Things to consider before you buy an e-scooter

9 March, 2023 By: Vanessa Pogorelic

If you’ve decided to join the growing number of e-scooter commuters in WA, you’ll soon understand just why so many people are jumping on board.

But before you even head out the door to go scooter shopping, you’ll need to consider just how you’re going to use your e-scooter, because that will determine what features and specifications you’ll need to look for.

For example, you might just want something for short trips that’s light and compact and is easy to carry around when folded. On the other hand, if you’re looking at longer commutes, you’ll need more range on one charge and possibly even a wider deck so you’re more comfortable on longer rides.

Here are some of the key features you’ll need to consider before you make a decision. Once you’ve worked out exactly what you need and what you can do without, you’ll be ready to start searching for your new wheels.

And if you're looking for one of these for your kids - don't. Kids under 16 are not permitted to ride eRideable devices on public roads and paths in WA. For your kids, you'll need to look at e-scooters with motors that do not exceed 200w or 10km/h. The types of e-scooters we're considering here are for riders aged 16 and above.

RELATED: eRideable devices - what are the options? »

Dimensions, weight, speed

Let’s get the non-negotiables out of the way first. If you want to lawfully ride your e-scooter on public roads and paths in WA, you’ll need to make sure the one you pick is less than 125cm long, 70cm wide and 135cm high. It should not weigh more than 25kg and must not be capable of travelling faster than 25km/h on level ground.

Don’t assume that all stores selling e-scooters in WA are selling street-legal scooters. Make sure you’re also familiar with WA’s e-rideable laws so you know exactly where you can and can’t ride your e-scooter in public places.

Brakes

There are two broad categories of e-scooter brakes: mechanical and electronic brakes. Mechanical brakes include foot brakes, drum brakes and disc brakes (including hydraulic disc brakes). The electronic brakes category also covers regenerative braking systems. Here’s a snapshot of how each works.

Foot brakes

Foot brakes are the cheapest and least effective of the mechanical braking systems. With a foot brake you are literally pushing the rear fender down onto the rear tyre to create enough friction to slow your e-scooter. A foot brake also requires you to use your foot to activate it – that means lifting your rear foot off the deck to press against the fender, which can cause some loss of stability while you’re riding. They’re even less effective when the tyre is wet.

Drum brakes

Drum brakes are housed inside the wheel hub and work when a brake shoe presses against the brake lining. They’re not as effective as disc brakes and are complicated to service, but fortunately don’t need a lot of maintenance.

Disc brakes

Disc brakes are your best choice. Within this category there are mechanical disc brakes, hydraulic disc brakes and semi-hydraulic disc brakes. Each has a rotor (the disc) with a brake caliper attached.

Hydraulic disc brakes

Fully hydraulic braking systems have lines filled with hydraulic fluid, which, when put under pressure by the squeezing the brake levers, activate a piston which presses brakes pads against the rotor to slow it down. Fully hydraulic disc brakes are the most effective braking systems, but they are generally found on more expensive e-scooters.

Semi-hydraulic disc brakes

Semi-hydraulic disc brakes are a notch down but still a great braking system. They work in much the same way but instead of lines filled hydraulic fluid, they use a cable to squeeze the piston in the brake caliper.

Mechanical disc brakes are the way to go unless you’re planning on splashing out on a high-end scooter or you really just want something simple and inexpensive and are happy with a foot brake. In mechanical disc brake systems, when the brake levers are squeezed, a cable causes the brake calipers on the rotors to squeeze the brake pads against the rotor. Though not quite as sure and steady as hydraulic, they provide effective braking and are relatively simple to maintain.

Electronic brakes

Electronic brakes, including regenerative brakes, generally aren’t standalone braking systems on e-scooters. They will aid in slowing you down, but the brake performance is weak compared to disc brakes or even drum brakes. Regenerative brakes will actually put some charge back into your battery, but the amount of charge returned is small. Many e-scooters with disc brakes also have a regenerative braking system that can be applied at different levels of braking strength.

