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For either recreation or
transportation, electric scooters offer major advantages over the most
popular gas-powered scooters:
-
Electric scooters are allowed on
public transit (bus/train/plane) whereas gas-powered scooters are
prohibited.
- Noise and air pollution of
gas-powered scooters is eliminated.
- Electric motors provide quick starts
and hill-climbing without the delay of gas engine "ramp up".
- Although often purchased as a "toy",
electric scooters often serve as transportation - whether for local errands or
when youngsters go to college.
We believe that the benefits of
electric drive far outweigh the speed and distance advantages of gas-powered
scooters. (Who really wants to be on a scooter for more than a few miles?) If
you're still undecided, we offer a few questions to clarify your thinking.
If you are considering electric
transportation, read what one scooter owner says:
"I bought the Zappy mainly for fun,
and that it is. It is definitely one cool little scooter. Personally though,
if I was going to spend money for a transportation vehicle, I would opt for
one of the electric motor add-on kits for my bicycle. It would be faster, more
comfortable, and if an assist is needed on a hill (or you run out of 'juice'),
it seems more natural to pedal a bike than kick the scooter. And, generally,
the bicycle add-on kits cost less. Bikes, with a rack or trailer, can easily
carry extra items."
How e-scooters work
is by adding a motor and battery to an adult kick scooter. A switch to control
speed (on/off or variable) and bicycle hand brakes are mounted on the handlebar.
Batteries generally fit beneath your feet. Due to wide variety of scooters
available and the minimal legislation regarding them, their speeds and range
vary dramatically. Speeds start below 10 mph for some inexpensive imports to
over 30 mph for the Badsey EMX Racer. Range varies from a few miles to 20 miles.
Some have motor-protecting circuitry that requires your scooter to be moving
before the assist starts. When the throttle switch is released, some scooter
designs allow the motor to coast or "freewheel" like when you stop pedaling a
regular bike. Simpler designs don't freewheel, and the drag of the idle motor
slows the scooter.
Scooter users enjoy easy
acceleration, hill climbing, and cutting through headwinds. Rechargeable
batteries, usually sealed lead-acid (SLA), provide power for the electric drive
motors. Charging costs less than 5¢ of electricity from common 110 VAC wall
outlets. Charging times vary widely due to charger output and battery capacity,
but you can expect to recharge in less than 8 hours with most stock
chargers. Quick chargers are available.
How e-scooters
perform depends on many factors. The most important factors are
listed here with the (generally speaking) most important at the top:
-
terrain (number and incline of
hills)
- battery size (measured in
volt-amp-hours)
- e-scooter speed (range at 10 mph is
4 times as far as at 20 mph)
- wind conditions (going 10 mph
against a 10 mph headwind feels like 20 mph to the scooter)
- correct tire inflation
(under-inflated tires slow you down)
- weight of rider
- motor/controller/drive system
efficiency
As you can see, rider weight and system
efficiency rank near the bottom. The size of your battery pack and
the speed you go both make a big difference in how far you
go.
All else being equal, range
is a function of either 1) battery capacity (amp-hours X volts) or 2) speed and
ease of recharging (high-power chargers provide lots of miles in less than one
hour). There is a close relationship between battery capacity (A/hrs) and
both weight and physical size (total volume). Generally speaking, the
bigger the battery, the greater its capacity. For hill-climbing, expect
about 3 feet of elevation gain for every volt-amp-hour. For example, a
Currie Flyer with a 24-volt, 10 amp-hour battery pack will take you up about 720
feet (3 feet X (24 X 10)).
All else being equal, speed
is a function of motor (watt rating) and controller. Most scooters are
capable of higher performance characteristics than the controller
allows.
Regenerative braking doesn't
yield much "juice" back into the battery. Even hi-tech regen on electric
automobiles regains less than 10% of the original charge. Therefore, given
a choice of either regen or freewheeling, you will get more range with
freewheeling - unless you have a very hilly route. Some scooter designs,
however, effectively use regen for slowing/braking.
We recommend you get a scooter with at least twice the range you
usually expect to ride.
Styles of
e-scooters.
From among dozens of available electric
scooters, here are three representative examples: the Zappy, the Flyer, and the
Voloci.
The
Zappy, from ZAP, can carry a rider 4-5 miles at 10-12 mph. For
most of us, that's enough to get to the video store, the ATM, and some food
places. Often quicker than using a car, it's almost always more fun. Folded, it
easily fits under the seat of a bus or train for easy commuting. Designed to be
easily rolled around when folded (see photo), at 36 pounds it's light enough to
carry "on board" as luggage. Thus, it blends extremely well with transportation
alternatives: bus, train, subway, light rail, aircraft, taxi, shuttle, and car
pooling. Charging requires less than 10 hours with the included charger, less
with an optional fast charger. The handlebar height can be adjusted, so your
Zappy fits everyone in the family (except those 6'2" or taller).
