Scooter Buyer's Guide
When purchasing Electric Scooters, consider the following factors.
Maximum User Weight
The maximum user weight sets a limit for optimum performance from your Electric Scooter.
Seat Features
Seat features greatly impact the ease of use, convenience, and functionality of your Electric Scooter. Seat features vary between products, so make sure the Electric Scooter you are interested in has the seat features you require.
Range per Charge
The range per charge of an Electric Scooter can deviate from the quoted specification depending on the weight of the rider and the load on the Electric Scooter, such as hills or uneven ground.
Ground Clearance
Higher ground clearances are best when using your Electric Scooter on uneven ground.
Motor
The power of an Electric Scooter's motor is measured in DC Volts. The greater number of Volts, the more powerful the motor.
Battery Charger
Make sure that the scooter comes with a battery charger and that it is not at added cost.
Battery Requirements
All Electric Scooters use 12 V Deep Cycle batteries with specially designed onboard chargers. (Using other battery types is strongly discouraged.) Deep Cycle batteries combine excellent performance with easy charging, so that the battery can take repeated charge-discharge cycles and retain optimal capacity. Most Electric Scooters require a set of two separate batteries. We recommend Deep Cycle batteries in two of the available three types. These two recommended types are SLA, or Sealed Lead Acid, and gel cell. Both types are equally safe and maintenance free. Gel cell batteries tend to be more expensive than SLA batteries. However, if you plan on taking your Electric Scooter with SLA batteries on an airplane, you must remove the SLA batteries so the airline may stow them in a separate location during the flight. Frequent travellers should strongly consider gel cell batteries to avoid this inconvenience. A battery's storage capacity is measured in Ampere Hours, or AH for short. The higher the AH rating, the more power the battery can hold. The final characteristic to note when choosing a battery is the size.
Drive System
Most scooters use either a belt drive or chain drive system. Belt drive systems are not as durable and not recommended for use off road.
Wheels
There are two types of electric scooter tires: air filled tires and solid tires. While solid tires provide the convenience of never going flat, air filled tires allow for a softer more comfortable ride.
Suspension
Not all scooters come with shock absorber / suspension systems. The front and rear suspension offers the highest level of comfort and stablity through its balanced suspension and allows for increased control of the Electric Scooter.Suspension is important for maintaining a smooth and comfortable experience while riding on an electric scooter. The suspension assists in absorbing shocks and vibrations while travelling on uneven terrain and allows the wheels to maintain contact with the ground. The suspension acts to stabilize the scooter under acceleration, breaking and cornering to reduce jolts and ensure comfort. Usually, only the higher-priced scooters will have a suspension system.
Console Features
Console features are important when considering a scooter fit for your needs. The console features vary in complexity depending on the scooters functionality. Various controls and signals are conveniently located on the console to provide the greatest comfort and safety while operating your Electric Scooter. Scooters may come with headlights, turn signals, tail lights, battery indicator, or none of the above.
Maximum User Weight
The maximum user weight sets a limit for optimum performance from your Electric Scooter.
Seat Features
Seat features greatly impact the ease of use, convenience, and functionality of your Electric Scooter. Seat features vary between products, so make sure the Electric Scooter you are interested in has the seat features you require.
Range per Charge
The range per charge of an Electric Scooter can deviate from the quoted specification depending on the weight of the rider and the load on the Electric Scooter, such as hills or uneven ground.
Ground Clearance
Higher ground clearances are best when using your Electric Scooter on uneven ground.
Motor
The power of an Electric Scooter's motor is measured in DC Volts. The greater number of Volts, the more powerful the motor.
Battery Charger
Make sure that the scooter comes with a battery charger and that it is not at added cost.
Battery Requirements
All Electric Scooters use 12 V Deep Cycle batteries with specially designed onboard chargers. (Using other battery types is strongly discouraged.) Deep Cycle batteries combine excellent performance with easy charging, so that the battery can take repeated charge-discharge cycles and retain optimal capacity. Most Electric Scooters require a set of two separate batteries. We recommend Deep Cycle batteries in two of the available three types. These two recommended types are SLA, or Sealed Lead Acid, and gel cell. Both types are equally safe and maintenance free. Gel cell batteries tend to be more expensive than SLA batteries. However, if you plan on taking your Electric Scooter with SLA batteries on an airplane, you must remove the SLA batteries so the airline may stow them in a separate location during the flight. Frequent travellers should strongly consider gel cell batteries to avoid this inconvenience. A battery's storage capacity is measured in Ampere Hours, or AH for short. The higher the AH rating, the more power the battery can hold. The final characteristic to note when choosing a battery is the size.
Drive System
Most scooters use either a belt drive or chain drive system. Belt drive systems are not as durable and not recommended for use off road.
Wheels
There are two types of electric scooter tires: air filled tires and solid tires. While solid tires provide the convenience of never going flat, air filled tires allow for a softer more comfortable ride.
Suspension
Not all scooters come with shock absorber / suspension systems. The front and rear suspension offers the highest level of comfort and stablity through its balanced suspension and allows for increased control of the Electric Scooter.Suspension is important for maintaining a smooth and comfortable experience while riding on an electric scooter. The suspension assists in absorbing shocks and vibrations while travelling on uneven terrain and allows the wheels to maintain contact with the ground. The suspension acts to stabilize the scooter under acceleration, breaking and cornering to reduce jolts and ensure comfort. Usually, only the higher-priced scooters will have a suspension system.
Console Features
Console features are important when considering a scooter fit for your needs. The console features vary in complexity depending on the scooters functionality. Various controls and signals are conveniently located on the console to provide the greatest comfort and safety while operating your Electric Scooter. Scooters may come with headlights, turn signals, tail lights, battery indicator, or none of the above.
