My 2019 review of electric scooters
*See here for the 2020 update!
No doubt 2018 was the year of the electric scooters. Apart from the bigger players in the shared scooter space (Bird, Lime, and now Uber & Lyft), there were several new direct-to-consumer scooter companies launched. Over the last 6 months I’ve ridden almost a dozen, owned several of them myself, and had a few break down on me along the way — So I wanted to take my findings and create an unbiased review for consumers looking to purchase a scooter for themselves this year.
In order to not make this too overwhelming, I’m going to limit this to only the 6 different models I’ve tested— many of which are popular brands you’ve probably already heard of if you’re reading this. These scooters all have original designs and patents, most in the $400–$600 range.
Before we dive in on the pros/cons of each model, let’s get the main specs out of the way. Prices tend to fluctuate on these, so I’ll include the purchase links in the next section that will contain up to date pricing.
An important thing to note is that for all scooters, the advertised range never holds up in real world scenarios. That’s because the range stated on websites is assuming optimal conditions: flat/smooth surface, no wind, moderate size rider, and an average speed less than the maximum.
For each scooter I test rode, I tried to use it under normal commuting conditions. Meaning the speed would fluctuate up to the maximum based on starts / stops (traffic lights) and long interrupted stretches in bike lanes, but with little uphill / downhill riding. I think this is a fair way to assess a “true” range, since most users are going to want to go up to the top speed when they can.
Let’s see how they compare.
GoTrax GXL $449
250W motor, 158 Wh battery. Light on specs but good on value, the GoTrax is a solid beginner scooter for those looking for a short range commuter. While I wasn’t a huge fan of their first version given that it had only an electric brake (which generally have less stopping power when you need to slow down fast), the newer v2 (while $100 more expensive) features a hand / disc brake for sturdy braking.
GoTrax is based in US, and generally has very responsive customer support, but I’ve heard issues of customers having to pay for their own return shipping when there is an mechanical issue with the scooter itself.
Pros: Minimal design, pneumatic tires, affordable price.
Cons: Low battery capacity, no tail light, heavier than similar scooters at 31lbs.
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 12 mph)
- 7.7 mile range
- 15 mph max speed
Warranty: 30 day return, 90 day limited warranty.
Swagtron Swagger 5 $349
250W motor, 158 Wh battery. While the swagtron gets a bad rep for knocking off the Xiaomi design, it’s one of the cheapest and most well marketed options out there so I decided to include it for readers thinking about buying. Overall, the quality seemed decent when I rode it, but the range definitely was not as advertised.
For those that care about a paired smartphone app, the Swagger 5 has one — although I don’t see a compelling use case for downloading and using it.
Pros: Since the design is very similar to the M365 you can share many accessories. It’s also one of the lighter models out there at 26.5 lbs.
Cons: Max speed quickly degrades when not on a full charge.
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 10 mph)
- 7.2 mile range
- 16.8 mph max speed
Warranty: 30 day return, option to purchase 1 year warranty.
Xiaomi M365 $599
250W motor, 280 Wh battery. One of the originals and longest on the market. There are probably over a hundred reviews on this one out there, so I won’t go into too much detail. You really can’t go wrong with this one if you’re looking for something customizable, and with a pretty solid range. However, support is notoriously bad in the US when things go wrong (which can happen), and shouldn’t be surprising for such a large company and one that is based out of China.
Pros: While the Swagger 5 and GoTrax come with 158 Wh batteries, the M365 has a 280 Wh battery for longer range riding.
Cons: Tires can be prone to flats in city riding, and inner tubes are difficult to replace. A lot of these ship from Çhina, mine took over a month to arrive after I ordered it.
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 10 mph)
- 11.3 mile range
- 16.3 mph max speed
Warranty: 30 day return, 1 year limited warranty.
Inokim Quick 3 $1299
350W motor, 374 Wh battery. Designed by an Israeli company (but manufactured in China like most scooters) with a focus on quality and durability. It shows in the price. If you want something a little bigger and with a longer range, and are okay with the additional weight, this might be for you. The scooter has wide 10" tires, making for a smoother ride on bumpy roads. Not that riding 2 on a scooter is recommended, but if you were to do this might be the best choice.
Pros: Battery life, floorboard size, durability
Cons: Bulky to carry, significantly more expensive than most models.
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 11 mph)
- 14 mile range
- 15.5 mph max speed
Warranty: 14 day return, 1 year limited warranty.
Levy Electric $479
350W motor, 230 Wh battery. A good balance of power and battery life, the Levy scooter is one of the few on the market in the $400 to $600 range that has a 350W motor, great if you want something that can handle inclines better than the M365. It also is one of the only scooters I’ve seen that has a swappable battery pack.
Overall this is one of my top picks apart from the Xiaomi — but like most others, the range suffers if you are maxing out the speed (especially with the 350W motor), but it uses a high quality Panasonic battery with a charge time of only 2–3 hours. The company is also based out of NYC and generally has very responsive customer support (likely because they are still small and less well known)
Pros: Motor power, swappable battery, sleek design
Cons: Tubeless tires can be harder to replace if you get a puncture. More powerful motor means battery range will be impacted at top speed.
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 12 mph)
- 8.7 mile range
- 17.3 mph max speed
Warranty: 14 day return, 1 year limited warranty.
300W motor, 187 Wh battery. Another popular model, the Ninebot is used by many fleet operators and has a durable design. The major drawback is solid rubber tires, which can make city riding a lot more uncomfortable, although it does have a front suspension shock to make the bumps a bit more bearable.
The scooter comes with a fairly functional app for real-time as well as historical data, and also lets you control the colored lighting surrounding the deck. Similar to the Levy, the battery is stored in the neck of the scooter, which I personally prefer as it pushes the center of gravity forward on the scooter and can feel more stable for some riders.
Pros: Easy to fold, 300W motor offers more power, ability to upgrade battery.
Cons: Solid tires, no disk brake
Real world performance (Based on 165 lb rider, moderately flat surface at avg speed of 12 mph)
- 8.2 mile range
- 16 mph max speed
Warranty: 30 day return, 1 year limited warranty.
