Electric scooters have seen a huge spike in popularity recently, long gone are the days when an electric scooter was purely seen as a kids toy. Now they’re just as good a buy for adults looking to join in on the fun or try a new way of commuting to and from work. In this guide we’ll take you through everything you need to know about the best electric scooters for adults and hopefully help you decide which e-scooter is right for you.
There’s a good reason why motorised scooters, and especially electric scooters have seen such a rise in popularity. They’re a lot of fun, environmentally friendly and in the long run could save you heaps of money on commuting expenses. They’re a great alternative to a car or even a push bike, and some can even be folded down and stored in your bag. With speeds of 20 mph or more and ranges of over 20 miles, the right electric scooter could be just the toy or public transport alternative you’ve been looking for.
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Our Top 3 Picks
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What to Look for in an Electric Scooter
Ultimately the choice of electric riding scooters is down to you. Think why you’re actually buying one and what you need in a scooter. Is it for commuting, just for fun or do you need to take it off road? How portable does it need to be? Will you be taking it on any public transport or storing it at work? How comfortable do you need it to be? Will standing up like a traditional kick scooter be too uncomfortable or will a seat be a needless cost? What performance do you require? How far do you need to go on a single charge and how long do you have before you need to charge it again? And finally how much are you willing to spend? Can you find a scooter that meets all your requirements and comes within your budget? Hopefully this guide will cover everything you need to know to help you answer all these questions.
Portability
If you’re looking to use your scooter for the commute then portability will be very important. Some electric scooters are able to be folded away and stored easily. Some also even come with storage bags and unique ways to take your e-scooter with you when you’re not riding it, such as carry handles.
The weight and size of the scooter will also play an important factor when thinking of portability. You want it to be as light as possible if you’re thinking of taking it on public transport or will have to carry it flights of stairs.
Riding Style and Comfort
The comfort is very dependant on the riding style of the scooter. The least comfortable but most convenient are the electric kick scooters. These are your standard scooters with a step through frame where both feet are placed on the deck. These make great commuter scooters. If you’re looking for a little more comfort and features, then a scooter with a seat could be perfect for you. These come in many varieties from scooters with very simple seats to fully fledged electric mopeds.
It’s also important to take not of the maximum weight that e scooters can take. Most scooters can comfortably take weights below 200lbs with some of the electric moped scooters being able to take 300lbs and more. Be aware that more weight generally means more money.
Performance
There are a few things to take into account when thinking of the performance of a motorized scooter. We think the most important stats to be looking for are speed, range and charge time.
The top speed of your scooter will depend on what you want to use it for. If you’re looking for just fun then the scooter with the highest top speed will probably be perfect for you. Likewise, if you’re looking for a scooter for commuting a top speed will be important but shouldn’t be a priority over sportability or range. Electric scooters can generally reach speeds of 15-20 miles per hour, with some reaching much more.
The range of the scooter is important for whatever you’re looking to use the scooter for. This can also vary greatly, not only between brands and models, but your environment and temperatures play a huge role. For example, if you live in a cold hilly area, you’re not likely to get the advertised range from the scooter, so it might be worth investing in one with a better advertised range.
On a similar note to the range of the scooter, the charge time is also incredibly important. Some scooters can take 10 hours to fully charge which may be incredibly inconvenient. Others can charge in just a 1.5 hours, which is much better.
Budget
Realistically a good electric scooter will cost you around $500. Better ones can set you back more like $1000 and some of the very best ones can be $2000 or more. If you’re on a budget there are some decent ones at around the $250 mark but you’ll have to compromise on some features or quality.
Of course all of this is very dependant on your needs and wants. We’ll give you the best options we know of and then you decide if those scooters are right for you.
Best Electric Kick Scooters for Adults
Mercane WideWheel
The Mercane WideWheel is one of our top rate products for a good reason. It’s one of the most fun, stable and efficient e-scooter experiences we’ve ever had. One thing that stood out was just how well the specs convert into the real life. For example, the top speed of around 20 mph for the 500W, single motor version is definitely doable. Likewise, the maximum range of around 15 miles is also very achievable. The Widewheel is built incredibly well, with a solid base, rigid, but flexible wheels, and a range of features that are normally found on premium models.
But what really stands out with the WideWheel is just how fun it is, how easy it is to ride and the stability of the ride. The controls are basic, having a single button and a few lights to indicate the riding mode and battery life. Whilst this might be seen a negative to some we think it adds to the hop-on-and-ride ability the WideWheel has. The wide wheels and suspension give a brilliantly smooth and stable ride that makes this scooter one of the easiest for beginners and experienced riders alike. The rear disc brake works very well and when you hit the power you’re met with quick acceleration which is more than enough to get the blood pumping. It does have a couple of downsides but for less than $1,000 we really can’t complain and think that this is by far one of the best electric riding scooters for adults on the market.
Check the price on Fluid Free Ride’s Website.
