With technology getting cheaper every year, and the events of the last couple of years still in people’s minds, it’s no wonder that electric scooters are getting far more popular.
Great when you have to get somewhere fast, an electric scooter is quick, quiet, and much more portable than a bike. With social distancing being a fact of life, and potential new rules and regulations regarding the use of e-scooters on roads in the UK on the cards, expect to see more and more of them as months go on.
The 5 Best Adult Electric Scooters
Best overall: Unagi Model One
Just looking at the Unagi Model One tells you it’s built different. Getting your hands on it only confirms that.
Built around a frame that’s almost all future-tech materials like magnesium and carbon fibre, it looks absolutely stunning, with a slimline profile, especially when it’s folded down. It’s very light, at a mere 12kg, snapping shut easily, and in seconds, so you can pack this away and carry it with you when you’re not on it.
Performance is solid, because of a smart design innovation. Twin 250W motors, one for each wheel. With both engaged, you’re looking at a 15mph top speed, with a 15 mile range. That’s a little short, but considering this was designed as a city machine, it makes sense. Twin motors also offer seriously impressive performance when you get to rougher spots, with high torque for hills and rapid acceleration from standing.
If you’re cruising, or heading long distance, you can disable one motor, which is simple to do, considering the controls are great, putting absolutely everything you need right in front of you. That’s topped off with head and tail lights, and a really smart control suite that uses thumb paddles for speed and brakes.
In short, the Unagi leads the pack in almost everything. Design. Performance. Quality. About the only reason not to buy it is because it also leads on price.
But if you want the best, well, this is it.
Pros
• Powerful dual motor design
• Looks stunning
• Great controls
Cons
• Reasonably pricey
Best budget: Ninebot Segway E25E
An updated version of the Ninebot-Segway ES2, the E25E snuck into stores relatively recently, with very little fanfare, which is a shame, as it’s a clear rival to some of the other budget models out there. (Including the Xiaomi 1S, which is, oddly, manufactured by the same company.)
Looking at the spec list for this scooter, it’s hard to tell why it’s slipped under the radar, as everything is comparable or better than equivalent options.
The design is simple but robust, folding easily on itself, with a reasonably mobile weight of 14.4kg. But it’s top speed is a decent 16mph, and it has a 16 mile range, with an impressive recharge time of just 4 hours.
If that’s not enough, a secondary battery can be added, sitting comfortably on the main handlebar stem, which pushes the top speed up to 19mph, but almost doubles the range, to a very respectable 28 miles.
The features list is solid, with cruise control, LED lights, twin brakes, and one of the best phone apps we’ve seen, that gives you comprehensive battery, speed, and journey statistics.
We recommend the Ninebot Segway E25E because of its options for battery expansion, but decent performance out of the box and incredibly app.
Pros
• Good performance and range
• Easily upgradable
• Fantastic phone support
Cons
• Slightly more expensive than some options
Best for distance: Pure Air Pro
Pure are probably the biggest name in e-scooters in the UK, so it stands to reason that their prime offering is a wicked piece of kit.
This is the Pure Air Pro Second Generation, the updated version for 2022. That’s something to be very aware of when you’re buying this, because the differences are surprisingly large.
The Pure Air Pro comes equipped with a heavy duty motor that puts out a lot of power, 500W of it to be exact. That gives this scooter impressive performance. The top speed is only 15.5mph, which is around what you’d expect from smaller motors, but it’s quick out of the gate, gets to that speed fast, and has enough grunt to make it up steep inclines without struggling.
It also has an exceptional maximum range, the longest on our list, at 31 miles, though this does come with a commensurate increase in charging time, at around 8 hours, so you’re realistically looking at overnight charging.
The phone app is impressive, giving you a solid list of stats, though be warned, the battery indicator has been known to be imprecise, so always double check on the scooter itself. It’s also worth pointing out that that big range only applies if you’re moving at around 60% max speed.
But apart from these small downsides, the Pure Air Pro is still a worthy contender for the throne of best e-scooter. If Pure keep up their track record, the third generation of this will be one to keep an eye on.
Pros
• Well build
• Huge range
• Easy to drive
Cons
• Quite heavy
• Long charging time
Best for power: Zipper 1000W Off Road Scooter
Designed specifically for off-road and hill climbing work, the Zipper 1000W scooter is a beast that eats rough terrain and is built to take a beating.
Unlike the thinner carbon fibre or light aluminium frames common to a lot of city scooters, the Zipper is built from solid high tension steel, and hefty chunks of wood. This does mean that the scooter is tough as nails, but also means it weighs a solid 46kg, far too heavy for a city runner.
The motor is a monstrous 1000W, pushing this scooter up to an impressive 15mph, despite the weight it’s hauling. Huge 12 inch all terrain tyres eat lumps and bumps for breakfast, and twin, front and back vented disc brakes and suspension systems keep you in control.
Range is around 19 miles off of a single charge. However, the big motor demands a large battery, and charging times are a lengthy 12-16 hours.
In all honesty, the Zipper Off Road almost feels like a dirt bike. With its massive power, high torque, and comfortable seat, this is a scooter that you could comfortably tear around farmlands, go green laning on, or even take scrambling. It’s a quintessential play scooter. And despite the specs, also incredibly well priced.
