15 Electric Scooters Pros and Cons to Know

Are scooters the best way to avoid rush hour traffic? Are you thinking of buying one? This list contains various electric scooters’ pros and cons to make your choice easier.

Over the past few decades, cities across the globe have increasingly grown big and crowded. There are many people on each street, as there are cars. Commuting for city dwellers has also become challenging, as traffic jams rock the city.

For this reason, plus the need to reduce their carbon footprint, more people have found alternative ways to commute easily, in a cheap and environmentally friendly manner. Electric scooters are one excellent choice that many people in the growing cities have turned to.

Apart from it being fun to commute with, it’s also fast as you maneuver the crazy rush hour traffic with ease. But are electric scooters the ultimate solution? What are these scooters’ pros and cons that you should know?

Before you decide to order one from amazon or your nearest store, here’s everything you need to know about these emission-free gadgets. From this, you can decide whether it’s worth owning an electric scooter.

How Good are Electric Scooters?

Before we get deep into these electric scooters’ pros and cons, let’s travel back in time and see how these things came to be. First of all, scooters are not as new as we might think. In fact, their history dates as far back as 1895, when the first-ever electric scooter patent was applied.

The first electric scooter prototype was made in 1919, with Peugeot producing the first commercial batch. The company named its first scooter, Scoot’ Elec. Currently, there are countless types of scooters, some weighing just under 22 pounds and some with speeds of up to 50 mph.

These devices are quite efficient in maneuvering through busy city streets. With them, you can easily avoid traffic jams, making commuting less stressful – especially when you live within or near the city.

An electric scooter is cheaper than a car or motorcycle and easier to ride than a bike. And, while they are not ideal for long distances, they can make you forget morning and evening rush hour traffic.

When it comes to design, most scooters resemble motorcycles, although some are relatively different. Some include a seat to sit when you ride, while others don’t – you ride while standing. Generally, they are just small motorcycles with a battery (power source) and an electric motor.

Besides saving you the stress of heavy traffic, electric scooters have several other benefits, which we will look at next. Therefore, if you still need to decide whether or not to buy one, here are the main pros and cons of scooters to help you reach a conclusion.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Scooters

Let’s talk about the pros and cons of electric scooters. What makes these devices desirable, and what doesn’t? Why are more people turning back to scooters now?

Benefits of Electric Scooters

1. Lightweight and Convenient

The first thing people are looking for when buying an electric scooter is convenience. And scooters undoubtedly offer that. as well as other sustainable products that do not only provide convenience as well as helping the environment, like eco-friendly water bottles.

First, most scooters are lightweight, meaning you can push them or even carry them around, same as the other sustainable product, the eco-friendly backpacks. Typically, most electric scooters range between 20 and 25 pounds based on the model. The size of the battery also determines the weight of a scooter.

Some are also foldable, which means that after reaching your destination, let’s say, an office or school, you can easily fold it and place it under a table or in a corner. This is one of the main benefits of electric scooters, which makes them better than cars or large motorcycles.

2. Little Maintenance

With electric scooters, you don’t have to worry about costly maintenance. In fact, a scooter requires “next to none” maintenance.

You are only required to ensure that every screw is tightened and add some lube oil when necessary. Any other issues will certainly not be recurrent – for instance, breaking down some parts.

The good thing is that you can be sure of long lifespans with high-quality brands. This means that most parts are sturdy and reliable, giving you the best service. Whether you are looking for kids or adults scooters, brands like greenelectricscooters.ie., are some of those you can rely on.

From experience, these things are affordable in terms of maintenance. Even when changing a wheel, burst tire, headlight, or broken mudguard, you cannot compare this with the costs car owners incur. So, if you are looking to save a few bucks on transport, you can make an electric scooter your last-mile device.

3. Fewer Emissions

With sustainable and green living being part of our daily conversations nowadays, many of us want to know what the impacts of scooters on the environment are. The fact is cars often produce a lot of greenhouse gases, as they run on fossil fuels. However, scooters don’t.

Since they are electrical, they can also be called eco-friendly scooters. This is because they do not emit fumes or gases into the atmosphere, which might harm the environment. If you compare scooter emissions vs. car emissions, scooters are significantly environmentally friendly. They do not contribute to air pollution.

The only time fossil fuels are used with scooters is during production. This is during the production process of the electricity used to run the scooters. Otherwise, an electric scooter is one excellent way of reducing your carbon footprint.

4. No Driver’s License Needed

Aside from being a great alternative to gas-powered vehicles, anyone can ride electric scooters. Why? Many countries don’t require a driving license to ride electric scooters – just like a bicycle.

This means that the younger riders (aka kids) and adults can enjoy the convenience electric scooters offer. Unlike a car or a motorcycle, which requires you to take lessons, pass tests and get a valid license to drive, most countries allow anyone to own and ride a scooter.

