The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Electric Scooter

Beginner's Electric Scooter Buying Guide

We are seeing new scooter brands pop up all the time, and there’s a good reason.

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Electric scooters are cheaper to own, operate, and store than traditional automobiles (cars). They are also more convenient than public transportation, and it is much easier to escape traffic jams when riding in the bike lane. Whether you’re looking to make a scooter your everyday commuter or just want to add some octane to your life, we’re here to guide you through the process.

Why should you take our word for it?

We’re Rider Guide (RG), a small team that has spent hundreds of hours riding thousands of miles and reviewing 120+ electric scooters (and counting) since . We’ve experienced every type of scooter from every known brand and believe we’re the people you can rely on for the most unbiased scooter reviews. We are not a retailer.

Our source of confidence?

We’ve tested more scooters than anyone in the industry, and as you know (or are about to find out), no one pushes their scooters as hard as we do. We also stay on the pulse of e-scooter news; we attend and participate in Micromobility conferences; we interact with the riders and deliver their concerns to brands and distributors; and we provide a fun hub where riders can feel like part of a community across all major social media platforms.

Our hands-on review process include RG-certified testing of real-world range, top speed, acceleration, braking, and hill climbing ability. We are very, very thorough. We record details on every aspect — from unboxing and assembly to performance and build. The RG team inspects every port, cable connection, joint, and even the instruction manual to ensure we share the most complete information. We report our findings in written and video reviews to help you find the best scooter for your needs.

Most budget e-scooters are not recommended for anything more than light recreational use, such as errands or short commutes on well-paved roads with minimal hills. For daily or frequent use, especially over rough terrain, a more powerful model would be better suited.

These budget models generally come equipped with an under-powered motor, similar to that on a shared scooter (below 300W), and offer little in the way of range – typically 8-10 miles. Top speed is usually capped at 15 mph, and they often feature just a single mechanical brake which generally provides weak braking capabilities. 

Despite their lower price points, some models in this category still offer outstanding features and performance for the money. Quality doesn’t always have to come with a hefty price tag!

See Editor’s Choices for Best Electric Scooters Under $400.

The budget commuter category of electric scooters brings a considerable upgrade in terms of power, range, speed, braking, general performance and handling.

You’ll be able to ride further and faster with these models, with speeds of up to 20 mph miles and tested ranges of up to 15 miles being common for this category. Furthermore, the braking system in these models has been upgraded to reduce the stopping distance significantly.

These scooters are better built and designed for daily commuting on smooth surfaces and have enough power to tackle moderate hills on your commute. At the same time, they remain lightweight, usually weighing below 40 lbs, making them easy to fold up and take with you anywhere.

This class of scooters also usually comes with powerful motors (with wattage ranging from 300W to 800W), making them reliable and responsive compared to their budget electric counterparts/shared Scooters. In addition, you will see the incorporation of suspension into some models.

A trend exclusive to this category is a mixed tire configuration with a front air-filled and a solid rear tire, providing the optimal trade-off between comfort and maintenance. All electric scooters up to $ are single-motor scooters, except, of course, the Unagi E500. You will see scooters with two or dual motors in the next category.

See RG Editor’s Choices for Best Electric Scooters Under $

This is where the fun really starts. All important performance metrics and features get massive improvements and most scooters in the category now have suspension. They often have larger batteries and motors than the budget commuter counterparts, allowing for longer range and higher top speeds.

Many of these scooters now come with motor power rated up to W and even dual motor configurations in some for improved acceleration and better hill-climbing capabilities. They typically boast top speeds of over 25 mph and a range of more than 20 miles per charge.

However, increased features and performance come at the cost of weight with many models tipping the scales over 40 lbs, making them less portable and will certainly give you a workout when carrying.

See RG Editor’s Choice for Best Electric Scooters Under $

If performance electric scooters are like luxury vehicles, extreme performance scooters are like race cars. This is where the best dual motor scooters are and where acceleration is. They are the best in most categories, including build quality, ride quality and performance. With this improved performance, no one expects portability in this category.

With dual motors capable of achieving speeds in excess of 40 mph, extended battery life for long-range rides of up to 40 miles, and top-notch suspension, these scooters leave little to be desired. In addition, many extreme-performance scooters also include hydraulically activated disc brakes to ensure greater stopping power at these higher speeds.

They are also equipped with large pneumatic tires and powerful motors. This, plus the suspension, makes them perfect for off-roading.

