Riding an electric kick scooter isn’t the coolest way of getting around. There you are, standing stock-still and upright, gliding around like a meerkat on wheels. But reducing our reliance on gas-guzzling cars is cool and important. If bikes or electric bikes aren’t your thing, escooters are another eco-friendly way to travel short distances without burning fossil fuel. They’re easy to fold up, lighter than ebikes (usually), and you don’t need to wait on public transportation.
We’ve spent more than four years testing over 40 electric scooters, and these are our favorites. There are a mind-melting number of companies and escooter models coming out every month. Need a helmet, bell, or phone mount? Our Best Biking Accessories guide has you covered.
How We Test Electric Scooters
I test-ride every electric scooter for several weeks. I unbox and assemble them myself and use them to attend meetings around New York City or for simple errands like going to the post office or grocery store. I keep a log of my distance traveled to measure range, and I often do the same type of trip with every scooter (if it is capable of that range), which usually involves going up a steep path like on the Williamsburg Bridge. This gives me an idea of how the scooter handles slopes.
It’s worth noting that electric scooters will work a bit differently for everyone. The rider’s weight greatly impacts range and performance, as will the weather and road conditions. For reference, I’m a 6’4″ human and weigh around 240 pounds, which means if you are shorter and weigh less, you’ll get longer range and will more easily reach the top speed on some of these escooters.
Best Overall
For anyone looking to make most of their trips around town on an electric kick scooter, I recommend the Apollo Go (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s not the lightest scooter, not the fastest, nor does it have the longest range, but it triangulates these points to offer the best combination of specs.
At 46 pounds, carrying the Apollo Go up a few flights of stairs isn’t a back-killing task. It folds down with a simple latch system (though the latch requires some force to pull down), and the stem locks into the deck.
The riding experience is excellent, with plenty of power from the dual 350-watt motors. Self-healing 9-inch tubeless tires pair with front and rear suspension to offer a decently smooth ride. I also love the ability to customize the gears to your preferred speeds via Apollo’s app. Don’t care for the 28-mph top speed and want to only ride at 15 mph? Set it up in the app and you’re good to go! I also maxed out the regenerative braking in the app so I rarely had to use the rear drum brake and just used the regen thumb brake to come to a quick halt. Apollo includes a lot of extras too, like a bell, excellent turn signals, LED lighting for visibility, a headlight, and a dot display that is super visible in broad daylight. The Apollo Go is a great all-around escooter and an excellent first ride for anyone looking to enter the world of micromobility.
| Specs: |
|---|
| Top speed: 28 mph |
| Motor: Dual 350-watt motors |
| Weight: 46 pounds |
| Max load: 265 pounds |
| WIRED’s tested range: Around 15 miles |
| Manufacturer’s range: 20 to 30 miles |
