They’re a big purchase, and you probably don’t know exactly what to look for from a scooter, so we’ve picked out some of the best on the market, breaking down the features and specs that you need to think about before you buy.
Are electric scooters legal in the UK?
Before you rush out and buy an electric scooter you should know that privately-owned electric scooters cannot currently be used legally on the roads or pavements in the UK. This means you can only use them on private land. However, the Government has since announced a trial of rental electric scooters in various areas of the UK. Under the new legislation, anybody over the age of 18 with a provisional driver’s license is able to ride the rental scooters on UK roads legally, as insurance and taxes are being fronted by the rental companies. The trials are currently underway in various areas around the UK, with a nationwide rollout expected to follow if all goes well. But as we noted before, despite the UK’s new stance on rental scooters, it remains the case that private electric scooters are still illegal on UK streets. We imagine it’s to do with the insurance and taxation of the electric scooter – it’s not like you can head to confused.com and insure it, right? That could change in the coming months though; UK Transport minister Baroness Vere has told the House of Lords that the Government is planning “to create a regulatory framework for smaller, lighter, zero-emission vehicles, sometimes known as e-scooters” though no details are official just yet. Read more about the UK law on electric scooters here. If you need to travel a longer distance, you might like to read about the best electric bikes.
Best electric scooters 2022
How can I secure an electric scooter?
With a design wildly different to that of a standard bike, some electric scooter owners have been caught out when it comes to securing the electric scooter outdoors.
50-mile range Dual-battery design 4-hour charge time Very simple folding mechanism
Bumpy despite rear suspension Heavy No smart connectivity
The big sell of the V8 is the inclusion of a dual-battery design – one of vanishingly few on the market – with one built into the deck and the other within the stem. The latter can even be removed for charging, allowing you to charge both batteries in tandem in as little as four hours. That’s a huge difference compared to other long-range scooters, averaging at 7-9 hours. Just how long-range are we talking? With a combined 36V 15Ah battery capacity, the Turboant V8 can last up to 50 miles on a single charge. Combine that with a 450W motor that provides rapid acceleration and impressive top speeds and you’ve got the ideal scooter for short and medium-distance travel. The batteries and motor mean it’s quite heavy at 21.6kg, less than ideal if you want to hop onto a train or bus, but at least the single-latch folding mechanism allows you to fold the scooter in as little as three seconds – it really is one of the simplest systems we’ve seen. It’s missing some of the bells and whistles of competing scooters – like an app with smart features – but when it comes to sheer power and range, you’ll struggle to find better value than the Turboant V8.
NFC-based locking system Built-in cable lock 500W motor provides rapid performance
Siren is a little quiet Rear mud flap can rattle on bumpy surfaces
The powerful 500W motor found within provides rapid acceleration and a consistent ride, and dual brake controls provide a much more controlled stopping experience than others in our chart with single brake control. It also has a range of up to 31 miles that, while not chart-topping, is still a fairly decent distance making it well suited to commuting – though the 6-hour charge may put some off. There are even a few additional extras not present on other electric scooters, including an indicator light system controlled by a switch on the handlebars. What’s more impressive are the security-focused features on offer. It starts with a built-in cable lock, found embedded within the stem of the scooter. It’s protected by a 4-digit pin, allowing you to quickly lock your bike when you nip to the shop, though with a fairly thin cable, I wouldn’t leave it alone for too long. It’s more of a short-term deterrent rather than something that’ll stop a thief in their tracks. What’s cooler is the built-in NFC locking system. You essentially need either a special Zinc-branded NFC card or keychain accessory to unlock the scooter when first turning it on. Without the NFC confirmation, the scooter won’t provide any power and it’ll also beep when moved – I just wish the beeping was a little louder. Still, with a combination of great performance and security-focused features, the Zinc Velocity Plus is a great option for those on the market for an electric scooter.