So, when looking at a scooter’s pros and cons, this one fits on the benefits side. It makes scooter commuting such an easy and convenient mode of transport.

5. Improved Air Quality

With so many cars on the streets of big cities, air pollution through smoke is always a problem. However, this would be a thing of the past with a scooter.

Since scooters don’t produce any smoke, it means that their increased use will lead to cleaner cities with fresh, breathable air. In the long run, this will eliminate the numerous health problems brought about by polluted air, making these cities a haven. Air quality is, thus, one of the major environmental benefits of electric scooters.

In addition, scooters are significantly quiet, unlike many cars and motorbikes. For this reason, more use of scooters would only mean calmer and more peaceful cities.

6. Fun

Scooters are a fun way of making your way through the busy streets. Maneuvering past the cars stranded in traffic jams and making it to your destination on time is fun.

Also, you will be riding as you enjoy the feel of fresh air. It’s like hiking, in a way. Well, while some people wouldn’t consider this fun, I surely do, and so do many other scooter owners.

The only problem here is that you’ll get tired if you prefer to avoid standing. Although, you can still buy a scooter with a seat to make the ride more fun.

7. Cost Per Mile

Scooters are relatively cheap to operate compared to other modes of transport, like a car or motorbikes. Their cost per mile is significantly lower. This is because you only need to charge the battery, and you are good to go.

You only incur a few maintenance costs, fueling costs, or even parking costs. The only major cost you are going to incur is the purchasing cost, which many people would consider high. But I still think it’s worth it.

With the purchasing cost, you can always look for cheaper and more affordable models. However, always ensure that quality is maintained. Angotrade’s Kids/Adult Scooter is an excellent example.

See Related: Most Eco-Friendly Cars for Any Lifestyle

8. Usable Almost Anywhere

Scooters are sturdy, flexible, and can be used in almost any situation. Whether it’s an off-road trail or inside the city, electric scooters are good for the task. They are especially great for traveling short distances where other vehicles would be inconvenient. E-scooters can also be used on roads with a speed limit of 25 mph and on the bike lane.

In most cases, scooters can maneuver into places impossible to reach with a vehicle. This includes places with narrow streets or paths. An electric scooter allows you to use shortcut routes, thus, saving time.

Studies even indicate that a scooter will take 20% less time than a normal bicycle to get you where you are going. The only drawback here is the distance limits. They aren’t made for too long distances.

9. Easy to use

Like using an electric bike, using an electric scooter is easy because you don’t need any difficult knowledge for it.

With electric scooters, you don’t need any special training or knowledge to enjoy them. They’re easy to use and convenient for getting around.

If you’ve ever wanted to try electric vehicles but needed to know how e-scooters are a great option. You don’t need to be an expert cyclist to ride one—they’re simple to use!

You can use an electric scooter like you would a regular scooter. But unlike with a regular scooter, you don’t have to worry about pumping your legs —the electric motor does all that for you. You need to steer and make sure you don’t run into anything.

And once you get used to it, riding an electric scooter is actually really fun! It feels like flying over the streets of your city.

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Disadvantages of Scooters

Even with the overwhelming benefits, electric scooters could be more flawless. And to help you make an informed decision, we need to look at both the scooters’ pros and cons. So, why are electric scooters bad?

1. Purchase Price

Based on your country or the brand you want to buy, scooters can either be expensive or relatively cheap. For instance, in the US, electric scooters range from $400 for the average model and up to $1200 for the high-notch ones. Mind you, the models you can buy for a few hundred dollars have very limited features and poor quality.

In some countries in Europe, this price might go a little bit higher. The good thing here is that you don’t need to buy one in some countries like France. You can hire an electric scooter for as low as 15 cents a minute.

2. Limited Carrying Capacity

Unlike a car or a normal motorbike, scooters are mostly designed to carry one person. This means that they could be better for ride-hitching.

In fact, an average scooter can only carry around 220-260 pounds, depending on the type or model. This implies that it’s not even suitable for individuals weighing above that weight.

Having a limited carrying capacity also means that you must consider what you are carrying. For instance, how heavy is your backpack? Remember, this is additional weight.

Therefore, electric scooters are not your ideal vehicle if you want to go somewhere with your family or hiking with some heavy backpacks.

3. Bad for Fitness

You’ll be making zero physical effort when riding an electric scooter. When compared to pedal bikes, electric scooters can make you a bit lazy.

Therefore, if you love working out, don’t think electric scooters will add to your workouts. You can use it to go to a grocery store in your neighborhood, but remember, there’s no physical workout. If you want to exercise, a pedal bike will be ideal.

4. Prone to Petty Thefts

Unlike cars, most electric scooters don’t have those many security features. This means that they can easily be stolen, especially since riders park them anywhere.

