Electric Scooter Comparison - which electric scooter should you buy?

Electric scooter comparison

As electric scooters become the vehicle of choice for commuters in Australia and around the world, more and more electric scooters are being launched onto the market. With so many electric scooter brands and models to choose from, it can be difficult to pick the best scooter for you.

To help you out, we’ve put together an electric scooter comparison and guide, which will help make sure you find the perfect electric scooter for your needs.

So what is it that you’re looking for in an electric scooter?

Fastest electric scooters

Electric scooters on average reach a maximum speed of about 20-30km/h (12-19mph). However, if you want an electric scooter that gives you a little more speed and power, the Raine One or the Segway Ninebot Max are your best options.

The Ninebot Max has a max speed of 30km/h (19 mph), which is some decent speed and will ensure you get to your destination in no time.

Even more impressive is the Australian-designed Raine One. With a max speed of 50km/h (31mph), this is one of the fastest electric scooters on the market, especially for this size. This electric scooter is the perfect fit if you are always in a hurry.

You can learn more about choosing a fast electric scooters here. 

Long range electric scooters

There are many scooters on the market that are incredibly fun to ride, but the battery can be completely drained in a matter of minutes - and no one likes to be stranded pushing their scooter home. So finding a scooter with a decent range and battery life is particularly important if you’re looking for a reliable electric scooter.

The electric scooters that have the best range are the Ninebot Max and the Bird One, which have a 65km (40 mile) and 48km (30 mile) range respectively. With such a long range, you wouldn’t need to recharge your electric scooter after 20 minutes of riding (which happens with some electric scooters). Instead, you would have hours of riding time to play with - perfect for those long commutes or adventurous weekend rides.

However, be aware that often when an electric scooter has a long range, it’s top speed will be compromised. So if you want an electric scooter that does a great job in balancing the two, we recommend the Raine One. Not only does the Raine One have a top speed of 50km/h (one of the fastest on the market), it also has an impressive range of 40km (25 miles), which equates to about 2-3 hours of riding time. That’s more than enough to get you to work and back.

You can learn more about the best long range electric scooters here.

Woman riding fast electric scooter

Safest electric scooters

Safety is an incredibly important feature for all electric scooter riders, and it should definitely be a priority when choosing your electric scooter.

The safest electric scooters should include:

  • Braking - ABS, disc-brakes, or drum brakes should feature on your chosen scooter.

  • Lighting - this includes a headlight, taillight and either lights on the side of the wheels or on the side of the deck. Having numerous lights on your electric scooter will ensure you can see and be seen.

  • High-grip tires - that retain grip in wet conditions and ensure a safe and timely stop,

  • Wide, high-grip deck - to ensure you have a comfortable and balanced stance in all weather conditions.

The best electric scooter models have invested a lot of resources ensuring high safety standards. So as long as the model you’re looking at ticks all of the above boxes, you should be good to go.

But one thing to be aware of is lighting. Although many electric scooters have a headlight (and they definitely should), in many cases that light can be quite weak, with riders only able to see less than 5 meters in front of them as they ride at night. Although this is better than nothing, it definitely doesn’t offer the safest ride.

An electric scooter company that has invested a lot into lighting is Raine Scooters. The company’s CEO, Marc Alexander, is also the co-founder of smart-lighting company LIFX - so you know that they will have some high-quality lighting for riders.

Always remember - safety first!

Most powerful electric scooters

A good measure of how powerful an electric scooter is, is their ability to climb hills. Unless you live in a town or city that is completely flat, this is an important feature to focus on. No one wants to be pushing their scooter uphill!

So when it comes to the most powerful electric scooters, we would recommend either the Raine One, which can climb up to 15 degrees.

Just to give you an idea of just how steep this is, the world’ steepest residential street, Baldwin Street in Dunedin, has a gradient of about 19 degrees. So unless you plan on travelling almost vertically, this electric scooter should be pretty reliable when helping you get up those hills on your daily journey.

You can learn more about the most powerful uphill electric scooter here.

man riding long range scooter through a city

Cheapest electric scooters

Electric scooter prices can range from anything in between a few hundred dollars for a very basic scooter, to over $2,000 USD. With the top-end models being quite an investment, it can be understandable for electric scooter buyers to lean towards cheaper alternatives.

Just note that like most vehicles, the cheaper the electric scooter, the more likely you’ll be compromising on quality and tech specs. So ultimately it is your decision about how much you want to spend and what you want to get out of your electric scooter. But for a relatively good quality and reliable model, that is also on the lower end of the price, we would recommend the Xiaomi M365, which retails for about $599 USD.

At this price point, the Xiaomi M365 offers decent performance, especially in respect to scooter weight (only 12.5kg) and range (30km). However, the Xiaomi m365 does lack the speed and tech specs that other models possess, and with minimal suspension, the Xiaomi can be quite uncomfortable to ride, especially if your commute is particularly bumpy.

You can read our comprehensive review of the Xiaomi M365 scooter here.

Most comfortable electric scooters

If you’re going to be using your electric scooter every day or for longer journeys, then you really want a comfortable and convenient ride. So here are some things to look for:

  • Tires - pneumatic tires (air-filled) often offer the most convenient ride, but are more likely to puncture. Solid tires may not be as comfortable as you ride over bumps in the road, but you won’t be stuck on the side of the road with a puncture. We are now seeing companies like Raine Scooters release models that feature pneumatic tires with a self-healing gel to help combat punctures, ensuring electric scooter riders get the best of both worlds. 

  • Suspension - this is something that many models haven’t invested much into. If you want to have a smooth and comfortable ride, we highly recommend purchasing a scooter with front and rear suspension.

  • Deck - make sure it is wide and long enough for you to comfortably stand on with both feet. Balance is key when riding an electric scooter!

  • Weight - if you plan on having to carry your electric scooter at any point, especially upstairs, look for an electric scooter that weighs about 12-15kg.

  • Compact - for easy storage. Having an electric scooter that folds down will be incredibly valuable, especially if you need to store your electric scooter under your desk or to put it into the boot of your car.

The electric scooter that is probably the most comfortable to ride is the Raine One. Although this scooter has solid tires, the designers at Raine have invested a lot of into their front and rear poly-shock system. So not only are you free from the chance of punctures, you are almost guaranteed to have a comfortable ride. One unique bonus feature that we haven’t yet mentioned is the fact that the Raine One has heated handlebars, which is perfect for those long winter rides!

woman carrying folded scooter down stairs

Most innovative electric scooters

If you love your tech gadgets, then you’re probably looking for a high-tech electric scooter. As more electric scooters enter the market, we are seeing an increasing amount of companies investing not only in their scooters’ performance, but also into some unique tech features.

Some cool tech features to look out for include app-connected smart-locking and security systems - the Raine One is a great example here. Also look for electric scooters that have an in-built GPS system to not only help you navigate your journey, but to also help you keep track of where your scooter is at all time.

For these features, we recommend the Ninebot Max, Bird One or the Raine One, which all have companion apps with some pretty cool features.

Best all-round electric scooter

We know it’s hard to find an electric scooter that ticks all the boxes. As we have highlighted a few times already, by excelling in one area, many electric scooter brands and models have had to compromise on other features.

So if you want the best all-round electric scooter, we recommend the Raine One. Not only is it one of the fastest electric scooters on the market, it does not compromise on range, comfort and safety. Although this is not necessarily the cheapest electric scooter, it is definitely a sound and reliable investment. You won’t be disappointed!

We hope this electric scooter guide and comparison has been useful in making your choice of electric scooter.

Happy riding!


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