The construction screams quality and craftsmanship. The decks are usually larger than those on regular electric scooter models and have a higher level of build quality for improved longevity and performance. Materials used for these types of electric scooters are generally top notch as well, ensuring that riders receive one of the best possible experiences when using them.

In terms of portability, however, these extreme performance scooters typically fail due to their hefty weights – usually exceeding 70 lbs in most cases. As such, individuals who need the ability to fold and carry their electric scooter should make sure they’re comfortable carrying this much weight before making a purchase.

Beast electric scooters (sometimes known as racing or hyper scooters) offer an unmatched experience and are the pinnacle of electric scooter technology.These are the scooters that you’ll see all over YouTube because they attract a lot of attention, but you’ll rarely see them on the roads. Warning: these are not beginner scooters.

For those brave enough to take on the challenge of owning one, prices typically range between $4,000-$7,000 – so a hefty investment but no doubt worth it for anyone looking for an adrenaline rush!

At over 100 lbs, these scooters are certainly not portable. But what they lack in portability, they make up for with raw power and speed. They come equipped with powerful motors (3,000W- 7,000W) and battery capacities over Wh. This enables them to reach speeds of 50 mph or even higher, depending on the model, as well as have exceptional acceleration and hill-climbing abilities. With such powerful batteries, they also boast long ranges, with some models able to cover up to 50- 80 miles on a single charge.

The impressive performance capabilities of Beast Electric Scooters are complemented by their excellent braking systems, which include disc brakes for enhanced stopping power.

Overall, Beast Electric Scooters provide a truly unique riding experience that takes electric mobility to a whole new level and are worthy of any enthusiast’s collection – just be aware that these high-performance machines require a certain amount of expertise and skill to operate safely.

See RG Editor’s Choice for Fastest Electric Scooters.

When it comes to purchasing an electric scooter, the old adage holds true: you get what you pay for.

Generally speaking, higher-priced models provide features, performance, and quality that won’t necessarily be found in lower-priced options. The more money you spend on something, the greater its potential capabilities will tend to be. In other words, don’t expect to be getting any extreme beast scooter for $200

But that’s not to say that entry-level options aren’t a great purchase– after all, not everyone requires extreme performance.

If your budget is limited, an affordable electric scooter could still offer plenty of worthwhile features while still giving you a convenient and cheap way to commute. 

In the end, it’s important to achieve a good balance between functionality and cost–at a price of $400 the electric scooter should at least have: a speed of around 15mph, a range of greater than 10 miles, an IP rating and basic lighting as well as reliable braking for safety.

Pro Tip: You can use the filter feature in our comparison database to set min and max limits for the price to a budget range that suits your needs. This will return all scooter options available in that range.

Range refers to the distance a scooter can travel before it runs out of battery power. The range of your electric scooter will depend on various factors, including motor power, battery capacity, rider weight, scooter weight, weather, riding mode, and average speed.

To give consumers the most accurate and realistic range assessment, we perform rigorous real-world tests on every electric scooter we receive and display the data on our scooter database.

To ensure standardization and reliable results-our RG-certified range test is performed by the same rider on the same urban route with frequent stops, rough roads, and uphill climbs in the scooter’s highest performance mode. The 165 lb rider pushes the scooter to its limit, maxing out the throttle and riding until the battery dies completely.

There is no denying it, manufacturers have been known to overstate the range of their electric scooters. This is why we advise a cautious rule of thumb to err on the side of caution – take whatever they advertise and divide it by two. This is especially true given that the results from our electric scooter survey conducted in  showed that many vendors overstate the actual range of their scooters by up to 30%.

To ensure you find the right scooter for your needs, calculate the number of miles you will cover for your regular commute (to and from) and then look for a scooter that can deliver that same amount with a few extra miles left as a buffer. This should give you plenty of leeway in case of unexpected events.

You can’t think about range without talking about batteries. In regards to this, two elements come into play: brand and battery capacity.

Known brands such as LG, Panasonic, and Samsung tend to be more reliable and have longer expected lifespans than generic brands.

Additional reading:
What Are the Advantages of cheap long range electric scooter？

When it comes to capacity (the amount of power stored in each battery–typically measured in watt hours (Wh) ); the higher the battery capacity, the greater its range will be. To illustrate this point: the Minimotors Dualtron X Limited has a 5,040 Watt hour LG battery that allows it to reach 86.4 miles of tested range, while the Segway Ninebot Air T15’s branded battery only offers 4.2 miles due to its comparatively lower capacity of 144 Wh.

