Electric Scooter vs. Electric Bike

Have you ever found yourself confused between Electric Scooter and Electric Bike?

This is one of the most common dilemmas people face regarding either one of these electric vehicles.

Both electric scooters and electric bikes have gained popularity like never before as the present-day models have become more advanced and sophisticated.

While electric bikes are similar to regular bikes except for the presence of batteries, on the other hand, electric scooters are nothing but mopeds with advanced features. Both of them are an excellent means of commuting.

Going through this article, you will get an overview of electric scooters and electric bikes, which will help you make a better choice.

Electric Bikes – An Overview

The last few years saw the resurgence of electric bikes in the market. People have started appreciating the fantastic riding experience they provide and their ethical soundness. A statistical study suggests that only 55% of people continue to ride regular bikes after trying the electric ones.

Electric bikes are equipped with electric motors responsible for producing forward propulsion and the subsequent effortless rides.

The pedals, seats, and handlebars are the same as the traditional bike.

Electric bikes are designed to be more versatile and flexible so that the rider can climb hills and rugged cruise terrains with ease. This becomes possible due to the high-power motors.

These bikes give the rider the flexibility to switch to pedal-assist or complete throttle mode at any point in time. This way, the rider never gets exhausted even while commuting long distances.

Features

Some of the features are as follows:

Motor: The power of motors can range from 150W to as high as 1000W. This provides an excellent speed of up to 30 miles per hour.
Battery: Electric bikes are battery operated. The battery supports a ride of 15 to 20 miles on a single charge, depending on the model. Also, the battery has a life of about 2 to 5 years with minimal care.
Pedal-Assist: This mode provides the rider with extra power generated by the motor. The rider can slow down his own pedaling as the motor will continue to supply its propulsion power.
Throttle Mode: Throttle mode aims at preventing the rider from exhaustion. By switching to the throttle mode, the rider can rely on the motor for a further ride.
Sleek Design: These days, almost all the bikes are designed to have a sleek and handy structure. Such a design enhances portability and compact storage.
Eco-Friendly Nature: Electric bikes tend to be emission-free and have a noiseless design. This makes them ethically sound.
Low Maintenance: The most critical component of an electric bike is its motor. The motor requires little or no maintenance and remains durable for the longest compared to the other parts.

Pros:

It is a good source of exercise and weight loss.
One can ride it on different terrains.
You can ride it in bad weather too.
Throttle mode assists older adults.
The motor provides an excellent grip while climbing hills.
It may speed up to 25 miles per hour.
The battery has a life of 3 to 5 years.
It requires very low maintenance.

Cons:

It may be heavy.
It is still more expensive than traditional bikes.

Top Electric Bikes

#1 Ecotric 500W/36V Fat Tire Bike

The Ecotric bike has a max speed of 20mph and can run up to 19 miles on a single charge. It’s a lightweight (58 pounds) bike that can carry four times its weight (260 pounds). It has a strong 500-

Watt motor, with a removable 36V Lithium battery

#2 SWAGTRON Swagcycle EB-5

The Swagcycle is one of the most compact e-bikes on the market. It is foldable and fits into the tiniest of spaces. Despite its small size, it can go up to 15.5 miles on its robust 250W motor. It can achieve a top speed of 15 mph.

Electric Scooter – An Overview

An electric scooter has a design much similar to that of a moped and a skateboard. It is a popular alternative to gas-powered scooters, which have been in use for a long time.

It is the same as a conventional scooter, with the only difference being an electric motor.

It just requires an initial kick-off and then takes up self-propulsion mode. The power accumulator ensures that the propulsion lasts for long distances so that the problem of pushing off the ground with legs while riding gets eliminated.

A statistical study shows how 70% of the people across the U.S have appreciated electric scooters as a potential mode of transportation.

Features

Some of the features are as follows:

Full Throttle Mode: Electric scooters work on the throttle. They require the rider to kick-off initially, then the motor can propel the scooter forward by itself. Throttle mode eliminates the need for pushing the ground to move forward.
Motor: A high-power motor makes smooth propulsion possible. Electric scooters have a noiseless motor, which requires low maintenance.
Footboard: Although there are scooters with a seat, most electric scooters require the rider to stand and ride. Thus, the footboard of the scooters is made wider so that the rider can stand comfortably. Also, the footboard provides the necessary traction and grip for maintaining balance.
Portable Design: These scooters can be easily folded and are thus portable and easy to store.
Emission-Free Design: These scooters are battery operated and thus produce no emission while being ridden.

