These electric scooters can make your commute easier—and a whole lot more fun.
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Forget your car at home. Instead of driving for every short trip to the store or commute to work, there’s an alternative form of transportation: electric scooters. With an e-scooter, no more paying for a parking spot or driving around endlessly looking for free spots. Electric scooters are arguably easier to ride than electric skateboards and more portable than electric bikes, so they’re a great alternative for city-dwellers with less space and fewer miles to commute.
These days, there are plenty of affordable and durable electric scooters on the market. Options range from electric scooters built for just a few miles of daily commuting to ones designed to handle uneven trails, high speeds, and long distances. We tried out electric scooters on our own commutes to find the best electric scooters for adults out there.
In many areas, electric scooters aren’t allowed on sidewalks, so make sure to check whether you need to ride in bike lanes before you jet downtown. Some areas have speed limits on small electric vehicles like scooters and e-bikes. For instance, in Florida, e-scooters with seats must be registered and have a title and license plate, so check your local laws before you opt for one of our seated options.
The range of an electric scooter is based on battery and motor size and is impacted by a number of factors, including rider weight, weather, and the surface and incline of the roads you travel on.
The ranges listed below are based on manufacturers’ claims. Many are designed to get up to 10 miles per charge, while some can last for up to 40 miles or more on a single charge. Some scooters have various drive settings that help you get the most juice out of your battery based on the type of ride you’re on.
Most e-scooters top out between 15 and 20 mph. That should be fast enough to zip along city streets and paths without feeling like you’re falling behind. Some reach much higher speeds—up to 60 mph—and we’ve included one of these for riders seeking a quicker commute or more of a thrill.
Electric scooters often have motors with a power rating between 250 and 350 watts. This is enough for most daily city commuting. If you’re a heavier person or expected to ride up steep inclines, you may want to opt for a scooter with a larger, more powerful motor.
Almost all electric scooters have rubber tires. Some are solid rubber tires, some have tubeless tires, and some have tires with inner tubes. Solid rubber tires are the longest-lasting and are ideal for those making shorter rides on smooth streets, but they also absorb less shock than their tubeless counterparts.
Tires with inner tubes were more common in the past, but we’re starting to see more tubeless and tube-ready tires today. Both tubeless and tube-ready tires can suffer punctures but offer more cushioning during a ride than solid rubber models.
Tubeless tires are often found on more expensive electric scooters alongside bigger motors, longer-lasting batteries, and better suspension in the form of air or coil shocks.
If you plan on riding a scooter in the early morning or night, look for a scooter with good front and rear lights. It’s also a good idea to look for a scooter with a horn or bell to warn bikers, pedestrians, and other scooter riders that you’re approaching.
All scooters should have good brakes as well. Some only have them on one wheel, while more powerful scooters should have front and back brakes and possibly a motor brake so you don’t go flying down a hill faster than intended. Motor brakes can also provide some regenerative braking, extending the scooter’s range slightly as you ride.
Some other extras to look for on electric scooters are items like seats or baskets. These are great to have if you prefer a seated ride and/or if you plan on using the scooter for errands, like grocery shopping.
In selecting these electric scooters, we tested out multiple options. For this testing, we used the scooters in daily work commutes to test their power, speed, range, and comfort over distance. This included trips over multiple lengthy bridges, on steep inclines, and many times, on streets without bike lanes. Alongside basic factors as mentioned above, we tried to get a sense of the feel and ride itself. We gauged how the acceleration and brakes felt in our hands, and how smooth the scooter stayed when riding over bumps or uneven asphalt.
For scooters we did not personally test, we based our picks on research, evaluating the opinions and ratings of professional reviewers, as well as checking out customer reviews and rankings, and evaluating each model’s most important specs like wattage, range, and safety features. We chose reputable brands, selecting electric scooters that are not only the highest-performing models on the market, but also the easiest to find in stock.