27-mile range KERS braking system Companion app Stylish
Hard to carry folded 8.5in solid wheels 100kg weight limit
The Mi Scooter Pro 2 has a folding design that should make this electric scooter easy to carry, although thanks to the huge battery and other upgraded tech – including an updated KERS braking system – it weighs 14.2kg, up from the svelte 12.5kg of the original. It sports 8.5in solid tyres that allow it to manoeuvre small kerbs and some light offroading, but it’s not as smooth or capable as options with larger 10in air-filled wheels. It will take up to 100kg of weight and keeps going for up to 27 miles (45km), a boost of 9 miles on the original. You won’t manage quite this distance if you push it to its top speed of 15.5mph, but you’ll still get hours of playtime. There are some cool additional features on offer, including cruise control, adjustable acceleration, a headlight and brake light, a kinetic energy recovery system and an ABS braking system at the front and a mechanical disk brake at the rear that make the Mi Scooter Pro 2 one of the most popular scooters around.
Premium, unique design 54-mile range Up to 28mph
Expensive Large and heavy
The overall look of the Inokim Ox Super is unique, with every design element playing a crucial part in the premium experience on offer, be it the inclusion of sensors that’ll automatically enable lighting in dark environments or the large board with ample space to stand. The highlight of the design for many will be the ‘floating wheel’ that isn’t directly connected to the stem of the scooter. Instead, it uses a mono-fork wheel design with adjustable suspension designed for both smooth roads and off-roading, making the Ox Super a beast even when you run out of roads to ride on. It’s the performance that truly makes the Ox Super stand out though; with a 1000W motor and a 60V 21Ah battery, it’s capable of speeds at up to 28mph with a range of up to 54 miles, besting every other scooter in our chart. It is speed limited to 15.5mph for safety in the UK, but the restrictions can be removed if required. So, while the Inokim Ox Super is comfortably high-end, you’re getting one of the most capable electric scooters on the market in return.
40-mile range Large 10in tyres Easy charging system
Expensive Very heavy
The Max G30 offers a smooth ride thanks to the large 10in tyres that help reduce shock when riding along, and the three driving modes offer different levels of power to suit your journey, but at 18kg, it’s not the most portable when compared to other scooters in our chart. That heft is mainly down to the tyres and the large internal battery that offers an impressive (but not industry-leading) 40-mile range, making it a great solution for longer commutes to work. The issue is the weight makes it difficult to take on trains and buses – less than ideal if you’re looking to bridge the gap between the various modes of transport you currently use.
Stylish design Fast acceleration IPX5 water resistance
No suspension Long 6.5-hour charge time
The lightweight form factor is charming, with a relatively narrow footboard and handlebars that help keep the scooter slimline whether in use or folded away for storage. There are nice touches to the design too, like a grippy footboard and a low LED headlight placement that illuminates more of the floor directly in front of your front wheel, ideal for night rides. At its heart, you’ll find a 350W motor that’s capable of speeds of up to 15.5mph with impressive acceleration – especially in its Sport mode. When coupled with a 367Wh battery, you’ll get up to 23.6 miles from a single charge – more than enough for a city commute or a few trips to the shop. The only downside is that it takes a while to top up, at around 6.5 hours. 10in air-filled tyres make light work of bumps and cracks in the road, but without dedicated suspension, it can still get a little bumpy on particularly rough surfaces. Still, the ride is responsive, fun and with dual brakes, it comes to a stop pretty quickly too. Performance aside, it’s also much more stylish than alternatives, with a black and bright red colour scheme that extends beyond simply colouring the cables helping it stand out from the crowd. Sure, it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of high-end alternatives in our chart like the Inokim Ox Super and Xiaomi Mi Scooter 2 Pro, but at an attractive price, it offers great value for money.
Built-in immobiliser Built-in cable lock 350W motor
Heavy at 17kg Middling 18-mile range
For a start, the impel is-1 features a built-in combination cable lock located within the stem of the scooter, making it easy to secure your scooter without having to carry a lock separately. It’s admittedly more of a visual deterrent than anything – the thin cable could be easily cut – but it’ll deter any chancers wandering by when you nip in the shop. If it does get cut, the impel is-1 also sports a built-in immobiliser that requires a three-digit pin when you first turn the scooter on. If you don’t enter the code, the scooter simply won’t start. Security features aside, the impel is-1 features a decent 350W motor that reaches its 15.5mph max speed quickly, with responsive acceleration and great manoeuvrability that makes weaving in and out of objects a joy. There’s an 18-mile range on offer that’s not particularly exciting compared to scooters from Xiaomi, Inokim and Ninebot, but it’ll do for short- to medium-distance trips. There’s also the benefit of being manufactured and sold at Halfords in the UK, making it easy to get replacement parts if something does go wrong.
