The main concern that people have when deciding if they will or won’t get an electric scooter is the range or, simply put: how far can they travel on an electric scooter?
While the answer depends on the model, battery, speed, weather, rider’s weight, and type of terrain you are riding on, you can travel between 6 and 25 miles on an average electric scooter.
Who thought electric scooters will become an important mean of transportation and, more than that, accepted by adults? I certainly did not and saw these little things like kid’s toys.
However, the reality is that, in my humble opinion, this is currently the most practical means of transportation in a crowded city. Lightweight, foldable, and small you can get to work quickly, avoiding all the traffic jams or get to the nearest public transportation station using them.
Even if you use them for a “last-mile” or for a full ride, we will explore how much can you travel on an average electric scooter and how to improve that range if you want to.
>>> Check out our article about the best electric scooter accessories here <<<
Carrying the charger with you is not a big issue as most of them are small and weigh less than 1 pound, but why bother if you have enough power for the day?
As you will see, the power length and price tag go together when talking about electric scooters. I got the most popular electric scooters and their power range specs from Amazon’s website. Also, I listed the current price. While this is not completely reliable as it changes permanently, it proves the point of relation between price and battery power.
Here are the most popular electric scooters and their power range:
| Electric Scooter's Model | Range in KM | Range in Miles | Price ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOTRAX GXL Commuting Electric Scooter | 20 | 12 | $ 300 |
| Swagtron City Commuter Electric Scooter | 10-20 | 6-12 | $ 349.99 |
| E-twow USA USCOOTERS ECO Model | 26 | 16 | $ 630 |
| NANROBOT X4 | 57 | 35 | $ 650 |
| NANROBOT D4+High Speed | 72 | 45 | $ 1289 |
| Razor Power Core E100 Kids | 60 minutes of continuous use | 60 minutes of continuous use | $ 140 |
| Felimoda Electric Scooter | 29 | 18 | $ 240 |
| XINAO NANROBOT D5+High Speed | 80 | 50 | $ 1550 |
| USCOOTERS Booster Plus S+ | 35 | 21 | $ 1050 |
| Mile Intelligent Electric Scooter | 30 | 18.6 | $ 400 |
| Xiaomi Mija M365 | 30 | 18.5 | $ 400 |
Declared power range conditions
Electric scooters’ power range is computed considering some basic assumptions:
- a 165 lbs (or 75kg) adult
- cruise control speed of around 12 miles per hour (or 20km per hour)
- no or little wind (less than 2 meters per second or 6.5 foot per second)
- dry and flat terrain
Real conditions can be different depending on your body and the area where you live. The power range will certainly not be exactly the same as declared by the manufacturer.
What’s the electric scooter with the longest range?
The electric scooter with the longest range at this moment is the EMOVE Cruiser Dual, which has an advertised range of 62 miles under average conditions.
The second place is the NANROBOT RS2, which has an advertised range of 45 miles under average conditions.
There are other electric scooters that can go 40 miles, but they have one thing in common: the price. Because most of the electric scooter’s price is made by the power range, the scooters with a longer battery life will be very expensive.
Electric scooter with the lowest power range?
The race for the last place is not so entertaining. There are several cheap electric scooters which don’t advertise the power range. The Pulse Performance Electric Scooter has an advertised battery power of 45 minutes of continuous use. That may seem good, but the maximum speed is about 8mph.
What are the factors?
Power Train
One of the most important factors of the power range you can archive using your electric scooter lays in the power train. The power train is the mechanism that produces power and delivers it to the wheels of the electric scooter. Of course, there are multiple other factors that need to be taken into consideration, but the power train is the biggest slice.
The power train of an electric scooter is composed of the following system: engine, battery, and controller. I will explain each of them but feel free to jump to the next section if you’re not interested in tech stuff.
Engine
The electric motor or engine is the part responsible for converting the potential electric energy stored in the battery to mechanical energy, which is used to rotate the wheels. Usually, electric scooters have an electric motor only on one wheel because it’s enough to propel you forward with a decent speed.
The electric engine is mounted directly on the wheel and covered by a metal case in order to protect it from dust and water.
The most important characteristic of the electric motor is the power rating. If this value is low, it means the motor is very energy efficient. In theory, you can compare similar scooters using this value. Unfortunately, most manufacturers don’t provide the motor power rating.
