If you’re out and about with your electric scooter, the last thing you want is for the battery to go flat. What can you do? Make sure you do you research before you buy your e-scooter! This guide should help you find the right e-scooter for whatever journey you make.
But just a quick note from us first. For now, it’s illegal to ride a private e-scooter on roads, pavements or cycle lanes. There are places in the UK that are running trials, but those are just for rental electric scooters. So if you’re planning on buying your own e-scooter, make sure you stick to private land… and that you’ve got the landowner’s permission!
What’s the furthest an e-scooter can travel?
This is all about how far your e-scooter can get on a single charge. Of course, with really high-end e-scooters you can get up to some crazy distances. For £3000+ you could go as far as 80 miles without having to recharge!
But let’s be realistic here. For most of us, we’re looking at between 5 and 40 miles. Anything above 20 miles is considered long range, so this is where you should begin your search.
Plus, the truth is that most e-scooters have light, portable chargers. So it’s not too much of a hassle for you to take your charger with you if you don’t think your e-scooter will last more than a single trip.
What affects how far an e-scooter can travel?
There are a few things you can look out for when it comes to distance – both when you’re choosing your e-scooter and when you’re taking a trip…
Battery: An e-scooter’s battery capacity is measured in milliampere-hour or mAh. The higher your battery’s mAh, the more scooting time you can fit in before it needs to be plugged back into the wall.
Speed: The faster you’re going, the more battery you’re likely using up. But at the same time, you’re covering more ground in a shorter space of time. Some e-scooters have an ‘eco-mode’ or cruise control that helps you stay at a steady speed to save your battery life. You can check here to find out more about ‘how fast do electric scooters go?’.
Where you’re travelling: If you’re scooting on rocky or hilly terrain, your e-scooter’s motor will have to work that much harder to keep you going at the same speed. And that’s going to drain your battery a lot faster. Stick to flat surfaces if you think you need a little extra range.
The heat: This one’s a bit surprising, but your e-scooter’s battery can be affected by the weather too! If it’s chilly, your battery won’t be able to provide as much power to the motor- so you might find you can’t go as far in winter as you can in summer.
Weight: This isn’t just about your e-scooter’s weight. Your own weight or the weight of anything you’re carrying will also have an impact on the distance your e-scooter can travel. So pack light if you’ve got a way to go!
Our top picks for long range e-scooters
Ready to take the plunge? These are the electrics we think can go the distance.
Segway Ninebot G30 Max Electric Folding Scooter
Just one charge and you can travel up to a massive 40.4 miles! Plus, there are four different riding modes to choose from. Pick Eco if you want to get the most from your battery or Sport if you need to make a quick trip in a hurry. It’s easy to check how much juice you’ve got left too, thanks to its LED display. See your battery life, the mode you’re using and what speed you’re going – so there’ll be no nasty surprises.
Xiaomi Mi Pro 2 Electric Scooter
This e-scooter’s got a great range of up to 28 miles, with an average run time of 75 minutes. That’s more than enough time to do most quick trips. Cruise control will also help you maintain a steady speed if you’re worried about running down the battery too much. Want to see how much power you’ve got left before you make a trip? Just check the Mi Home app for your battery status and even riding stats!
Want to find your perfect e-scooter? Check out which e-scooter is right for me.
