This will be your one stop shop to find out everything you'd want to know about electric scooters. These portable rideables have been around for a few years now. They have populated city streets through cookie-cutter rental units to the new and improved one's we offer at GOTRAX. We will go through the how electric scooters have affected the world, what kinds of electric scooters are out there, and what exactly makes goes into an electric scooter. This is the ultimate guide to electric scooters.
The World of Electric Scooters
A few people trace the origin of electric scooters to as early as the late 1800s but people truly became aware of them in early 2010s and it wasn't until 2017 that they started to spread across the United States. In fact, GOTRAX started that same year as well. You have most likely seen a shared escooter or perhaps even ridden one. This is many people's first time riding an electric scooter. Naturally, this has driven people to want their own, personal escooter to ride whenever they want to. The demand for personal electric vehicles (PEVs) has only grown in recent years and shows no signs of stopping. Furthermore, as more and more people begin to transition from commuting in their cars they will start to see how much money they save as well as how much you can really do on an escooter.
Studies have shown that you can save up $5,000 per year by commuting via electric scooter. That $5,000 mainly comes from gas, parking, and repairs you'd spend on your car. Money saved means you can spend it on more important things such as bills, groceries, or just a fun night out. The next thing you may have noticed, at least in larger cities, is a transition in infrastructure. For the most part, electric scooters are regulated to stay on bike lanes or paths and off of sidewalks. New York City is one of the better examples of a once car based, traffic congested city slowing moving and adapting to the change in the world. Dedicated and protect bike lanes are being built and some streets are being closed off to cars entirely in the Big Apple. While you will still see bumper to bumper parking lots on busy city streets, you will start to notice all the electric scooters and other PEVs riding past.
Types of Electric Scooters
Electric scooter awareness has seen an exponential rise in these past few years. That rise has also led to an increase in electric scooter companies and what seems to be an endless variety of choices to make. Escooters comes in all shapes and sizes. There is an escooter out there for just about everyone whether they are 15 or 50 year old. Finding the right one for you can take time so be sure to do all the research you can before you ride.
Electric Scooters for Adults
On your day to day you will most commonly see adults riding electric scooters both shared and personal. The higher weight capacity, faster speeds, and larger frames are built with the intention of an adult riding them. However, even in this category there are subcategories to what qualifies in the electric scooter for adults.
Commuter Electric Scooters
Convenience and efficiency are what define this category. Navigating city streets and taking on all what you can throw at them. Commuter escooters will often feature rear wheel motors for improved hill climbing ability to deal with the steeper parts of your ride. You should also note if your ride has 10" pneumatic shock-absorbing tires to handle the pesky potholes or cracks that would otherwise be bothersome.
Performance Electric Scooters
Your top speed and max range just got taken to the next level. Performance electric scooters are built for experienced and advanced riders who know their way around something of this build type. Dual motors, full suspension, larger decks, bigger batteries and dual brakes are just a few of the many features found on a performance escooter.
Casual Electric Scooters
Often called 'entry level' as well, the casual electric scooter is for the people just getting started in the world of escooters. First time riders are looking for something familiar to a shared scooter they've ridden that has a more unique look. These models are ideal for young adults and teens due to being cost-efficient, foldable, and safe. Great to get around the neighborhood or across campus.
Electric Scooters for Kids
People can clearly see the parallels in electric scooters and regular kick scooters. There is no reason why your child shouldn't get to ride along with you. Most commonly you will see these smaller escooters out on the road but in neighborhoods as kids get a kick of being able to head over to their friends houses in a quick, safe, and fun way. Kids electric scooters are built with smaller motors, LED lights, different safety systems and so much more. The best part for the parents will be the solid rubber tires they ride on. No more flats and no more hassle trying to swap a popped tire.
How Electric Scooters Work
Battery
The powerhouse of the entire escooter and without it making it a giant paperweight. The most common battery type is lithium-ion. This is largely in part because of how well it operates as a battery holding a charge and lasting for hundreds, if not thousands of charge cycles. You will find your battery either in the stem or deckboard of your electric scooter.
Motor
Located within either the front or rear wheel and sometimes both, the motor gives your electric scooter it's mobility. Motors on electric scooters aren't rated in horsepower but rather in Watts. The higher the Watts, the quicker your electric scooter can reach its rated top speed. Electric scooters can come with various speed modes as well. These varying levels help you manage battery life a bit better than most and provide you even more control when riding.
Kick-2-Start
Continuing with the motor, it will not engage right as you turn it on. This is mainly a safety feature so if you accidently hit the throttle your electric scooter won't push off on its own. First you must manually push off on your escooter to reach a speed of 2-3 mph. Then, you will press the throttle and feel the motor engage. Although, don't press the throttle while you are pushing off. Only press on the throttle after you have reached the required minimum speed.
Controller
Similar to how a video game controller controls where your character goes, an electric scooter's controller controls where power goes in your ride. That means to the motor, digital display, LED lights, and anything else that relies on electricity on your escooter. Controllers also help managing the output and offering voltage protection to keep your escooter riding for years to come.
Digital Display
This is how you will mostly be interacting with your electric scooter. On the display you should see the power button to turn your escooter on or off. When first turning your electric scooter on you may get a prompt for a digital code lock. This is a feature in a few GOTRAX models as an added security feature to help prevent theft. Additionally, you can get various readouts on your electric scooter such as current speed, distance, headlight status, battery life, speed settings, and a lot more depending on which kind of electric scooter you get.
One Touch Folding
A simple folding mechanism can make all the difference. Having the ability to essentially fold your escooter in half saves you so much space when you aren't using it. You'll most likely see an easy to use hook-n-latch system that will easily lock into place. One more thing, it allows you to carry your electric scooter in a less awkward manner. It comes in handy when going over stairs or onto the bus.
Electric scooters are here to stay. They will constantly be changing to better serve you, the rider, and ensure a comfortable ride. GOTRAX will continue to research and design our electric scooters to remain on the cutting edge of the latest tech to provide you the best electric scooters we can. Whichever electric scooter you end up riding please be sure to ride safe and always wear your helmet!
Ride Together. Ride GOTRAX!