Battery
The battery is probably the most important factor of the power range. The reason is that not all electric scooters have a long range is the price of the batteries. Lithium Ion is the best type of batteries available for electric scooters. They are lightweight and powerful, but the downside is the price.
Two technical characteristics of the batteries are:
- Battery energy rating
- This value needs to be high in order to get a long range
- Most Lithium Ion batteries have great energy ratings
- Battery discharge rate
- A C-rate is a measure of the rate at which a battery is discharged relative to its maximum capacity. A 1C rate means that the discharge current will discharge the entire battery in 1 hour
- Usually C-5 or C-10
Engine’s Controller
The engine’s controller is an internal circuit and software that controls the amount of power your engine gets. It takes into account various parameters including battery level, temperature, the power consumed at the current time, acceleration position, etc. You can’t do much about it, and it’s hard to differentiate two electric scooters based on it.
Controllers have the ability to limit the maximum power sent to the electric motor and, consequently, the speed output.
Temperature
Temperature is not a direct factor in this equation, but it can affect the battery. It’s hard to start a car in the winter because the battery is cold and has a low voltage. The same applies to electric scooters.
Riding in cold weather can reduce your power range by up to 50%. Your battery will get cold and won’t be able to provide as much energy as needed by the electric motor.
Aerodynamic level
Most scooters are designed with aerodynamics in mind, but even the driver shape or wind can affect the range.
Speed
You can control speed, so you can prolong the battery life if you are riding at a lower speed. Some electric scooters have an “eco mode” or cruise control that allows you to ride at a lower speed in order to get a long range of power.
It’s good to keep in mind that most electric scooters’ specs reached the advertised range with an average speed of 12 miles/h (or 20 km/h).
Riding at top speed will get you about a 20-30% smaller range of power. On the other side, riding at a slow speed is the most efficient, but it’s not practical. If you want to extend your power range, consider riding at 9-12 miles/h (or 15-20km/h)
Rider’s weight
An electric scooter’s power range is computed considering a 165 lbs (or 75kg) individual. If you have a weight higher than that, you may get a shorter range.
If there’s more weight, more power is consumed, so you will be out of range faster.
Tires
Airless tires will give you a bigger power range at the cost of comfort. Air tires are a bit more comfortable, especially if you don’t have suspension on your electric scooter.
Terrain
Riding on rough terrain will impact your range by up to 60%. This is because more power is needed to propel you forward. Going on a smooth road will prolong your battery’s life while riding on sand or dirt will reduce it.
Relief
Another factor is relief. Going uphill or downhill is not the same thing. Going uphill will consume a lot of battery power and can reduce your battery life by up to 70%. Keep in mind that most scooters can climb slopes of around 20%. More powerful electric scooters can climb up to 25% (like the UScooters/E-Twow Booster model).
Don’t try to climb slopes higher than specified in your user manual. There’s the risk of damaging the electric motor or the battery.
How to improve the range
Controlling the speed
As we said above, consider riding at 9-12 miles/h (or 15-20km/h) in order to improve your range.
Avoid carrying extra weights
Additional weights, like a backpack with a laptop or heavy clothes, can reduce your range.
Correct tire pressure
If you have air-tires, adjust the tire pressure to the one specified in your user manual. If you have soft tires, the friction with the ground is higher so your range will be cut.
Carry a charger with you
If your usual ride includes stops or you need to commute to work and back, then consider carrying a charger with you. You can charge your electric scooter at work and get enough juice to travel back home.
Replace the bearings
If you feel like the wheel is not moving freely, and the electric scooter is old, consider getting new bearings in place. With new bearings, there will be less friction, and you will get an improved range.
No power?
There are two types of electric scooters. There are ones that you can use as normal scooters when there is no power or ones that spin the electric motor too.
The difference is in the bearing assembly. If you are lucky, your electric scooter can be ridden as normal when there is no power. This way, you can use the leg force to get back home if you run out of battery.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that the power range of electric scooters declared by manufacturers is not the same as the one you will get in real-life conditions. Always get an electric scooter with a higher range than the distance you want to travel to avoid running out of juice before you reach your destination.
The battery is probably the most expensive part of the electric scooter and the most important one regarding range. If you want a high range, you will need to take more money out of your pocket.
>>> BEFORE YOU GO! Check out our article about the best electric scooter accessories here <<<