s broken, it’s broken for good.

Unless you have prior expertise with electric scooters, you should avoid brands that take common scooters and slap their branding on them.

While this may appear to be innocuous, many rebranded generic scooters do not undergo the same kind of quality control as well-known, well-established brands.

You may have observed that when looking for an electric scooter, you’ll come across identical scooters with various names — this is a typical case of “model hijacking.”

This isn’t to say the scooter is terrible; it just means you’ll be more vulnerable to having no one to go to if something goes wrong and the brand goes away.

Conclusion

We tried to provide practically all of the basic information you’ll need to select an electric scooter that’s ideal for you.

Hope this information has been helpful and that all of your questions have been answered.

Happy scooting!

Read More:

• How to Protect Electric Scooters from Theft?