If you want to secure your electric scooter, always ensure you’ve locked it whenever you leave it in a public place. Newer versions of electric scooters now come with automatic locks, meaning that you can even lock them through a smartphone app.

5. Challenging to Repair

Since electric scooters are not that widely used, some newer models might pose difficulties for mechanics when they need repair. For this reason, it might require you to visit several garages before you get a mechanic with the right expertise.

Sometimes it might even require you to ship back your scooter for repairs to the manufacturer. When this happens, it can be somewhat expensive.

6. No seats and Storage space

How long do electric scooters last? Well, this depends on several factors. These mainly include the size and watt-hours of the battery, the brand, as well as the scooter’s total capacity.

For instance, good batteries like Lithium-ion batteries will, on average, hold up to 500 charge and discharge cycles before becoming obsolete. On the other hand, average electric scooters will run for up to 10,000 miles with such a battery. A commuter scooter battery can power the scooter for a long range.

On the other hand, lead-acid batteries get damaged easily. This kind of battery has limited life and deteriorates fast. So, this is a battery to avoid when buying an electric scooter.

Now let’s talk about tires. The ideal tires for good scooters are pneumatic (tube-filled and tubeless). Compared to solid tires, air-filled tires will provide a more comfortable ride and keep you more firmly planted.

This is not a short time considering you’ll be making just a few miles of riding a day. So if you want to buy an e-scooter, check out such determining factors to guarantee a high-quality e-scooter.

Scooters Pros and Cons: Electric Scooter Lifespan

How long do electric scooters last? Well, this depends on several factors. These mainly include the size and watt-hours of the battery, brand, as well as the scooter’s total capacity.

For instance, a good battery like the Li-ion battery will, on average, hold up to 500 charge and discharge cycles before becoming obsolete.  On the other hand, average electric scooters will run for up to 10,000 miles with such a battery.

This is not a short time considering you’ll be making just a few miles of riding a day. So if you want to buy an electric scooter, make sure you check out such determining factors to guarantee you a high-quality scooter.

See Related: Different Uses for Solar Panels

Pros and Cons of each Electric Scooter Type

Electric scooters for Adults

Adult scooters come in a variety of designs. An adult electric scooter is among the most well-liked scooter models. These kinds of adult scooters have demonstrated their advantages.

Pros: These models can support about 220 pounds (100 kilograms). The battery capacities are bigger, and the motors are more powerful. Their scooters have higher stems and bigger decks.

Con: These e-scooter models are quite expensive and prone to being stolen.

Retractable electric kick scooters

Pros: Electric scooters with collapsible wheels are yet another fantastic design. The most practical scooters on the market are these contemporary, foldable e-scooters. Because of this, they are quite portable and can be stored more conveniently. Without question, the capacity of electric folding versions to fold away is their greatest benefit.

Con: The only thing to keep in mind is that when a seat is added to this sort of scooter, the ability to fold it will be gone. This is important for individuals who want an electric scooter that can be folded so they can carry it.

Electric scooters for off-road use

Electric scooters may be used on uneven pavement as well, contrary to popular belief. You can easily use an electric scooter that can be transported fast if you’re going for a night trek or a nature route surrounding the village.

Cons: Off-road e-scooter models are heavy and more expensive.

Self-Balancing Electric Scooters

These varieties can be divided into three main groups. Unicycles, hoverboards, and self-balancing personal transporters are a few of the available gadgets.

Pros: These e-scooters are easier to carry around because of their minimalist designs. They are easy to use if you have a good balance. They are fun to use, versatile, and can be used for a variety of activities and situations.

Cons: They can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing (you could fall off or get hit by a car). They are also difficult to control, having handlebars to steer.

Should you buy an Electric Scooter?

If you plan to buy an Electric Scooter, you must compare different scooter models. Each electric scooter model has a different use. Make sure to consider the scooter battery life, type of tire, weight limit, range, speed, cost, warranty, and purpose.

If you like to go to nearby places and if traffic is terrible in your area, then an electric scooter would be useful as an alternative to public transport or bigger vehicles. You can also buy one just for the fun of it! It’s a great vehicle to use for getting around everywhere and has many advantages. It can also cover a great range depending on the type of e-scooter you buy. E-scooters are fairly simple to use and do not require having a driver’s license to use.

However, it is not a great idea if you are accident-prone. It could be dangerous if you are clumsy or if you have a medical condition that prevents you from using this vehicle. Also, one of the major downsides is electric scooters are not advisable if you are going on a long distance. It has limited battery life so you have to consider that.

We hope you’ll use this guide to help you along your search for the right electric scooter. There are many great scooters available, which have different performance statistics, so finding one that is right for you might take a little time. But don’t worry; with a bit of patience and research on your part, you should have no problem choosing the right electric scooter.

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