However, like all batteries, your battery capacity (and scooter range) will diminish as time goes by. Most batteries will maintain their integrity for at least 300 to 500 charging cycles, with the best batteries enduring up to  charging cycles before beginning to degrade.

Pro Tip: You can bring your charger with you or buy an extra charger to leave at your destination. Some high-performance scooters have dual charging ports, cutting charge time in half when using two chargers. You can also purchase an extra battery for scooters that have a removable battery configuration like the Anyhill UM-2, EMOVE RoadRunner, TurboAnt X7 Max, or Minimotor’s Dualtron Storm.

Portability is very important for scooters because it’s not just about folding the scooter up into a compact package, but also about moving it around when not in use. It is critical that you are capable of not just riding the scooter but also being able to carry or push it if necessary. 

 Most scooters with a reasonable range (>15 miles) will weigh over 25 lbs. Scooters far exceeding 30 lbs will be fairly difficult to carry for long durations, tough having a handle or shoulder strap can help bear the weight. 

Some scooters have extra wheels or a folded configuration that allow them to be rolled along like the compact, commuter-friendly Fluid Freeride Horizon (13 Ah). However, even with such features, remember that at some point, the scooters might have to be carried upstairs or lifted into a vehicle. Case in point, even the highly portable Glion Dolly has folded dimensions of 37 in by 12 in by 8 in and weighs 28 lbs, which can be awkward for some to carry. 

If you are in the market for recreational joyriding or beast mode off-roading and not focused on its portability, the weight is not as important a factor as build quality and top speed. But if you need an electric scooter for commuting to and from work daily, the vehicle you choose must be light enough and easy to transport. Every ounce counts, and those few pounds add up over time when you have to carry your electric scooter with you for every outing or over longer flights of stairs.

It’s recommended that the scooter should not exceed 30% of your body weight for you to handle it comfortably and with ease.

Just think about your commute: 

• Will you need to walk upstairs? 

• Does your destination have an elevator? 

• Do you have permission and space to store your scooter inside (primarily in workplaces)?

• Do you have alternate transportation when poor visibility and/or inclement weather occur? 

• Are you able to lift the scooter into a trunk? 

Some conditions, like rainy weather, may also call for you to take public transportation or a rideshare home. Most drivers will allow you to put your scooter in the trunk, but you still need to be able to maneuver it into the vehicle yourself.

Pro Tip: For comparison, the average weight of a household standup vacuum cleaner is 12 lbs to 18 lbs, and many have similar dimensions to large folded scooters. Alternatively, visit a sporting goods store and pick up a few dumbbells or kettlebells to test what weight you can comfortably manage.

You can check out our review on the Best Lightweight Electric Scooters currently available on the market 

When we think about scooters and their top speed, it’s natural to want the fastest ride possible. But most commuters really don’t need more than a max speed of 15 mph.

In fact, some municipalities have laws against going over 15 mph on electric scooters, and most restrict scooters from driving on pedestrian sidewalks.

And sure,15 mph might seem tame if you’re used to riding in cars, but in reality, it feels much faster on a scooter due to the smaller tire size and zippy acceleration capabilities. 

If you’re looking for a thrill and are interested in extreme performance scooters, look to the Dualtron X Limited from Minimotors. This electric scooter can hit speeds of up to 60 mph, so it definitely offers some serious power. But remember, with that kind of speed comes great responsibility. If you want to stay safe while getting your thrills, serious safety gear is an absolute must. 

Pro Tip: Always wear a helmet when riding your scooter at any speed.

The max load or max rider weight is the weight limit that the electric scooter can support. For most scooters, this limit ranges from 220 lbs to 300 lbs. If you weigh more than this, you’ll want to ensure you’re looking at scooters that can support your weight. Not only would exceeding the manufacturer’s specified weight limit be dangerous, but it could also void the terms of your warranty.

Keep in mind that even if the scooter is rated for your weight and you’re at the top of the limit, it will be slower and have less range compared to a lighter rider. Not only that, but it can also put an increased strain on your electric scooter’s motors, batteries, and other components, which can lead to premature wear and tear or even damage.

Also, consider if you’ll be carrying a backpack or anything else that will add to the overall weight the scooter will bear. While many models of electric scooters will be able to manage up to 220 lbs without major problems, riders who are above that weight should focus on finding a scooter with at least a 500-watt motor – as it will likely have sufficient power for your size and carry more load satisfactorily.

Pro Tip: You can filter the comparison database based on rider weight.

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