Pros:

It takes little or no practice to ride an electric scooter.
Electric scooters have a foldable and portable design.
The speed can be controlled by simply twisting the throttle.
Older adults can enjoy long rides without having to make much effort.
Electric scooters are highly affordable.

Cons:

Without a charged battery, it becomes difficult to move the scooter.
As compared to an electric bike, electric scooters are costlier.
Due to their handy design, they might get stolen.

Top Electric Scooters

#1 Segway Ninebot MAX Electric Kick Scooter

The Ninebot Max has a powerful 350W motor, which lets you cruise at 18.6 mph. It can go up to 40.4 miles and carry a load of up to 220 pounds. It is one-step, easily foldable, and weighs a mere 41 pounds.

It has self-healing 10-inch pneumatic tires and several smart technologies such as Bluetooth, cruise control, select riding, and app connectivity.

#2 Razor Power Core E90 Electric Scooter

This is a kid model, meant for eight-year-olds and above. It has an 85-watt hub motor, which can go up to 10 mph. It comes with a 12V lead-acid battery, which works for 80 minutes of movement. It has several child-friendly features such as rear-wheel drive, a lightweight frame, fork and flat-free rear tire, and retractable kickstand.

Electric Bikes Vs. Electric Scooters – What’s Better For Commuting?

It has taken many years to shift people’s choices of traditional vehicles to electrical ones.

People get confused when it comes to choosing between which electric vehicle they should choose.

After all, everyone wants to be doubly sure when it comes to spending their hard-earned money.

Electric bikes and electric scooters both have their pros and cons. If the purpose isn’t apparent, it may be challenging to take the final call.

Here’s a guide that will help you decide which electric vehicle is right for you.

Consider these aspects:

Portability

If you consider the aspect of portability, then nothing can fit your car’s trunk better than an electric scooter.

Electric scooters have an easy to fold design, which makes them portable and easy to store. Electric bikes may not be as handy and portable as the scooters. The scooters typically weigh about 25 to 30 pounds, whereas bikes have a higher weight. However, one may get a lightweight and portable bike at higher prices.

Price

Electric bikes may be expensive than regular bikes but are much more affordable as compared to electric scooters.

Speed

Electric bikes are more regulated as compared to electric scooters.

Although it depends on a country’s permissible speed limit, most electric bikes can speed up to 20 to 25 miles per hour. On the other hand, there are only a few scooters that can beat e-bike speed limits.

However, the plus point with scooters is one can always cut down some extra time, such as fetching them from the garage or bringing them down the stairs.

Exercise

If you want to remain fit while you commute to your workplace, you must go for an electric bike.

One can always pedal an e-bike like a regular bike and have some exercise done. However, this is not possible in electric scooters as they work entirely on throttle mode. Also, with electric bikes, one can always rely on pedal-assist and throttle if needed.

Range

There is no point of confusion here as electric bikes cover a higher range than electric scooters.

Electric bikes require the rider to do part of the work, due to which the rider quickly covers a greater distance.

Even if the rider runs out of battery, he can still pedal and come back. This becomes difficult in the case of an electric scooter as the rider doesn’t have an option to pedal.

Safety

Electric bikes have a much more stable framework as compared to scooters. The presence of bigger wheels make distances look shorter, and hills look steeper.

Utility

If you just want to roam across the block, an electric scooter may be your choice. But if you are looking for an electric vehicle that not only acts as a mode of transport but also helps you improve upon your fitness, then your choice must be an electric bike.

Durability

You can always get the flat tires fixed and replace your e-bike batteries, but it becomes complicated as spare parts of the scooters are not as commonly available as bikes.

Conclusion

If you don’t have a fat wallet, it is essential to make the right choice between an electric bike and an electric scooter.

You can use both of them for commuting, but both of them may not satisfy your purpose. Thus, you should consider many aspects before making the decision.