this post was submitted on 30 May 2024

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micromobility - Ebikes, scooters, longboards: Whatever floats your goat, this is micromobility

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Any under $500 escooters that can go 10 miles on a charge? (self.micromobility)

submitted 6 months ago by ericbomb to c/micromobility

20 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So about a year ago I bought a cheap eScooter after selling my stupid car, and I've had a pretty good time! I live within 2 miles of my doctor, my dentist, a bunch of grocery stores, and even my mom AND my grandma!

The only problem is despite it advertising 12 mile range, it only goes about 4 before dying. I kind of expected it because it's under $300.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07K9MB6X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I weigh 130 pounds so I don't think that's impacting it.

While I just uber whenever I need to go further 1-2 times a month, would be nice to have closer to 10 miles if I want to run multiple errands in a row. Any eScooters that actually have good range and are under $500?

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Honestly, I'd recommend getting a decent used bicycle. 2 miles is nothing, especially once you get acclimated to riding. Last weekend I rode down to my local bike shop (about a mile and a half away) to buy new pedals for my MTB (Black Ops Squatch btw, they were $12 and I picked them up after someone here recommended them as good budget pedals), decided to go on a little test ride, and kind of ended up riding 20 miles on accident.

Great exercise and you can haul stuff with them too!

I know that isn't necessarily what you were after but at that price range, I think you might struggle to get anything reliable. That said, if you really want a scooter, keep an eye on slickdeals.net under the sport section, escooter deals pop up regularly on there.

Gotrax is definitely not reliable as a company and I regularly see people complaining about them fwiw. That said, you could probably just find a higher capacity battery for your existing scooter if it's otherwise functional.

[–] ericbomb 12 points 6 months ago

Alas, I am a 130 pound adult male because of health reasons.

Some days I could use a bike, other days I can't. I have been debating getting a cheap bike when I can afford it so on days I feel up to I can, but then I might get left in a lurch where I leave feeling up to biking, then get stuck because I can't get back.

Part of why I like scooter instead of ebike. I can fold up little scooters and throw them in the back of an uber super easily if I suddenly find myself unable to keep going.

[–] [email protected] 18 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Save the ewaste and buy a new battery?

Could it be the quality of the cells thay made it cheap and not the efficiency of the motor?

[–] ericbomb 4 points 6 months ago (3 children)

I didn't see any way to easily replace the battery, wish I had bought one that had replaceable batteries. If there is a resource for it I would love to know, no luck far.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

If you want to try replacing the battery yourself it looks like they sell new batteries for that scooter.

https://gotrax.com/products/36v-5-4ah-escooter-battery

Here’s an iFixit guide on replacing it.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Gotrax+GXL+Scooter+Battery+Pack+Replacement/124154

Also GoTrax claims it has a 2-year warranty. It might be worth it to see if they’ll send you a new battery for it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 months ago

These services aren't cheap afaik, but there are cell repackers that can rebuild proprietary batteries using the original casing. I chatted with them when looking at ebikes. Even the support team is shockingly hardware-literate. Like, they REALLY know their stuff.

https://www.fthpower.com/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago

You can't get to it at all?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago

I would love to know the actual environmental impact of all these cheap electric scooters and other similar vehicles that don't last...

[–] [email protected] 13 points 6 months ago (2 children)

Switching to a pedal assist bike could help with the range of you are open to expending some of your own energy.

[–] Evotech 4 points 6 months ago

A good ebike wil probably run him more though

[–] ericbomb 2 points 6 months ago

For health reasons I'm iffy on getting a pedal bike, because if I suddenly realize I can't keep going with my scooter, I can easily get an uber and throw it in the back. Just harder with a bike.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 months ago

Slightly off-topic, but if your current scooter has inflatable tyres, I suggest you check their pressure. The drag gets considerably higher with underinflated tyres, making your battery discharge at a faster rate.

[–] Cikos 6 points 6 months ago

i dont know where you live but these can go below $500 and have 50km range. these things are huge in south east asia so if you can reasonably import them then i highly suggest research them and consider them. these e bikes also have in bike configuration called cyrusher in western i think but its way more pricier. if you can, try getting them from asian vendors because its way way more cheaper

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 months ago (1 children)

This entire answer is mostly conjecture, but I think you'd have to be looking for the e-scooter that has the largest battery pack in that price range. Of course, such a pack would add weight and possibly bulk to the scooter. A quick search on Amazon showed this scooter, a Segway NineBot ES4 listed for $480.

Your GoTrax has a 36V 5.2A battery pack, which works out to be 187 Wh. The ES4 has double the capacity, at 374 Wh. If the GoTrax could only muster 4 miles, then the ES4 should be double that.

But I do think there may be something wrong with your GoTrax. 187 Wh per 4 miles means an efficiency of 30 Wh/km. But scooters tend to be closer to 12 Wh/km. For reference, a class 3 ebike cruising at 45 kph (28 mph) is 48-60 Wh/km. Scooters travel so much slower, and so should be many-fold more efficient.

If we say 12 Wh/km is too optimistic for the ES4, then let's conservatively assume it does 24 Wh/km. That would still mean it could do 10 miles, which is just within your parameters.

[–] PlantObserver 1 points 6 months ago

Ya somethings wrong with your GoTrax. I'd reach out to them for warranty. Mine (same model) goes close to advertised range and I weigh 160lbs

[–] nothingcorporate 2 points 6 months ago

AliExpress has scooters in your budget that advertise further range, but I haven't tested them personally.

[–] glitchdx 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

2 years ago when I searched, I was unable to find such a thing, because I needed to do 10 miles twice a day, every day (although I could charge between). I spent about $2k for 25 mile capacity.

[–] ericbomb 2 points 6 months ago

I did find this and am gonna look more into these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsC8Fd7Hb1w&t=471s

But I bet yours is swanky.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Have you considered getting a bicycle? For these distances you don't really need any engine unless you have a physical disability.

[–] ericbomb 3 points 6 months ago

Ahh alas, I am a 130 pound adult male for reasons that aren't fantastic.

I have debated getting a bike for the days I feel up to it, I just know that many days I wouldn't be up to it so I need something for those days.