I’ve examined a ton of scooters. Not all of them deserve a spot above, however some nonetheless deserve consideration. These are a couple of different good scooters that I like, however not as a lot as those above.
MiniMotors USA Dualtron Mini Particular for $1,399: The directions for assembling this scooter are imprecise and several other steps are usually not even talked about within the instruction booklet. (I am having a tough time placing the pen on the steering wheel – alcohol is your good friend.) That is additionally the primary time I’ve tried the MiniMotors Dualtron program, and admittedly, it isn’t for freshmen. Not one of the phrases and features are properly defined. It is not a scooter I might suggest for freshmen, however as soon as you’ve got received all of it arrange and working, it is an satisfying using expertise. It has a high pace of 35 mph, and whereas the corporate claims a spread of 40 miles, you possibly can anticipate a spread of 25 to 30 miles. It does an amazing job on slopes, however I discover it unusual that regardless of being fairly heavy (59 lbs), it has a most load capability of 200 lbs.
$1,500 Segway P100S: This Segway (8/10, WIRED Recommends) weighs 73 kilos, however has a high pace of 24 mph, so it is rather less intense than the Apollo or Dualtron Mini Particular. At that pace I used to be in a position to go 16 miles with 35 p.c left within the tank. In the event you restrict your pace to twenty with the app, you possibly can simply get shut to twenty or 25 mph. I simply hate the loud flip sign.
Fluidfreeride Fluid Mosquito for $849: If Unagi’s light-weight Mannequin One Voyager does not curiosity you, however you continue to need an ultralight scooter, try the Fluid Mosquito (7/10, WIRED Recommends). At simply 29 kilos, it is one of many lightest scooters on this information and has a helpful built-in deal with for straightforward portability. It’s fast to assemble and highly effective, with a high pace of 24 mph. However the weight discount of this nimble scooter has its drawbacks. The suspension is okay – you will really feel most bumps – and the wheels are slim. The braking system works properly, however you possibly can expertise a skid for those who come to a sudden cease, and the vary is spotty (about 9 miles in my check, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge). There’s additionally no straightforward solution to change pace modes on the fly; you put in it earlier than your journey.
Niu KQi Air for $1,399: I used to be excited to check this scooter out, however my expertise with it over the previous few months has been blended. I nonetheless prefer it, however some quirks preserve it from being a best choice. The KQi Air has a carbon fiber body that enables it to weigh simply 26 kilos with a high pace of 20 mph. This makes it the lightest scooter I’ve ever examined. It folds simply, has flip indicators, handy software and dependable regenerative braking. The vary is a bit lackluster – I normally received slightly below 10 miles on a cost, however it’s mild sufficient that the one time it died on the best way dwelling, I strapped it to the front basket of the Citi bike and drove dwelling (do not do this!). The experience high quality is nice, however I had points with it refusing to connect with the cellphone till I disconnected the interior energy cable within the rack. There may be an anti-theft function that sounds an alarm and slows the scooter down if somebody tries to roll it away, however surprisingly, when you can disable the alarm completely, the one solution to cease it from braking whereas rolling is to show the scooter on. My unique mannequin additionally utterly stopped working and would not activate, so Niu needed to ship me a second mannequin. Oh, and typically, throughout journeys, the scooter slows down and solely reaches high pace after a couple of minutes. I think it’s a thermal concern. All in all, there’s plenty of promise, however it’s simply annoying.
TurboAnt M10 Lite for $290: It is a completely wonderful price range scooter, greatest for folks below 200 kilos. (I wasn’t in a position to get it to its high pace of 16mph.) Meeting requires a couple of additional steps (extra issues should be screwed on, just like the rear fender). I’ve solely been in a position to get about 8 miles on it, however I like that the folding system is quick, the show is vibrant, and it is fairly mild at 31 kilos. Simply do not climb the steep hills.
Gotrax Apex for $350: The Apex weighs 32 kilos and folds simply. It has a built-in bell and a digital show that reveals your pace and battery life, and it might probably go as much as 15 mph. The Apex is dependable—I’ve gone to espresso retailers, to distant video shoots with a backpack filled with digicam, and to the grocery retailer—although it isn’t the smoothest experience. The 250 W motor can deal with any small inclines, and slopes drain the battery rapidly. The battery normally lasted about 9 miles for me. I am additionally tall and needed to continually stretch my arms to achieve the steering wheel. You will wish to tighten up the rear disc brake; it really works wonderful, however I would not thoughts extra braking energy.