Narrow design A delight to carry and store 25-mile range
Deck is very narrow Slow acceleration
That all translates to a scooter that’s easy to carry one-handed without having to adjust your gait, ideal for quickly hopping on and off, and that’s further aided by the quick-release system on the stem. As you might expect, there are downsides to its slimline nature, with the most notable being the limited room on the deck when riding – especially for those of us with bigger feet. The 300W motor, while still respectable, is underpowered compared to similarly priced alternatives with 350W motors, and this is noticeable in its acceleration. It’ll still hit 15.5mph, but it’ll take a few seconds to get there. The saving grace is a quoted 25-mile range, around 5-10 miles longer than similarly specced models despite its lightweight nature. If you value portability above power, the Mycle Cruiser Pro is a solid option, but there are performance trade-offs to be had.
Powerful 350W motor 10in inflatable tyres Easy charging system
Expensive Repairs in UK or Germany only
It’s relatively powerful on flat surfaces and can handle uphill rides too, thanks to the 350W motor (with a maximum 700W output), and the upgraded 10in inflatable wheels offer a superior riding experience compared to 8.5in scooters whether it be going up kerbs or riding over bumps in the road. It’s also capable of holding the heavier rider, with a maximum weight of 125kg. Another plus is that the battery is removable and has its own charging port, so it can be charged separately from the scooter, and you can buy additional batteries too. You could chuck one in your backpack to extend range, or leave one at work and one at home to make sure your scooter is always fully charged and ready to ride. Like the Xiaomi, there’s built-in lights and reflectors, plus cruise control which is activated by maintaining the same speed for 6 seconds, although the X7 Pro doesn’t offer a connected app with extended functionality. Bear in mind that you can only buy it directly from Turboant. There are warehouses in California and Germany where US and UK orders respectively are shipped from, but it’s also where it’ll need to go for a repair or replacement under warranty.
Well designed Great safe fun for kids Simple to use
Can be heavy to carry long-distance Default speed is faster than walking pace
Both children found it easy to control the direction of the scooter, despite its much heavier frame than the non-electric models they were used to, and were reasonably comfortable with controlling speed with a combination of the power button and the brake. (You have to get it going manually for a metre or so before you can use power, but the children grasped this more quickly than their parental assistant.) It’s worth bearing a couple of things in mind. One is that the heavy 4.5kg frame, while fine for the kids scooting along and presumably essential in terms of battery capacity, is a major pain if they get bored or the battery runs out and you have to carry the thing. Parents will be aware of how annoying traditional scooters are to lug around, and this is worse. Another is that the ‘default’ speed – the one it travels at if you just jam in the button and leave the brake alone, which is what kids will tend to do – is faster than even quite a brisk adult walking speed, which means you have to trot to keep up. It was a lot of fun to use, aside from worries that we were defeating the purpose of taking the kids out for exercise. Charge time is estimated at three hours, so make sure to plan your jaunts in advance. Standard D-lock bike locks can, depending on the angle and width of the handlebars, allow a potential thief to lift and shimmy your scooter free, and although cable locks are a flexible alternative that can stop that from happening, cable locks can be cut. One alternative we’d recommend is Master Lock’s Street Cuff. As the name suggests, the lock resembles handcuffs, and Master Lock claims that, unlike cable locks, the Street Cuff is “virtually impossible to sever”. The chain is 36cm long, allowing you to securely fasten it to the stem of your scooter and a nearby fence stake or sign pole, and comes with multiple sets of keys in case you misplace them. It is admittedly a heavy lock, but security comes at a cost. Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You’ll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.
