Picking your first electric scooter can be a confusing and tedious process. There are many articles on the Internet that give you many recommendations on what to consider when buying your first electric scooter. To assist you in deciding whether you should join the electric scooter lifestyle, the Segway of Ontario team has listed a few pointers for you below.

What to consider?

Range

Range is an important factor when considering your first electric scooter because it typically correlates with price. If you want more range, then you will need to pay more. You must also keep in mind that range can be affected by many factors like rider weight and temperature because colder weather, weakens the battery cells and leads to less range. Therefore, when considering how much range you need, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your needs?
• How far do you need to go?
• Do you live in a warm or cold climate?

Asking yourself these two questions will help you narrow down your choices of what electric scooter to purchase. Perhaps you may even discover that you don’t need to spend over $2000 to find an electric scooter that can help you get to your destination.

You must also keep in mind that the range advertised by manufacturers are under ideal conditions. Therefore, if you want to get a realistic estimation of the range, you should always divide the advertised range by two. Currently, the scooter with the longest range at EZbike Canada is the Nami Burn E3 Max which can travel up to 180 km. However, if you’re looking for a scooter with a swapable battery, we would recommend the VSETT 10+ Apex electric scooter. Each swapable battery has a maximum range of 80 km.

Speed

Speed is an important factor when considering your first electric scooter because it not only correlates with price, but you must be aware of the current regulations about electric scooters in your area. For residents in Ontario, Canada, you can refer to a presentation from the City of Toronto regarding electric scooters here.

Typically, most electric scooters can reach 32 km/h (20 mph) and they would cost anywhere from $850 to $1500. However, if you are looking at electric scooters that have greater performance, be prepared to pay upwards of $1500.

It is also recommended that when you ride an electric scooter, you should always wear a helmet. For a list of safety gear please have a look here.

Currently the fastest scooter available at EZbike Canada is the Kaabo Wolf King GTR which has a top speed os 110 km/h or 60 mph.

Price

When determining how much you should pay for your electric scooter, it ultimately comes down to what your needs are and what you want to use the electric scooter for. If you are looking for something robust meanwhile being relatively affordable you can expect to pay roughly $1500 to $2000.

Brand name

When buying your first electric scooter, sometimes buying from a reputable brand can have many benefits. Buying from reputable brands is a benefit because they would have a warranty and accessible parts for repair and maintenance. It can also be easier for you to find places to repair them. Below is a list of a few reputable brands of electric scooters:

• Segway Ninebot
• Apollo Scooters
• Nami
• Kaabo
• VSETT
• Emove
• Dualtron
• Blutron

Note: Please keep in mind that the table above isn’t a list of all electric scooter brands. Rather it is a list of popular brands to guide your decision when buying your first electric scooter.

Motor power

When purchasing your first electric scooter, motor power is important because if you live in an area that has a lot of hills, then having a motor with greater power capacity would help you get over those large inclines. A 350-watt motor is sufficient for inclines up to 15-degree. However, if you plan on going above 15-degree inclines, then a 500-watt motor or more is highly recommended.

Rider weight is also another factor to consider when deciding what motor power is appropriate for your needs. For adults, we recommend nothing less than 350-watts. For commuters, we recommend electric scooters with 500-watts of power and if you’re looking for performance such as speed and quick acceleration, then an electric scooter with above 1000-watts of power is recommended.

Weight

Earlier we discussed how rider weight affects the range of your electric scooter, but another factor that you should consider when buying your first electric scooter is its weight. Some questions that you should ask yourself are:

• Do you need something portable?
• Are you going to be walking upstairs and bringing it into your office/home?
• Are you going to be taking it on public transit?

Asking yourself these questions will help you determine if you should buy an electric scooter that is lighter or heavier. If you plan on using your electric scooter to commute on public transit or to carry up a few flights of stairs, 15 kg (33 lbs) would be appropriate. The most portable scooter right now in the EZbike lineup is the Apollo Air.

Suspension

Suspension is an important thing to consider when buying your first electric scooter because it can influence your ride quality and longevity of your electric scooter. Currently, there are four types of suspensions for electric scooters. They are air, spring, hydraulic, and rubber suspension. For rough terrain, the hydraulic suspension is ideal but in general, having suspension on an electric scooter can smooth out those bumps and cracks in the road that you would otherwise experience with a non-suspension electric scooter. The best electric scooter with suspension at EZbike Canada is the Inmotion RS Super Electric Scooter.

IP rating

IP ratings are also known as the Ingress Protection rating tells you how resistant your electric scooter is to dust and water. Below is a table listing the most common IP ratings for electric scooters.

IP Rating	Meaning
IPX0	No protection from water and dust
IPX1 to IPX3	Very little water resistance
IPX4 to IPX7	Appropriate for riding in light rain
IP54	Little protection from dust but water-resistant
IP65	Protected from dust and low-pressure water

Note: With all electric scooters, please remember to dry your scooter after riding it in the rain. This is to increase the longevity of your electric scooter and to prevent damage to essential components such as the battery, frame, and control board. For more information about IP ratings please refer here.

Feel free to explore our store at https://ezbike.ca 

If you have any inquiries or would like to schedule a test ride or order a specific electric scooter, please contact us at support@ezbike.ca