GoTrax are among the most popular makers of electric ‘rideables’, offering hoverboards, electric scooters and more. We have done several posts on GoTrax products in the past such as the full review of the GXL Electric Scooter and on their GoTrax Glider, which made it into our list of the 6 best electric scooters for adults. With 30 day returns, 90 day warranties and free shipping on all of their electric scooters, they offer reliable products with good value for the money at an entry level price. GoTrax has just released two brand new electric folding scooters, both perfectly suited for commuting alone or in conjunction with public transport. Read on for our full GoTrax XR and GoTrax XR Ultra review and side by side comparison.
Quick Look
The GoTrax XR and GoTrax XR Ultra are both great scooters for commuting; they are foldable, light enough to carry around and look great in the city. Both are designed to carry adults, and have been upgraded from the previous GXL commuter scooter. The XR Ultra sports a stronger motor and longer range than the XR, but the XR still makes a great option for people looking for their first commuter scooter. If you’ve been whizzing around on shared scooters and they’ve suddenly removed them from your city, or if you’ve never tried a scooter sharing service but want a new, efficient way of moving around the city the GoTrax XR and XR Ultra are two great options.
| GoTrax XR | GoTrax XR Ultra |
| 36v Battery 5.2aH | 36v LG Battery 7.0AH |
| 250 Watt Avg / 430 Watt Max Motor | 300 Watt Avg / 430 Watt Max Motor |
| 12 Miles per charge | 16 Miles per charge |
| 15.5mph | 15.5mph |
| 8.5″ Air filled tires | 8.5″ Air filled tires |
| Size – 43.3″ x 17.1″ x 14.6″ | Size – 43.3″ x 17.1″ x 14.6″ |
| Weight – 26.45LBS | Weight – 26.45LBS |
| Max Rider Weight – 220LBS | Max Rider Weight – 220LBS |
| Waterproof Rating – IP54 | Waterproof Rating – IP54 |
Features
The XR and XR Ultra are the best last mile solutions – the foldable scooters are light-weight, easy to carry and perfect for taking on public transport. Once you get to your destination, unfold the scooter, use the additional pin for safety that stops the scooter from accidently folding in on you and you’re on your way. The scooters are both very similar; you are paying a slightly higher price for the XR Ultra because of a stronger motor resulting in longer mileage (16 miles vs 12.5).
The XR and XR Ultra can be shipped anywhere in the US for free and offers warranties and guarantees as mentioned above; shipping to Europe is coming soon, but can currently be purchased through Amazon. The scooter comes almost fully assembled, but you do have to add the handlebars and wire through the brake lever cable. GoTrax provides all the tools and clear instructions, so assembly is not difficult, but if you’ve never fitted a brake cable it can be a little confusing at first. The scooter comes partially charged, which we love because you don’t have to wait to charge before your first use! The LED screen is bright and easy to read, shows your speed in MPH, gives you an indication of when you need to charge the battery, and lets you know what gear you’re in. The throttle is placed intuitively and it’s nice to have the throttle and regenerative brake handle on opposite sides of the scooter. The handlebar grips are also comfortable and if you’re travelling over ground that isn’t paved, it doesn’t wreak havoc on your body.
Design and Build Quality
When on sale (they currently are), these scooters are some of the cheapest on the market, but they certainly don’t feel that way when you’re riding them. The XR is currently on sale for $299 (normally $399), and the XR Ultra is on sale for $399 (normally $499), but the scooters feel sturdy and well-made when you’re riding them. As an upgrade from older models, GoTrax has added in a safety pin to stop scooters accidently folding in when you’re riding. There aren’t many options for colors; you won’t find any snazzy color schemes, but both the black and the grey color schemes are suitable for boardroom meetings and smart offices. The new, updated design is definitely more modern and clean-looking. The scooters come with a bell, as well as a handy red-hook that could be used for a bag, though even a small backpack feels too heavy and makes steering more difficult.
Both scooters have 8.5” air-filled tyres, making for a much more comfortable ride than electric scooters with solid tyres and can support riders up to 220 pounds – these scooters are certainly not flimsy. The rear disk braking system means braking is effective even in wet conditions, and the brakes are less likely to wear down due to excessive use than when just using a rear-foot brake.