If you’re looking for a scooter that can do just about everything well—with a long range, to boot—check out the Segway Ninebot Kickscooter Max. It can go up to 40 miles on a single charge, handle hills with grades up to 20 percent, and carry riders up to 220 pounds.
Its 10-inch pneumatic tires are great at absorbing bumps in the road and it folds easily for storage. At just over 40 pounds, it’s heavier than some commuter scooters but in part that’s thanks to the bigger battery for extended range.
While 40 miles won’t take you on long-range adventures, it certainly lasts for multiple weeks of scootering around town.
The GoTrax XR Elite needs to be on your radar if you’re looking for a value-packed electric scooter. At just over 26 pounds, it’s one of the lightest and easiest to carry among scooters on our list. This is further amplified by the foldable design and slender frame.
This scooter has an estimated range of 16 miles and top speed of about 15 miles per hour, and a max incline of 15 degrees. What really sets it apart from other choices is the affordable price tag given the quality performance—about $400 less than the Segway Ninebot Kickscooter Max.
The GoTrax GXL V2 is worth a look if you want a speedy, affordable ride for short trips. Its max range is only 9 miles, but it’s more affordable than comparable models at under $400 and it’s also among the lightest e-scooters out there. The small frame is easy to store in the back of a car or in a closet.
The scooter has a solid max speed of 15.5 miles per hour, with a relatively short charging time of three to four hours.
With a less powerful motor than similar models, it’s not great for hilly areas and it also only has a rear brake, which offers less stability.
This S65C electric scooter from Navee looks similar to many other models on this list, but comes with tons of small luxuries and improvements. Most notably, this scooter has a dual suspension system that absorbs impact on uneven terrain, so, even if you take it off paved streets, the suspension keeps up with your travels.
On that same commute from Brooklyn to Midtown, I found myself most impressed by the multiple drive modes. The default mode was perfect for putting around my neighborhood and in busier, more traffic heavy streets. This mode tops out at around 12 mph but is more energy efficient on the battery.
The sport mode reached 20 mph on the straightaway across the Williamsburg bridge and served as a perfect way to make it to work on time in the morning. While it takes on a higher energy output, using it to power me up inclines and over long stretches of open road ended up saving a ton of time, evening out the battery usage.
This ES4 KickScooter from Segway isn’t as burly or beefy as the Max, but it’s designed with safety in mind and can handle wet roads without shorting out. With a top speed of 19 mph and nearly 30 miles of range, this option has a bit more kick than other choices, with a similar size and weight.
It also has a customizable LED light system under the deck as well as both front and rear LED lights that increase your visibility on dark roads.
Both the front and back of the scooter also come with shock absorbing sections that keep you stable on uneven terrain.
Don't confuse this electric scooter with a bike or moped. Built with a seat and basket, feel free to use this Flex Campus Pro from Gotrax as more than just a quick commuter.
In testing out this scooter, I took it from Central Park all the way back to my apartment in Brooklyn. I had my backpack, which weighed over 20 pounds, in the basket, and sat on the seat for the majority of the trip.
What I noticed immediately was the zip of the motor, feeling close to 20 miles per hour on the straightaways and churning up the incline of the Queensboro Bridge without losing momentum.
The throttle is responsive and the larger 14-inch tires stood up well to the potholes on the streets and cracks on the pavement. While its size prevents it from being an easy storage item in a closet even with the foldable design, this electric scooter comes with the power, comfort, and convenience for quick grocery trips and long city commutes alike.
Tom Price is an Associate Editor of Reviews for Popular Mechanics, and also contributes to Runner's World, and Bicycling. He has previously covered product reviews, startup news, and even professional wrestling. In his free time, he enjoys watching pretentious TV, low-brow movies, and exercising for beauty, not health. If you are interested in exploring more of his work, check out his website.
Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience. He has authored multiple adventure guidebooks with Falcon Guides and his work focusses primarily on the nexus between sustainability and outdoor adventure. He is an experienced gear reviewer, tester, and travel writer who has explored multiple continents.
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