Today we’re reviewing the top electric scooters for adults and teenagers you can buy in 2019. We found these scooters to be great for commuting, so we did a detailed review of the Xiaomi M365, Segway Ninebot ES2, GoTrax GXL and the Swagtron Swagger 5. At the end, we do an acceleration and brake test comparison on all the scooters.
#1. SEGWAY NINEBOT ES2
Starting with most common Scooter used by BIRD, Lime, and JUMP is the Segway Ninebot ES2. It has the best design, longest range available, quickest acceleration and fastest top speed out of all the scooters we tested. You also have an app where you can track battery life and customize ride modes, braking resistance, cruise control and even custom color under-glow lights.
It features a digital screen on the top, which will display your current speed, ride mode, and battery life remaining. The front headlight is bright and the scooter also features 2 rear tail lights.
The Segway has 3 modes: Speed limit mode, Standard mode and Sport mode. It also features cruise control, which is a feature the rental scooters do not have. When you turn on cruise control, it keeps your current speed after holding the acceleration steady for 5 seconds. If you touch either the brake or the acceleration, it turns off cruise control.
For brakes, the ES2 has both front and rear brakes. The front uses the front motor to slow you down. You also have a rear brake you can use with your foot. For tires, the Segway has solid rubber tires, which means you never have to worry about tire pressure or flat tires. This also means you can feel more bumps in the road. Segway did add a front shocks and rear suspension to help absorb some of the rough terrain.
You can also buy an additional range battery that costs between $200-$250 and is sold separately. The battery increases top speed from 15mph to 19 mph and increases range up to 28 miles instead of 15 miles. We bought the extra battery and we noticed a big increase in acceleration as well. When riding in the fastest mode around the city, we are getting between 18–20 miles of range. You can also buy the Segway ES4 which includes the extra range battery.
For folding and carrying, the Segway ES2 has the best mechanism we tested. It has a fold down lever that you press with your foot. The front bar clips directly on to the rear and you can grab and carry. Keep in mind with the extra battery it adds 5lbs to the weight, making the scooter very heavy at 32lb. It can be hard to carry even up a small flight of stairs. If you prefer leaving your scooter locked up we recommend a kryptonite lock and chain.
#2. XIAOMI MI (M365)
Next up, we bought the Xiaomi Mi M365. This is the original scooter that BIRD started using as a rental.
This electric scooter has a simple and clean design. The batteries are stored in the bottom in the foot stand, compared to the Segway where the batteries are stored in the front bar. This means it feels better balanced while riding. It has air filled tires which provide cushion when going over bumps and cracks. It also has a rear disc brake, similar to what you have on a bike. The benefit is that it’s much stronger and can be adjusted to be stronger or weaker. However it does require more maintenance in the long term such as having to replace brake pads.
The M365 also folds, however the pull down mechanism can be difficult to pull down. For weight it scooter is 27 lbs, which is heavy- you wouldn’t want to carry this up more than a small flight of stairs.
The M365 also has an app where you can customize the ride modes, breaking resistance and track your battery, range, mileage and more.
Speaking of battery and range, this is where the M365 shines. They advertise 18 mile range, and we’re happy to say we can get even more with 20 miles of range on this scooter.
#3. GOTRAX GXL
Next, we found one of the top rated Scooters on Amazon: the GoTrax GXL. If you want a simple, clean and well priced electric scooter, this is our top choice. It retails on Amazon for $399 or directly from GoTrax’s website. The GXL has a blacked out look, sleek design with little branding.
It has digital display so you can see battery remaining and speed, along with a bright front LED. There’s 2 riding modes you can choose from. Mode 1 is the eco mode, and mode 2 will get you to 15mph, with quick acceleration.
You have one throttle to accelerate and another for the front brake. The scooter also has a unique rear brake that uses a foot pedal in the rear. Having both front and rear brakes makes a big difference. We found this scooter has the best stopping of any we have tested so far.
The only downside is the GXL does not have an app and there’s also no rear tail light. You also don’t have features such as cruise control. The motor is also a bit more noisy than most of the other scooters we tested. The rear disc brakes also needed a little bit of adjusting so it doesn’t rub or squeak.
For range, it’s advertised at 12.5 miles, and we found that it was accurate. On a long steady ride we were able to go 11 miles and still have 1 and half bars remaining in top speed mode. In the city we stop and go, you should expect less, around 8–10 miles depending on what mode you ride.
But for the price, we think this is the currently the best deal on an electric scooter for 2018. You can get one on Amazon for $400 with free Prime shipping.
#4. SWAGTRON SWAGGER 5
Finally, we tested the Swagtron Swagger 5. This scooter is from a company called Swagtron. It’s not the best brand name for a company and unfortunately they also like to advertise it on the Scooter as well. But some tape or spray paint can go a long way.
Branding aside, this electric scooter looks almost identical as the M365 and also similar to the GXL. The Swagger has a rear brake just like a bike. This means you can stop fairly quickly and even change the tightness of the brake.
The Swagger 5 has 3 riding modes. The first 2 are pretty slow, and the 3rd has a top speed of up to 18 miles per hour. The acceleration is steady but not as quick as the other scooters such as the GXL.
The scooter does have an app you can connect to. The design looks a little older, but you can track your ride, change gears, and track your battery life.
Speaking of battery life and range, this is where our Swagger fell short. We found that on a long bike path we got only 9 miles before the battery ran out. In city riding with a slight uphill we only got 5 miles of range. The battery meter on the scooter also fluctuates because it calculates voltage and not actual battery remaining. We were told a future update will fix this.