In the last few years, the use of e-bikes and e-scooters around the world, particularly in urban areas, has absolutely exploded.
People are slowly beginning to realise that bikes and scooters like these are a cheap, convenient, environmentally friendly transport option which is perfect for commuters and other short journeys.
But how do you know which one is right for you? Sometimes, it can be difficult to decide, which is why we’ve written this handy guide.
What are the differences between an e-bike and an e-scooter?
The differences between e-bikes and e-scooters are obvious at first glance. After all, they’re built around two entirely different frames., which dictate what they should be used for.
In general, an e-bike is far more suitable as a mode of personal transport, because of the increased range, speed, carrying capacity and comfort it offers.
E-scooters on the other hand are far smaller and easier to transport, far cheaper to buy, and more fun to whip around in, making them a much more interesting toy, as well as being a lot easier and more suitable for children.
Here are the big differences between e-bikes and e-scooters, broken down.
Comfort
Most electric scooters have no support for you beyond your own natural shock absorbers; your legs. The wheels on an electric scooter are also generally much smaller and can be harder, than the wheels on a bike, which leads to feeling every bump you pass over.
Electric bikes on the other hand are designed for comfort, with larger, padded seats, big wheels that can comfortably take rough terrain, and sometimes full suspension systems.
Winner: Electric bikes
Top Speed
Electric bikes more commonly have bigger motors and batteries than e-scooters, so their top speeds tend to be much higher.
It’s common to see speeds of around 10-15mph from an e-scooter, though of course, there are scooters that are outfitted with much bigger motors, double battery setups and more that allow them to hit far higher speeds.
E-bikes on the other hand can comfortably hit speeds up to 20-30mph on average, due to the increased size and weight a bike frame can comfortably carry.
Winner: Electric Bikes
Maximum Range
A combination of factors gives e-bikes a much larger range than scooters. The bigger battery, more powerful motor and larger wheels all contribute to a massively increased range.
There’s also the factor that a lot of electric bikes recharge as you ride, increasing the range as long as you’ve still got energy left to burn.
With that said, modern e-scooters with lithium-ion batteries have increasingly longer ranges, with most easily approaching or surpassing double digits.
Winner: Electric Bikes
Cost
There’s no contest here. E-scooters are significantly cheaper than electric bikes, both as an initial cost, and when they run and things inevitably go wrong.
However, you’ve got to balance out that cost with what you’re buying the bike or scooter for.
Winner: Electric Scooters
Legality
When it comes to legality, there is a huge difference between an electric bike and an e-scooter.
Put simply, you can use an electric bike anywhere that you would use a standard pedal bike. This means they’re legal on roads, cycle tracks, across most national parks and trails, as well as on private land.
But currently, in the UK, e-scooters are not legal in a public place. That means that you can’t ride your e-scooter on anything this is not privately owned property.
This means that you cannot use an e-scooter to commute, pop down the shops for a pint of milk, or even drift around your quiet little cul-de-sac and have a little fun.
The UK government is currently examining the laws, to bring them closer to regulations across the entire rest of the world. So we fully expect this to change, hopefully in the next year or two.
So should you buy an e-bike or an e-scooter?
Right now, the choice of whether you buy an e-bike or scooter is an easy one, broken down into two clear delineations based on what you want it for.
You should buy an e-bike if:
- You need something that you can use to commute with, whether that’s through country lanes or city streets.
- You regularly go for long cycles and want something that can take you further, take the strain off if you’re getting back into exercise, or push you up the hardest hills.
- You want to be safer on your bike, and having the power and speed of an e-bike behind you is an advantage.
- You just want to have fun, with all the benefits of a bike, and all the power of an electric motor.
You should buy an electric scooter if:
- You have a lot of lands that you can use it on, and you’re interested in buying an off-road electric scooter.
- You want to be prepared for the coming changes in the law that will allow you to use it to commute, like a folding electric bike.
- You want an amazingly fun little toy that’s great for you, and also great for your kids.
Final thoughts
When it comes down to it, an electric bike and an e-scooter are completely different tools, designed for different things.
Which one you want comes down to you and your personal situation. For most people, an electric bike is a useful tool, and an e-scooter is a fun toy.
As we roll into 2022, this looks set to change. But for now, if you’re buying to use on public roads, buy an electric bike. If you’re buying for fun, buy an e-scooter.