For many people around the globe, the electric scooter has revolutionized travel. No longer do we have to rely on gas-guzzling automobiles to get us from A to B, and no longer do we have to rely on public transport when cars aren’t an option. We simply grab our e-scooter, and hit the road — nice!
However, as great as electric scooters are, there are some obvious shortcomings to consider when comparing them to our more traditional motorized vehicles. One of the downsides is, of course, that they can’t go quite as fast as cars or motorbikes, but that’s not what I want to talk about today. The topic we will be discussing, however, is how far electric scooters can go.
Before we trade in our car keys for a slick e-scooter, we need to know that it can handle the distance we travel day to day, so let’s put these nifty devices under the microscope and see what sort of mileage they’re capable of.
E-Scooter Mileage: A Complicated Question
Although our query seems like a simple one, it’s actually a rather tricky concept to wrestle with. The truth of the matter is that the distance an electric scooter can travel is determined by a number of variables. These contributing factors include:
- Battery power, type, and capacity
- Scooter model
- Rider weight
- Cargo weight
- Weather conditions
- Terrain
- The number of stops and starts on a journey
Given the number of variables at play here, it’s small wonder that the average mileage of an electric scooter is quite a large range — we’re talking 5–40 miles!
What Is The Longest Range An Electric Scooter Is Capable Of?
Some e-scooters have super powerful batteries with insane capacities. It’s not unheard of for a model of this caliber to keep up with traffic, get you where you need to be in record time, and have battery spare for another full day of scootin’!
These kinds of electric scooters can usually run for about 75 miles straight, which is nuts, but bear in mind that this figure is calculated with the understanding that it will be run in optimal circumstances.
That means that the scooter will travel 75 miles straight if the terrain is level, the weather is calm and temperate, and the rider and their cargo don’t weigh too much.
As you might imagine, these super-charged e-scooters aren’t all that common, and they’re pretty pricey too!
What About Mid-Range Electric Scooters?
Depending on the model, a mid-range electric scooter will travel between 35 and 40 miles, which is still highly impressive if you ask me, but perhaps that’s just because I’m old enough to remember when scooters were powered exclusively by legs.
I should also mention that there are a few electric scooters that sit between the long-range and mid-range designs. This bridging category of scooter can usually travel between 55 and 65 miles on a single charge.
Again, these figures are based on “optimal conditions”, so things like gradient, rider weight, weather, and rough terrain can bring the numbers down quite significantly.
In terms of total range, a quality, well cared for, mid-range e-scooter will probably give you between 3000 and 5000 miles before the battery gives up the ghost. That’s mighty impressive too!
However, without proper care, the performance of your scooter will diminish much quicker than this, so do you and your scooter a favor, and treat it to the TLC it both needs and deserves.
What Are Short-Range Electric Scooters Capable Of?
Short-range e-scooters can often travel anywhere between 5 miles and 30 miles on a single charge. They’re great for getting around very small areas, and they’re almost always pretty affordable, so if you’re looking for a bit of green mobility on a budget, a short-range model may be just the thing you’re looking for.
How To Figure Out Your Electric Scooter’s Range
With any luck, the manufacturer of your e-scooter will provide details about their product’s overall range on a single charge, but it’s not a big deal if they don’t, as you can figure it out yourself.
If you’re afraid of math (I don’t blame you), then you can avoid any and all sums by testing your electric scooter’s range manually. Simply charge it to 100%, map out a route, and see how far you get before it stops pushing for you, so to speak.
I’d recommend doing this test with a friend who drives at hand, as they can come and pick you up when your scooter battery runs dry. This will save you a potentially long walk, lugging your heavy electric scooter back to base.
If a bit of math doesn’t scare you, then you can figure out the range of your electric scooter with this simple equation:
Range = Speed x Time
While a manufacturer may not provide the mileage of a scooter, they’ll typically provide the running speed and the battery capacity. Once you have these bits of info, all you have to do is multiply them together, and voilà; that’s your theoretical range right there!
So, for example, let’s say that your scooter is capable of traveling at 18 miles per hour and has a battery capacity of 1.5 hours, then our sum would be:
18 x 1.5 = 27 miles
Simple, right? Well, yes and no, you may well have to do another sum before we can attempt this one, as you may not be given the run time of the battery.
The run time of a battery is measured in watt hours, and to figure watt hours out, you have to do the following sum:
Watt Hours = Amps X Voltage
Once you’ve done that, you can circle back around, do the first sum, and get the answer you seek!
Final Thoughts
And that’s really all there is to it — the range of an electric scooter is affected by many factors, which is why, on average, it could be anywhere between 5 and 45 miles.
Thankfully, e-scooters are marketed in certain range categories that make shopping around for one that fits your requirements a total breeze — hooray!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCJ0uFHr5vc