GoTrax Glider
The GoTrax Glider is an electric scooter designed for both kids and adults. It’s good looking with additional features such as a small display screen to show battery life and speed and a front facing LED headlight. It has a maximum rider weight of 264 lbs and can comfortably accommodate riders up to 6 ft 5 inches. The top speed is 17 mph and it has roughly a 9 mile range. The GoGtrax Glider also has a two separate braking systems. One is a hand controlled brake and the other is a foot activated slowing system that similar to traditional kick scooters for backup. It can even be folded down for easy transport or storage.
For the amount of features this e-scooter can be found at very reasonable prices. We love that it can be folded up and think the performance matches the additional features. We wish the battery could withstand more charging cycles as people have reported it losing power after a few months of use. But for the features and performance at such a great price, we really can’t argue. This is definitely the best electric stand up scooter for adults on the market. The GoTrax Glider also made it onto our list of the best electric scooters for kids because of its user versatility.
Check the latest price on the GoTrax website.
Razor E300
Read our full Razor E300 Review for a much more in depth look at the pros and cons of this electric scooter.
The Razor E300 is sort of a mixture between a kids scooter and an adult scooter. It has a maximum rider weight of 220 lbs and is just as comfortable for a fully grown 6ft adult to ride as it is a child. It has a maximum speed of 15 mph and up to 40 minutes of continual use. The E300 uses a chain driven motor and a twist grip acceleration control with a hand operated rear brake. It has a super sized deck and extra wide pneumatic tires or extra comfort and control.
What we like about the Razor E300 is it’s value for money. You can easily find this scooter for less than $200 dollars and yet it still has a great top speed and should give you enough range for quick commutes. The beefy tires and wide deck also make it surprisingly good off road. Despite it not being the best looking scooter, we’d still highly recommend it due to it being inexpensive, fun and fairly practical.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Electric Scooters with a Seat for Adults
If electric scooters with seats is something that you’re interested in, we’ve recently done an entire post on the best electric scooters with seats where we take a much deeper look at what is on offer.
OjO Electric Scooter
The OjO Electric Scooter is a striking example of what the possible future of electric personal transportation could hold. Designed and built in Santa Monica it fits perfectly between a standard kick scooter and a full sized motorized scooter/moped. It’s fully legal to be ridden in bike lanes and doesn’t require a licence. We recommend checking local riding laws and regulations before buying though.
The OjO has a huge range of very interesting features. For example, it has a fully aluminium chassis that is fully waterproof with a headlight, tail light, horn and both front and rear disc brakes and full suspension. The motor is a 500W motor hub motor that allows the rider to reach speeds of 20 mph and the battery allows a range of roughly 25 miles on a single charge. It also has a patented onboard charger with a retractable cord and plug that can fit any 110V wall socket. It also has a non glare screen for all the information you need when riding and even two waterproof Bluetooth speakers and a USB port for charging your phone.
We think the OjO sets a benchmark for new electric scooters with its ingenuity, design and feature set. As you probably expect, it costs a lot more than the scooters we’ve mentioned so far and generally will cost about 10 times more than the Razor E300. However, we think this is actually very well priced as it has so many benefits over traditional mopeds. For example, you can basically fuel it for free, it’s much more environmentally friendly and you don’t need any licence to run it.
For a more detailed look at the Ojo check out our full review.
Check the latest price on Amazon or Ojo’s Website
Razor EcoSmart Metro
Next on the list is another Razor. The Razor EcoSmart Metro is a unique and well priced alternative to something like the OjO. It’s a much simpler design, having a bamboo deck and a simple white frame giving it a vintage look and feel. It uses a 500W extra high torque motor and a variable speed throttle control system to help it reach its top speed of 18 mph. It is said to have enough battery life for 40 minutes of continual use which would roughly be 12 miles. The maximum weight capacity is 220 lbs and it weighs 67 lbs. It also has a few nifty little features, such as an ultra padded seat and adjustable handlebars and seat. It also has a kickstand and a detachable rear basket.
If you’re looking for a very practical and simple electric scooter that’s efficient and eco friendly then the Razor EcoSmart Metro is a great choice. The design might not be to your taste but we think it has a certain charm to it. Add this to the practical design and surprising amount of features and you have a great e-scooter. Just to top it off the price of the EcoSmart Metro is just above the basic electric kick scooters we reviewed before, which makes this one of the best value for money scooters available today.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Best Folding Electric Scooter for Adults
Glion Dolly
We have a full Glion Dolly review where we breakdown everything you need to know about the Glion Electric Scooter.
The Glion Dolly is a premium scooter designed specifically for adults and is aimed at the commuting market. It started life as a Kickstarter project, which can be found here if you want to look at it. It’s an electric stand up scooter that has the ability to be folded down and pulled along like a suitcase for easy commuting. The design is patented and also includes the ability for it to be stood upright so you can store it anywhere you like with ease. It has a 250W DC brushless motor with an electronic anti lock maintenance free braking system. This allows it to reach speeds of 15 mph. The battery is large enough for a range of around 15 miles and has a full charge time of 3.25 hours. What makes this battery really stand out is the fact that it can be fully charged and discharged over 1000 times, which is said to be 3 to 5 years, before it needs to be replaced or a new scooter bought. The Glion Dolly is also incredibly light, at just 28 lbs as it’s made from an aircraft grade aluminum alloy.