Tyres

As with e-scooter brake systems, there are two main categories of e-scooter tyres: air-filled (pneumatic) and solid.

Solid tyres

Solid tyres are, as they sound, just solid rubber or filled with Polyurethane foam. Solid tyres also come in a variety called honeycomb which contain air pockets to soften the ride somewhat. The advantage of solid tyres is that you’ll never have to do the ‘scooter walk of shame’ with a flat tyre. The disadvantage is that you’ll be in for a bit of a bumpy ride, unless you only travel on very smooth surfaces. They also have less grip than pneumatic tyres – especially on a wet surface.

Honeycomb tyres

Honeycomb tyres will absorb a little more of the bumps from the road surface, but their shock-absorption properties are still limited. An e-scooter with solid tyres and no suspension (more on that later) will provide an uncomfortable ride if you’re going anything but very short distances.

Pneumatic tyres

Pneumatic tyres can either have an inner tube or be tubeless. They provide a far more cushioned and comfortable ride and better traction. The only disadvantage with pneumatic tyres is that they can be punctured. You will also have to check the air pressure fairly regularly as they do deflate over time and will need to be pumped back up to the manufacturer-recommend pressure. To reduce your chance of getting a flat, you can fill the tyre or inner tube with a sealant such as Slime, which is available from most automotive, bicycle and e-scooter stores.

It's worth noting that some e-scooters come with one solid and one pneumatic tyre so you get the best of both worlds – a solid tyre on the front, which is the tyre you’re more likely to get a puncture in, and a pneumatic tyre at the rear which is where more of a rider’s weight goes. However, this combination will still not provide the comfort, performance and traction of two air-filled tyres.

Tyre size

The diameter and width of the tyre is another consideration for your e-scooter shopping list. The most common e-scooter tyre width is 8 inches, 10 is also not uncommon. They can go as low as 5 or 6 inches and more than 10. Tyres of a smaller diameter are a bit more nimble and easier to turn, larger tyres can provide a more comfortable ride but are a little less manoeuvrable in tight corners. A larger wheel also means you’ll be riding a little higher, which can feel a bit less stable than standing on an e-scooter deck that’s closer to the ground.

If you choose one that’s either 8 or 10 inches, you should be in the sweet spot for most types of on-road riding. The width of the tyre can also impact your ride with wider tyres providing more stability on uneven surface and narrower tyres being a little nimbler on smoother surfaces.

Suspension

In addition to the tyres on your e-scooter, your ride quality is going to depend a great deal on whether you have suspension or not and the type of suspension system you have.

Suspension systems on e-scooters may be rubber, spring or hydraulic. Some e-scooters come with a blend of two different suspension types on each wheel.

Rubber suspension

Rubber suspension uses cylindrical blocks of rubber to absorbs shocks. The rubber can effectively dampen rattles and bumps as you ride.

Spring suspension

Spring suspension is the most common and works on the same principle as rubber except with large spring coils that compress to absorb bumps.

Hydraulic suspension

Hydraulic suspension systems are more complex so e-scooters with hydraulic suspension tend to be more expensive, but the ride quality is very good.

Suspension isn’t just important for ensuring a comfortable ride, it can also give you a safer ride. Bumps and uneven road and path surfaces can make you unstable, with the shock travelling up the scooter stem into your hands and arms which could cause you to lose your grip.

Range

The distance your e-scooter can travel on one charge – its range – is an important consideration. More range is always going to be better, to save you having to recharge too often. For those who plan to scoot over longer distances, an e-scooter with a long range is essential. If that’s you, then look for an e-scooter with at least 40-50km of range. You can get away with less, but on a longer trip you may need to take your charger with you, which is not always convenient. Extra range will also help make up for the additional charge you might loose when you're riding into a strong headwind. Anything that causes resistance while riding, such as hills and a strong wind against you, will chew up extra charge.