Gotrax GX2 for $1499: The GX2 is just like the Apollo Phantom and Segway P100S in that it weighs 76 kilos and has nice energy and vary. This steel scooter appears a bit like a transformer and may attain a high pace of 35mph with its twin 800W motors, however I normally rode it at 20mph. It received me downtown and again to Brooklyn (18.4 miles complete) with some juice. I hate carrying it up and down the steps as a result of the stem is so thick it is arduous to grip. In the event you’re ready at a visitors mild, the GX2 additionally goes into park mode after a couple of seconds, so that you continually have to recollect to press the mode button to shift it into steering gear. That is very annoying and Gotrax says there is no such thing as a solution to flip it off. I am a bit involved concerning the construct high quality – the motor makes a noise as if one thing is touching it, and this noise goes away once I flippantly apply the left brake lever whereas driving. The latch that holds the stem in a vertical place drops too simply, regardless of the sliding lock mechanism that holds it in place; Gotrax says it might be fitted too tightly. In the event you see any of those points, I like to recommend contacting Gotrax and going to your native scooter store to have them have a look.
Navee S65 for $1,099: Navee is a comparatively new model increasing its presence within the US, and I had a good time utilizing the S65 (7/10, WIRED Recommends). I may commonly make 16 mile spherical journeys at 20 mph, however that drained the battery considerably. It has nice acceleration, because of its geared motor, and it climbs slopes with ease, however it additionally makes it very loud. The engine noise fades away whenever you’re in a loud metropolis like New York, however it may be disconcerting on quieter streets. It weighs 53 kilos, so it is heavier than our high decide regardless of the same vary, and its customer support is up within the air since it is so new. Nonetheless, I loved the experience.
Evolv Terra for $1,231: I loved my time with the Evolv Terra (7/10, WIRED Recommends). It weighs 53 kilos, and due to the skinny leg, it isn’t too annoying to hold round. It is highly effective and able to speeds of as much as 31 mph when each 600-watt motors are engaged (verify your native pace legal guidelines first!). In any other case, you possibly can go 20 mph like I did in second gear (there are three in complete) with one engine. Vary is fairly common, with about two bars left on the meter after 15 miles, so it may doubtlessly final greater than 20 miles, particularly for those who’re conservative with its speeds. The suspension is okay, however the stable tires can really feel fairly bumpy on tough roads. I additionally discovered the fenders fairly ineffective as after a moist experience after the rain my again was coated in patches of mud that had come up from the rear tire. The stem angle was additionally too near my physique and the shortage of a thumb throttle meant my wrist was sore after lengthy rides. You possibly can modify the throttle and brake angle to enhance this.
Radio Flyer S533 for $599: Truthfully, I am stunned at how properly this scooter carried out in my exams. The folding mechanism is just a latch and a sleeve that you just pull all the way down to preserve the latch from opening whereas using. It is vitally straightforward to fold and unfold and is mild at 30 lbs. It is in no way a commuter scooter—I received lower than 8 miles of vary on a single cost—and regardless of exceeding its 220-pound payload capability, I averaged about 14 mph from a high pace of 16 mph in an hour. It is a good little scooter to go to the submit workplace, the grocery retailer, or Cinnabon when my spouse asks for a cinnamon roll. Nonetheless, its value doesn’t match the ability and efficiency; it must be cheaper. Additionally price noting is that the primary mannequin the corporate despatched me did not activate and the second mannequin had a flat entrance tire. Pumping it up was a snap and I have never had an issue since.
Apollo Air Professional (2022) for $899: I have never examined the brand new 2024 mannequin, however the Apollo Air Professional (2022) was a wonderful scooter (6/10, WIRED evaluation); I simply do not suppose it is definitely worth the excessive value. It goes as much as 21 mph and I used to be in a position to drive it about 13-15 miles earlier than it died. You get all of the {hardware}, just like the entrance mild and chime, and there is app connectivity to customise the settings to your liking. Nonetheless, the app is there required to unlock the true pace of the Air Professional – in any other case you are restricted to 12mph. I am extra aggravated by the folding mechanism, which takes extra work than it ought to. It additionally does not speed up too rapidly, and regardless of its 39-pound weight, it is uncomfortable to hold due to the thick stem.
