What is an e-scooter?

We all know what a scooter is. As little kids in Australia we all had kick scooters. Usually a scooter is a footboard on 2 wheels, one at each end, with a long steering handle on one end. An electric scooter or e-scooter is exactly the same thing with the addition of a battery and brushless motor built into the hub so that you don't have to push or "kick" but move forward using a throttle on the handlebars.

E-scooters are becoming increasingly popular in urban areas as day to day methods of transportation. They are extremely convenient, economical and environmentally friendly. And they are as fun as all get out.

It's important to note that e-scooters are not legal everywhere and even if they are in your country, state or city, there will be regulations in place that you will need to be aware of. Some of these may include:

Where can you ride them? Sidewalks or only roads and bike lanes?
Age? In some areas you must be over 18 and hold a valid drivers license.
Safety requirements. eg. In some areas you must wear helmet.
Max speed. Commonly an e-scooter must remain below 15mph/25kph.

E-Scooters for city living

Many cities now have electric scooters available to rent - the same setup that is commonplace with bicycles now where you can subscribe or rent by the minute or the hour, pick up in one location and drop off at another.

The convenience of e-scooters is undeniable for inner city living. They are relatively cheap, only a few dollars per use on average - often $1 plus 15c per minute which means that a 20 minute ride will set you back a total of $4. This is much cheaper than buying, registering, insuring, fueling, maintaining and parking or even renting a car.

You also don't have to worry about maintenance or constant charging. You just pick it up and drop it off, no muss no fuss.

Or, of course, you can buy your own. I do highly recommend using one of these pay per use services first to see if an electric scooter is right for you before investing in one. They are certainly not for everyone.

E-Scooter Summary

Electric scooters are economical, convenient and environmentally friendly.

Particularly in urban areas, they are becoming increasingly popular for commuting and everyday transporation needs. Their ability to get you around in a city quickly and efficiently using bike lanes to avoid traffic cannot be understated.

Add to that the hip and cool factor and that they are great fun, an e-scooter might be the kids toy that you never thought you needed as an adult to make everyday life that little bit better.

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