There is an amazing range of electric scooters available these days. The low end is a made-in-China cheapo at around $200 up to the Monocurve E-scoot (Bo M — pictured) from the UK at around $2700. The one thing they have in common is amazing energy efficiency. For example, the E-scoot claims around 50 km of range from a 655 Wh battery. That translates to a “fuel” cost of about as close to zero as you can get.
If you are considering one, here are some considerations:
- Top speed is typically in the range of 20 to 40 kph
- Expect to be able to travel from 20 to 50 km on a single charge
- With a short wheelbase expect a rough ride if the pavement isn’t smooth but some have pneumatic tires and/or a suspension system
- Weights are from 10 to 25 kg
- There are foldable models but that may increase weight and/or make them less sturdy
- Safety is likely better than a bicycle (because you are standing upright making you more visible) but clearly you have zero crash protection
I see the real answer being where you would use one. If, for example, you need to travel around a big college campus a scooter could be idea but probably not so if you had a relatively long commute in heavy traffic.
For more on the Bo M, see https://bo.world/pages/bo-m-page .
