Electric-Bikes.com
Electric Scooters - Best Buys
Scooters we rate as "Best Buys" offer superior value resulting from a combination of factors:
- manufacturer's number of years in the U. S. electric scooter market;
- solid company (experience, resources, and commitment) behind the e-scooter;
- quality and performance;
- after-sale service and support;
- innovation or niche-market appeal.
For most people, top speed is less important than range and reliability. Although scooter speed, range and weight vary, all three correlate well with with one another - and are inversely proportional to portability. So, we've ranked our Best Buys by weight/portability with the smaller/lighter/slower scooters at the top:
"Bargain Buys"
- Go Motorboard 2000X TranSporter
- Viza Volt
- Go-Ped® ESR-750
- Currie/IZIP scooters
- Xport SLX
- E-Bikeboard S500
- Falcon Hummer
- eGO (moped-like electric scooter)
Most scooters priced less than $250 at big box retailers and on-line are aimed at the kid/teen/toy market. They generally lack the performance and durability that people want and expect. Also, parts and service can be problematic with both big box retailers and on-line vendors. We urge you to invest in a scooter that will serve you (and others) for many years. If you choose to buy one anyway, read our quality control and final adjustment guidelines. Remember, if it's poorly constructed and you can't get repair parts, it will likely become land-fill material.
Of the many electric scooters available in the U.S. - both poor and good quality - we have selected the following as representative of the best available. Our selection of "Best Buys" is listed in order by weight - from light to heavy. At the light/small end are the Go Motorboard, Viza Volt and ESR-750 which, being small and foldable, easily combine with transportation alternatives. Not-so-portable scooters are more like bicycles when used point-to-point or in conjunction with transit. The eGO, at the big end, is more like a moped.
Performance of any scooter will vary widely depending on various factors: rider weight, tire pressure, hills, wind resistance, etc. (Scooter speed may be the biggest factor in range: a scooter at 10 mph can go 4 times as far as one traveling 20 mph.) For an in-depth look at scooter components, how it all works (including how to calculate and improve range and performance using different battery and controller configurations), assembly, trouble shooting, and maintenance, get the book "Electric Scooters and Beyond".
[1] Thrifty: 3 = $0-500; 2 = $500-900; 1 = $900-2500
Benefits 2000X Viza 200-watt
genericESR750 Currie Xport Forsen eGO Thrifty Price [1] 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 1 Blends w/Transit 3 3 3 3 2 2 1 1 Suspension 2 1 1 1 2,3 3 2 2 Performance [2] 2 1 1 3 2 2 2 3 Maintainability [3] 2 2 1 3 3 2 2 2 Modification Path 1 1 1 2 3 1 2 3 Seat (3) / Optional (2) 1 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 Platform Size 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 3 Offroad Use 1 1 1 2 2 3 2 2
[2]Performance factors include range and top speed.
[3] Maintainability factors include 1) projected lifespan of manufacturer, 2) # of units manufactured, 3) number of custom parts, 4) total number of parts.