Chargers and charging

How long it takes to charge any one e-scooter varies considerably and will depend on the storage capacity of the battery (Ah) and its output (Amps). But you can expect to be waiting a good few hours for a full charge. Check the recharge times when you're looking at the specs for any scooter you're considering buying - these will give you an idea of what the charge time would be from 0% to 100%. If you think you'll need a shorter turnaround time, some manufacturers offer fast chargers. You would purchase one of these separately from the standard charger that comes with the e-scooter - but make sure it's from scooter's manufacturer and not a third-party charger for safety reasons. A fast charger shouldn't be your go to though, as over time, fast charging will degrade the battery. It's also worth noting that regularly completely depleting your battery of charge is not great for the battery in the long term.

Wattage

If you’re going to be regularly riding in any areas with steep hills or if you’re a heavier rider (or both) don’t underdo the wattage on. The popular Segway Ninebot Max has a 350-watt motor - good enough for flat surfaces but it will slow down on steeper inclines, and with a heavier rider may even come to a standstill. Keep this in mind when you’re thinking about where you’ll ride your e-scooter. 

A 500-watt motor will perform a little better on hills – especially if you’re a lighter rider. Somewhere between 500-800 watts is a safe middle ground, but again, it depends on where you’re going to be travelling. More wattage also means the scooter can carry a heavier load. But don’t go overboard – a powerful motor can also be harder to control and is overkill for local commutes.

Also be cautious of manufacturers that push the ‘peak’ power of the motor. Just go by the real not the peak power – it’s the most accurate.

Handlebar height

Scooters can either have handlebars with a fixed height or they may be adjustable. Budget-priced e-scooters tend to have fixed handlebars, meaning there’s no mechanism for adjusting their height on the stem. Depending on your own height, you may find fixed-height handlebars suit you well. For more flexibility, and especially if someone else will be riding your e-scooter, go for handlebars you can adjust. Being able to lower the handlebars right down also makes the e-scooter more compact when it’s folded.

Portability

On the subject of folding your scooter, you’ll want to ensure you’re comfortable folding it and unfolding it, carrying and even lifting it, especially if you’re going to need to carry it up any steps or lift it into the back of your car. Test this out in the store. And remember the maximum legal weight of an e-scooter that can travel on public roads and paths in WA is 25kg. Make sure the one you’re buying is no heavier.

Rider weight capacity

All e-scooters have a maximum load which refers to the amount of weight that they can carry. Overloading your scooter will impact its performance. While the majority of riders will be covered by the weight capacity of most e-scooters, if you are a heavier rider, it’s worth checking the e-scooter’s specs for the maximum capacity.

Lighting

Most e-scooters come with some kind of front light though it may not be strong enough to make you clearly visible to other road users and to light up the path in front of you at night. Make sure you add a strong headlight if it doesn’t come with one. Extra lights down the stem and even under the e-scooter’s deck will make you even more visible. It can look pretty impressive, too. If your e-scooter doesn’t have built-in brake lights, it should at least have reflectors. Adding a red flashing light to the back of your helmet is also recommended.

Water and dust resistance

Find out what the e-scooter’s IP rating is. IP ratings indicate a scooter's resistance to water and dust. It’s never a good idea to ride in the rain (or in dusty conditions), not just for your safety but also to keep the scooter in good condition. But if you ever do get caught out it’s good know your e-scooter can take a bit of rain. Just dry it off well when you get home.

Where to buy

There are pros and cons to buying local in WA versus interstate. Buying online from an east coast retailer will open up a lot more choice, but then you don’t have the peace of mind of local repairs and servicing, although some interstate retailers may have local repairers. There are a growing number of local suppliers in WA so shop around and find the option you’re most comfortable with. The most important consideration, whether you’re buying an entry level scooter, something middle of the road or top of the range, is that you go with a well-established and reputable brand and also a reputable retailer who is aware of state-based restrictions.