The buzzword is EV – Electric Vehicles running on Lithium-ion batteries. We have seen companies rolling out all categories of electric vehicles like cars, buses, trams, hoverboards, e-scooters, e-bikes, aircraft, and rockets. You want one too!
If you are looking for a short-distance commute to the office, college, or neighborhood, then e-scooters could be your best buy. They are affordable, reliable, quick, fun, easy to ride and you get to save the planet while you are at it! A green alternative for us is right here within our budget! But before you decide on the kind of e-scooter you want, here are a few points that you may want to consider.
Must Know Before You Buy an E-scooter
Age – The appropriate age of riding e-scooters varies from state to state, country to country. Therefore, you must keep yourself updated with the local laws and regulations concerning the same.
Traffic Laws – They allow these to be driven strictly on cycling paths or on allocated roads only. Riding it on main public streets can attract a heavy fine since it is illegal in some countries while in some others, they allow it only on private properties.
License – You must own a provisional driving license for riding an e-scooter.
Budget – If you go for the cheaper e-scooters, they have a smaller battery, solid tires – which are puncture-proof and low maintenance. Although there are obviously fewer features and less range in a reasonably priced version, the higher version clocks in some serious miles, has air-filled tires so more comfort and grip. The suspension is better so you can go on longer journeys. It might be worth spending some extra money since this one can take more weight in a range of 80 kgs – 150 kgs. If you weigh between 50 kgs and 80 kgs, then you might just breeze through with the lighter version.
Battery – Lithium-ion batteries do not charge at the same rate as filling the fuel tank. After 80% charging, the charging rate slows down and so these e-scooters need to be charged overnight to get 100% of the juice in. It is advisable to not leave the e-scooter in storage for very long durations as the battery may die out. If you are not a regular user, make sure you take it out once a week, run the battery flat completely and fully charge it. And it is important that you use only the genuine charger that comes with it. Make sure all the nuts & bolts are in place and tight or get it inspected by a mechanic thoroughly before use. The e-scooter should not be used till the last drop of battery runs out. It must have at least 30% power in it at all times and must be plugged in immediately after you get home.
Weather – Extreme and fluctuating weather patterns are a bad thing for e-scooters because if it is too cold, then you are not going to get much distance out of it, that is just downright a fact. Alternatively, if it is too hot, it will be hard to get the battery charged. This is why you have to make sure there is a cool, dry place to charge the battery and store the e-scooter.
Design – Safety should be an important aspect in mind before you make a choice as you are going to be on roads and pathways with this vehicle. Anti-skid handles and footrests, brakes, motor, etc should be well put together. Since most of these e-scooters run on electric power, acceleration would be comfortable as per your usage.