The Phat Flyer, from Currie Technologies, provides 5-8 mile
range and 15 mph speeds at the expense of portability. At 48 lbs. and a folded
height of 24", the Flyer is more like a bicycle when combined with transit. It's
also more like a bike in speed, handling, and "feel". With larger wheels and
chain drive, it handles off-road and wet/icy conditions better than most
scooters. Aftermarket products allow for speed, range and comfort
improvements.
The eGO, from eGO Vehicles, looks and feels more like a
moped. The eGO Cycle comes
with the same safety equipment as a moped (powerful headlight, turn signals and
brake light). Precision tooled T6000 aircraft-grade aluminum is precisely
aligned and TIG welded into an incredibly strong yet arrestingly beautiful
monocoque chassis with room inside to hold batteries, electronics, and drive
components. With the onboard smart charger and 70 lbs. of batteries, the
total weight is 120 lbs. Because it accepts bicycle components, you can
easily add a trailer for hauling kids or groceries. Other stock features
include selectable performance modes, quick-swap battery pack, range and
state-of-charge indicators and a keyed ignition for added security.
Best Electric
Scooters
Scooters we rate "Best Buys"
offer superior value resulting from a combination of factors:
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:
BEST
BUYS (click for introduction and
comparison chart):
"Bargain Buys"
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's likely land-fill material.
Selecting your e-scooter.
Although the "Best" list
above offers our favorites, there are many quality e-scooters
available.
Choose your preferred
method of selecting a scooter:
-
By
application: shopping, commuting, recreation, combined with public
transit, etc.;
- By price: under
$500, under
$1000, under
$2000
- By computer
questionaire: let the computer select appropriate scooters for you based
on terrain, need for a seat, range, speed, portability, and
price;
- By comparing
features such as speed, range (under different conditions), ride quality,
hill climbing, brakes, etc.
If greater speed/range
modifications are important to you, consider Currie (speed/range) and HYC
(range) scooters.
Find in-depth reviews on
most of these scooters at V is for
Voltage.
Testing, riding &
buying e-scooters
For each electric scooter
listed on this site, we offer a way to purchase; just follow the link(s) at the
end of the scooter's description. Those particular dealers we list are
trustworthy and provide good customer service. (If you find that's
not the case, please contact us so we can make appropriate
adjustments.)
For most people, a "name"
product is often your best entry into the world of electric vehicles. Knowing
that a company has been in business for several years, offers customer-tested
products, and will likely be there in the future with parts and upgrades to keep
your investment rolling makes a big difference. Check our list of "Best Buys" above. Generally, a low-priced unknown product
with little or no backing will become difficult or impossible to maintain.
And sooner rather than later.
Find a retailer near you who
offers test rides. Purchasing an electric scooter from a
local retailer generally guarantees good service. Though far from complete, our
list of
retailers is a good place to
start. For those who live in the San Francisco Bay Area, we list local LEV dealers along
with alternatives and tools to avoid driving.
For bargain hunters, there's
an alternative to buying cheap imports from big box retailers or on-line
vendors. Buy a quality used scooter -- or a cheap one that you plan to
upgrade. Here are some places to look:
Safety Rules
when Riding Scooters:
Diagnose and
fix electric scooters.
First, distinguish between the
scooter's mechanical and electrical systems. If you're having problems
with mechanical parts (tires, brakes, frame, etc.), your local bike shop can
probably help.
If the problem is electrical, you
can:
E-scooter
enhancements.
Accessories - lights, fast chargers,
trailers, etc. - are available for many electric scooters from www.EVdeals.com.
If you want to modify your scooter to
improve performance, we recommend that you educate yourself first.
You'll find basic theory on these
topics and more at SDscooters.com:
For in-depth discussions of
particular modifications, see V is for Voltage.
If you're lucky enough to own one of
the following scooters, you can click/link to learn more:
Currie
Flyer Currie
F-18 ZAP Zappy.
If not, check out the online electric scooter users group - especially the
archives which are searchable for your keyword interests. Do-It-Yourself
folks who want to make major modifications may want to start by delving into
motors, controllers, batteries and gearing at our D-I-Y introduction.
Research/market/sell
e-scooters.
Any company entering the
manufacturing/distribution end of this industry will find much to ponder from
CycleElectric. They offer publications, books, reports, and articles on
electric bikes from an international perspective:
CycleElectric International Consulting
Group
PMB 145 13401-9 Summerlin
Rd.
Ft. Myers, FL 33919,
USA.
Phone +1 - 941 - 410 -
5187
Fax +1 - 941 - 274 -
0264
http://www.cycleelectricusa.com/en/publications.html
Electric Scooter Works
offers reliability and quality assurance consulting services to manufacturers.
Contact Herb Beck at 408-268-4421 or herbbeck@aol.com.
Retailers will find our dealer introduction helpful.
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