How much is an electric scooter?

People are always asking me how much an electric scooter cost. I usually tell them that it’s $4,000 and they’re like “that’s way too expensive for my budget”.

Well, guess what?

It doesn’t matter because you can buy a cheap one online! That way you don’t have to spend so much money and still get your transportation needs satisfied.

How much does an electric scooter cost actually?

It’s a question that comes up pretty frequently in e-all-terrain forums. The simplest answer to this is “as much as it costs to build one”. However, by looking at the components list of an electric scooter, you can get a rough ballpark price idea.

Cost Breakdown as per the category of Electric Scooters

The question of whether or not electric scooters require a license is an interesting one. On the surface, it would appear that they do not need to be licensed because they are powered by electricity and therefore do not have any emissions. In reality, though, they do emit carbon dioxide from their wheels as well as noise pollution. Check the laws of your state before buying one!

Budget Electric Scooters (<$300) –

“We are talking about the cheapest of the cheapest electric scooters that cost less than $300 to buy. This price range can be considered as next-to-nothing since you’re not going to get any features at all or if you do, then they will be minimalistic at best.” You can expect low-capacity batteries, very limited speed, and very basic controls. The scooters are not made for long-range use so you will have to recharge the electric scooter after every trip.

Budget Commuter ($300 – $600) –

“These are the cheapest electric scooters that you should be considering if you want to buy a cheap electric scooter for commuting. While still much more expensive than their gas counterparts, they offer enough power and range for short distance uses.” They can reach speeds of up to 20 mph with good acceleration, usually have swappable batteries that allow you to extend their range, and have decent seat heights.

Mid-Priced Electric Scooters ($600 – $1000) –

“If you want to buy an electric scooter that’s a little bit nice, this is the price range you should be considering. In this price range, you will get better quality materials and larger batteries.” You can expect to get swappable batteries, speeds of up to 30 mph (on average), larger battery capacities, and throttle controls.

High-Priced Electric Scooters ($1000+) –

“For those who want the best possible electric scooter there are, this is where it’s at. These scooters cost more than $1000, but they also have the best quality materials, the most powerful motors, and are built to last.” These scooters are exclusively electric motorcycles with swappable batteries, speeds of up to 45 mph (on average), larger battery capacities, advanced throttles controls.

Performance E-Scooters ($1200 – $1600) –

“In this price range, you can still get a scooter that’s electric and is cheap. However, if you want to buy one of these models then it will be because you’re interested in their performance first and foremost.” You can expect high-end materials, throttle controls with speed limits removed, speeds around 35 mph (on average), larger battery capacities.

Off-Road E-Scooters ($2500+) –

“This is where you start getting into electric dirt bikes that cost at least $2500. The speeds are much higher than the other scooters, reaching upwards of 55 mph (on average), and they have larger battery capacities.” While these scooters will be excellent for commuting purposes, their higher speeds might make them inappropriate for city use.

Repairs and Maintenance

Electric scooters should never need repairs because the only parts that are likely to break are the tires, which can be replaced for very cheap. Furthermore, electric scooters don’t have many moving parts, so you shouldn’t have to worry about things like oil changes or spark plug replacements.

Maintenance Frequency-

After every 50 hours of use, it is recommended that you replace the tires and inspect all of the moving parts for any damage. In case of wear and tear, you should also replace interior components after every 100 hours of use. After riding through mud or sand, you should clean your scooter as well.

Maintenance Cost-

Tires only cost a few dollars each, so you can buy spares in case something happens. There are no other moving parts or fluids that need to be replaced on an electric scooter.

Charging Time-

Electric scooters have batteries of between 4 and 9 miles of range per hour of charging time. In the case of a battery with a capacity below 2 kWh, it can take up to 6 hours for the battery to fully charge.

Maximum Riding Distance-

The average electric scooter will be able to travel between 15 and 30 miles per charge, while some high-end models can go upwards of 60 miles on a single charge.

Comparing an Electric Scooter Cost to Other Toys

Electric scooters are much more expensive than gas-powered scooters because they lack a motor and fuel system. They’re also much cheaper than the average car because the cost associated with owning it is very low, especially when compared to fuel costs.

According to “Wired” magazine, one gallon of gas costs $3.63 on average around the world. They go on to say that the average scooter will get 100 miles per gallon of gas whereas an electric scooter will get about 90 miles per kWh, which costs $0.12 on average around the world. This means that it can take anywhere from $1.20 to $2.50 of electricity just to travel one mile.

When compared to a bicycle, the average scooter will travel about 20 miles per hour which is equal to a person riding their bike at 16.5 mph. The cost of maintaining a bike has been estimated to be around $1.50 per 100 miles whereas an electric scooter can cost as little as 5 cents for the same distance, making it more than 60 times cheaper on average.

Benefits of Owning an Electric Scooter

While cost-effectiveness is incredibly important, there are other benefits to owning an electric scooter as well. These scooters are environmentally friendly because they run on electricity instead of gasoline which means that they don’t harm the atmosphere or pollute the water in the same way that gas-powered vehicles do.

Electric scooters are also much quieter than their gasoline-powered counterparts which means that they don’t disturb the peace when in use. This makes them perfectly suitable for riding during nighttime hours when it’s necessary to be quiet, like if you live in an apartment building.

Electric scooters are also easier to store than normal vehicles because they can be folded up. This makes them easy to keep inside or outside your home without taking up too much space.

What to Look for in an Electric Scooter

The first thing that you should do before buying an electric scooter is to look at the range per charge, which is usually listed as a number followed by a letter and two numbers. The first number refers to how many miles can be traveled on flat surfaces at speeds of around 15 mph. If this number is low, then you’ll have to take a lot of breaks when riding the scooter.

If the second number is low as well, then you will have to recharge your battery after traveling short distances, which can be inconvenient. The last two numbers indicate how many miles the scooter can travel at speeds that are 15 mph on flat ground and uphill respectively.

Another important feature to look for in an electric scooter is the cost of charging the battery. If this number is high then you could be spending a lot of money just to ride your electrical scooter around town.

Aside from these features, it’s also important to see how long your battery will last when riding at speeds between 15 and 20 mph since some models can cut out if you go above this speed.

Opting for a model with Lithium Polymer batteries is probably the best way to go because they last longer and recharge faster than most other types of electric scooter batteries. A lithium polymer battery will only take about an hour to fully recharge, whereas a standard lead-acid battery may take up to 8 hours.

Is the Cost Worth It?

The average consumer can expect to spend between $500 and $1,000 on an electric scooter which means that it’s not for everyone. If you’re willing to pay the price then you can enjoy a convenient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation that could help you save money in the long run because there are no fuel costs associated with owning one.