The scooters have built in front and rear lights, that don’t require charging and are bright enough to see and be seen even on unlit roads, and a handy kick-stand that keeps you from having to constantly find a wall to lean them against.
Performance and Range
The scooters are both kick-start scooters, requiring a push-off to get started and both reach a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour. The XR can cover 12.5 miles on a single charge, while the XR Ultra can run for slightly longer and cover around 16 miles on one charge. They have two gears, with gear 1 limiting the speed of the scooter to 9 miles per hour, which is a great option if you have kids or less experienced riders using the scooter. The braking systems are regenerative, which means excessive braking (for example in busy cities) won’t necessarily drain all of your battery power. There is automatic cruise control built in, with intuitive controls; it’s activated after maintaining the same speed for 10 seconds and is interrupted when you break. There is no notification that cruise control has been turned on, which can be a problem if you are releasing the throttle in anticipation of slowing down, but the scooter speeds up to maintain the same speed.
What We Like About the GoTrax XR and XR Ultra
The braking system is fantastic and operates better than most other electric scooters, providing a safe ride in crowded, busy cities. The scooters are light enough to carry with one hand, easily fit in the back of a car, and are quick to fold-up. Both of these models are fantastic choices for commuter scooters and have been built with an ergonomic design. They are well-made, and almost ready to go straight out of the box. They have been built with commuting adults in mind, but as well as getting you where you need to go, they are a lot of fun to ride. These scooters offer everything you would need from an electric scooter at a favourable price point with great customer service features.
What We Don’t Like About the GoTrax XR and XR Ultra
The range of the scooters could be a little longer, as we found ourselves having to charge the scooter most nights, and while the charger isn’t huge, it is a pain to carry it around and find a charging point (note: you can buy additional charges if needed to leave at the office). If there are a lot of hills where you plan on using the scooters, we would consider the XR Ultra the better option as it moves up hills quite a bit faster, however it seems that both models benefit from a manual kick when riding up steep hills. The scooter also doesn’t currently ship to Europe through their website, so customers in Europe don’t receive the same customer support and guarantees as customers in North America.
Final Thoughts
If you’re only looking to spend up to $400 dollars on a scooter the XR or XR Ultra are both great options. The scooters have been well-designed, built to last through daily commutes, and have minimal yet functional controls. Everything feels solid when riding, the tyres make it a comfortable experience, the size of the scooter platform and length of handlebars fit most adults well, and the portability makes it viable to take on the train and into the office. The scooter is all around very safe, with pneumatic tyres, a bell for warning pedestrians, built in front-lights, a rear reflector, and a dual braking system including a regenerative and disc brake. If you’re looking for a scooter to get started on, something that is going to be used for a short commute, or to make up the last mile to work, we don’t think there is currently a better scooter out there for under $400 dollars. The difference between the XR and XR Ultra is minimal, but the XR is probably the better option if you know you’ll be travelling over 12 miles a day, and are in a place with lots of hills, as the more powerful 430 Watt Max motor on the XR Ultra is able to carry you further and is more capable of powering you up hills.
Check the latest price on the GOTRAX website.
Check the latest price on Amazon.
Read More on AltRiders
- 7 Best Electric Scooters with seats
- 8 Best Folding Electric Scooters for Adults
- Are Electric Scooters for Adults Street Legal?
- The 10 Fastest Electric Scooters You Can Buy in 2020
GoTrax XR/GoTrax XR Ultra
Pros
- Portability
- Brakes
Cons
- Range
- Performance
FYI – my XR Ultra died after 3 days of easy use. The company’s support has been slow to respond, so this thing has turned into a statue in my garage. Each time I write to them it takes three business days for them to respond, and they only send requests for more info from me: open the machine and take pics and send them back, and verify I am under warranty (even though I ordered directly from GoTrax and they have the order number in my support request!) Now they tell me I will need a new console. I guess I have to wait more? And I suppose I’ll have to do the work myself to fix it? Maybe that’d be OK in a few years after I had gotten good use out of it, but after 3 days? Yeah it’s cheap. I guess there’s a reason for that.
Hi, sorry to hear that you are having a bad experience. Even if this Scooter is on the cheaper side and one should not expect a high end premium product, you certainly should not have to deal with such issues after such a short period of time! We hope that this will be resolved soon. Let us know how that goes.