Pros
• High top speed
• Comfortable standing or sitting
• Huge brakes and wheels
Cons
• Long charging time
Best for transporting: Xiaomi 1S Electric
The Xiaomi Mijia M365 is well known among the right circles as one of the best, most affordable e-scooters around if you’re looking for something that’s light, collapsible, but still has enough power to get you around.
The Xiaomi 1S is the updated model for 2020, taking what worked in the M365 and building on it to produce one of the best light e-scooters on the market right now.
Sitting at 12.5kg, the 1S is very light, especially considering the 250W motor that can bring it up to a top speed of 15mph, even at the maximum rider weight of 100kg. The range is around 18.5 miles from a full charge, which takes, on average, between 5 and 6 hours.
New to the 1S is its LED display. The M365 only had battery indicator lights, but the 1S has a fully fledged display with a speedometer, battery indicator, and riding mode light. Pressing the power button a second time engages the front LED light, and double tapping it changes between the three ride modes; pedestrian, drive, and sport.
Folding it down is as simple as unsecuring then resecuring a latch, and takes literal seconds, even for an absolute beginner. With such a light weight, it’s easy to carry, can accompany you onto crowded trains, and is light enough to attach to another bag.
The price is also where you would expect it to be on a budget e-scooter. As of writing, it’s available for £499, which is exactly in line with its competitors.
Overall, the 1S is a worthy successor to a scooter that many thought was one of the best e-scooters of recent years, and more than worth your attention.
Pros
• Light and easy to manoeuvrer
• A lot of power for a light model
• Easy to set up and use
Cons
• Not waterproof
Choosing an electric scooter: What you should look out for
Price
There’s no getting away from the fact that electric scooters aren’t particularly cheap. But as long as you’re smart about what you’re buying, an electric scooter is always a good investment.
Prices range from around £100 for a starter model that’s only really good for playing around on, up to £1000+ for a top level model with a powerful motor and huge battery, that can reach top speeds rivalling a petrol driven scooter engine, with a range nearing triple figures.
The motor
The motor is what drives your electric scooter, and is measured in Watts (W.) A simple rule of thumb is: bigger motor = more power. But a bigger motor also draws more power from the battery, which can come with its own problems, and also pushes up the price fast, so balance power against what you need.
Motors on electric scooters run the absolute gauntlet, from tiny little 50W motors that are only really suitable for children and lighter adults, up to 100W or more monsters that can drive a fully grown man around at speeds faster than some cars.
A good sweet spot to look for is around the 250W mark. This is powerful enough for a decent top speed, but also reasonably priced and with a long battery life.
How long does the battery last
When you’re looking at battery life on an electric scooter, you have to remember that it’s a motor, so you’re not looking for time, you’re looking for range.
You’ll normally find scooters stating how far it will take you on a full charge. In our opinion, cut 25% off that number, because the complications of most journeys, as well as gradual battery drain over time and use, will quickly burn it down.
The scooters on our list have an average range of 18 miles (30km,) with some of the best pushing that number upwards of 30 miles or more on a single charge. Combined with sub 4 hour charge times on a lot of the higher quality scooters, and you’ve got something that can easily handle long daily city commutes, as well as play afterwards.
Does it have suspension
Suspension is less important on a city runner, as you’re only going to be using it on flat surfaces like roads and cycle tracks. But if you plan on taking your e-scooter off road at all, good suspension is a necessity.
Design and looks
Lets face it. If you’re dropping a few hundred on a new scooter, you’re going to want it to look and feel good.
Scooter design has gone through a revolution in the last few years, and now every design is sleek and smart, with curves in all the right places and viciously sharp body lines.
In terms of specific designs, you’re mostly looking for comfort and usability. Check that the deck is large enough for you to stand comfortably, and that the handles.
Is it waterproof?
It’s an electric scooter. Before you take it out in the rain, or bomb through puddles on a chilly autumn afternoon, you should make sure that you’re not going to reduce your new toy to an expensive brick.
Water resistance tends to come in two flavours:
Splash proof, which means it will stand up to puddles, light showers, and yes, splashes, but shouldn’t be ridden in heavy rain or immersed in water, which could void your warranty, and;
Waterproof, which means it’s essentially immune to water, and you’re safe to try and outrun a tsunami or take your scooter snorkelling with you. (But please, don’t do this. Or if you do, send videos!)
Whether your scooter is waterproof or not, you should always be careful in heavy rain, as it can make surfaces slippery, which the smaller wheels of a scooter can struggle to find purchase on.
What’s the law on electric scooters?
Currently in the UK, privately owned electric scooters aren’t legal to be used on roads or pavements, and can only be used on private land.
Oddly enough, this also extends to cycle lanes, and cycle paths, two places which are literally perfect for an electric scooter, and couldn’t have been designed better to accommodate them!
However, some cities are pushing for trials of rental electric scooters to help reduce congestion, (similar to the Boris Bikes in London) and most other European countries already allow the use of e-scooters on public roads or pavements, so it’s only so long before the legislation goes that way here too.
What we’re saying it, it’s best to be prepared and buy your e-scooter early, before changes to the law come in and prices skyrocket.