We love the Glion Dolly. It’s incredibly well made and has some ingenious design features. It’s fun and easy to use, store and transport. It’s fairly well priced, generally coming in at right around the recommended spend point we mentioned earlier. We think that it’s great value for money and that makes it one of the best folding electric scooter on the market at the moment and if you’re looking for a commuting scooter this might be the perfect one for you.
If you’re interested in folding electric bikes we have the perfect post for you – Best Folding Electric Bike Reviews for 2018.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
URB-E Pro GT Folding Electric Scooter
The URB-E is one of the most interesting and inventive electric scooters we’ve ever seen. It comes to you from a company who’s CTO was previously a lead engineer at Porsche. This product is made in America – specifically California – and has a frame that is built with aircraft aluminum and carbon fibre, so it’s lightweight, coming in at just 35lbs, and you can throw it around without worrying about damaging it too much. The URB-E is great for your commute to work or just for fun regardless of the terrain. It has a powerful motor, 10” pneumatic tires perfect for traction, amazing torque and a coilover shock suspension system.
Read More: Best Off Road Electric Scooter Reviews
Whilst the unusual shape may take some time to get used to, when you master it it becomes one of the most fun scooters on the list. The ability for it to ride off road just as easily as it works on tarmac means you can easily cut off time from practically any commute or enjoy whizzing around a park or a field just as easily as you would the road. The URB-E has a range of around 20 miles and a quick charge time so you’ll never be without your URB-E for long. The only negative we can see is the price, but for such as well constructed and versatile e-scooter we think this is very fair.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
How do Electric Scooters Work?
Electric scooters are actually fairly simple devices. They are usually powered by a small electric motor that powers the wheels and propels the scooter forward. These are likely to be hub motors. A hub motor is a motor that is placed in the hub of the wheel of the scooter and will drive a combination of the front and back wheels.
The motors are run from an on board battery that is likely to be a Lithium battery of some kind and can be charged from the mains and sometimes gains a little charge back when the scooter brakes – this is called regenerative braking.
That’s about it for the basics of how an e-scooter works. Some scooters will also come with additional features such as headlights or even USB sockets for charging your phone. These will be simple connected to the main battery and will be powered from that.
Are Electric Scooters legal?
We have a dedicated post on the rules and regulations of electric scooters that goes into much more detail than than we have here. So, for a more in depth look be sure to check out that post as well.
The laws and regulations surrounding electric scooters and other forms of alternative transportation are very dependent on where you live. We’ll try and give you a quick idea of what to expect in some of the more popular areas for electric scooters.
Disclaimer: The following information does not constitute legal advice and is here as a guide only. The information may not be current or comprehensive and ultimately it is down to you to ensure you are obeying the laws in your area.
Is it legal to ride electric scooters in the USA?
California
In California the term they recognise is “motorised scooter”. This is classed as any vehicle that has a deck, handlebars, an electric motor and is designed to be stood up when ridden. These are not classed as a motor vehicles and therefore do not need licence and registration.
Electric scooters can only be operated on a trail, bicycle path, or bikeway. You are not allowed to operate an e-scooter on the sidewalk. They can be used on roads that do not have bicycle lanes as long as the speed limit for that road is no more than 25 mph. Unless turning left or passing, the scooter must be ridden close to the right hand curb. The driver must be at least 16 years old and must wear properly fitted bicycle helmet meeting regulated safety standards.
A lot of new electric scooter start ups are based in California so it makes sense that their laws are the one of the most lenient.
New York
On the other end of the spectrum is New York. The laws are quite a bit more strict in New York. Electric bikes and scooters are completely illegal for use in public. That doesn’t stop people from doing it though.
Wherever you live, we highly recommend checking your state’s DMV website to find the exact rules and regulation you have to abide by.
Is it legal to ride electric scooters in Canada?
Electric bikes and scooters are generally legal in Canada. These vehicles are also known as power assisted bicycles, electric scooters, e-bikes and e-scooters, and the laws for them are very similar to traditional bicycles. They require no license, plates or insurance to own or operate. In Canada, these motorised bicycles and scooters are classified under federal law and each province can make minor changes such as age requirements and each municipality can make changes as to where they are permitted to be used.
Again we recommend you check for exactly where you live, especially if in a city, but we generally expect you to be able to ride your electric scooter freely.
Is it legal to ride electric scooters in the UK?
The laws in the UK are are technically a little stricter. No electric scooter is street legal. You can use electric scooters on private land but when it comes to using them in public things gets a little stricter. As they have no pedals they aren’t able to be used on the pavement and as they low powered they can’t be used on the road.
With that said, if you’re riding responsibly and respect pedestrians and other road uses we find it unlikely that you will be stopped by the police.
For a much more thorough breakdown of the legalities of riding electric scooters, head over to our Complete Guide to Electric Scooters post.
If you have any other questions or queries then feel free to comment below or connect with us on our Facebook.
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