Commuting considerations and realistic range

Two of the prime factors e-scooter buyers should be looking at are realistic range and commuting considerations.

Get these wrong and your commute will not be the peaceful glide you visualised.

Let’s have a look at your daily work commute, the each-way trip you make five times a week.

You have rightly decided that ditching the car is the way to go (good call), so let’s examine what you need to achieve.

Firstly, what’s the total distance? Equally importantly, what’s the terrain – flat or hilly? And how is the riding surface smooth or like Baghdad on bad day? Do you intend sticking to the pavements or riding in the bike lanes? (not NZTA approved, but a popular practice nevertheless).

And do you have a straight run, like along the northwestern cycle path, or is it stop-start? These factors will all affect the rate of consumption of the battery energy. And so will your personal bodyweight, and by quite a factor, especially if you are hauling up hills.

Consider these scenarios:

1. A lightweight 65kg rider, cruising at a steady pace, no stops, half throttle, flat, smooth ground, no wind, is in a scootering Utopia.

These are the conditions manufacturers assess their maximum ranges under. And fair enough, they want good stats.

2.A full size adult weighing 90kg has a commute lined with traffic lights, so it’s stop-start all the way, accelerating or braking.

Throw in a couple of grunty hills and if the rider’s in a hurry they’ll hit the throttle flat out.

On the same scooter, scenario 2 could expect as much as a 50% reduction in real-world range, measured against the results in scenario 1.

It’s a considerable change, and the reason the “how far does it go on a charge?” question needs a little more analysis.

If you don’t have to lift the scooter in and out of a car or haul it up stairs, we recommend going large on the battery and motors.

Twin motors, with the option to kick in a second powerplant if the going gets tough, are super popular.

Batteries up to 20ah are commonplace, and make a 20km commute a realistic option.

Plush suspension will save a lot of wear on your hands and joints. And that scooter will weigh in at 25kg plus. (TheDualtron II would be a great example of this style).

So, don’t try and carry it far, and be prepared to heavy when lifting! If you want to hop on the bus with the scooter and glide across a flat precinct to the office then a 250W super lightweight, ultra-portable folding scooter like the Inokim Mini2 may be just the ticket.

For helpful advice on making the right choices and to check out the huge scooter selection call at the Electric Scooter Shop, 25 Lake Road, Devonport, Auckland.

You can connect with Jonno and the Electric Scooter Shop at www.electricscootershop.co.nz