How Expensive Is An Electric Scooter Really? All The Overlooked Costs No One Talks About!

Are you considering buying an e-scooter? Then it is logical that you wonder how expensive an electric scooter actually is. After all, you can only spend your money once. And what should you actually look at to determine the real costs of an e-scooter?

An electric scooter is no small purchase.

And so you want to make sure you make the right choice. Because there is soon a nice price tag on such a scooter. And not only that: if all goes well you will cover a lot of kilometers on your scooter.

In addition, an electric scooter can easily become a lot more expensive than the purchase alone.

What’s up with that? You can read that in this article, in which we discuss how expensive an electric scooter is, but also what you should pay attention to in order to find a good price-quality ratio in your purchase.

How expensive is an electric scooter? 

To give you a quick idea of ​​what electric scooters cost, I’ve listed all the hidden costs below. Do you want to know what to take into account for a good price-quality ratio? Or what additional costs you may have to deal with? Then be sure to read the entire article!

What does an electric scooter cost?

The costs of electric scooters range from a few tens to hundreds or even thousands of dollars. When you are looking for a cheap option for hours, the choice seems to be made quickly. 

Well no. The price tag is not the only thing you should look at. It is not for nothing that they often say: “You get what you pay for”. This is perhaps even more true for electric scooters than for other products.

Below we discuss a number of important factors that influence the cost of an electric scooter.

And how expensive is an electric scooter really?

There are a number of things to take into account when purchasing your electric scooter, which is at least as important as the price. For example:

• The handlebar height of the scooter
• Rubber wheels or pneumatic tires
• How much suspension do you want in your scooter

These are all things that affect the driving comfort of your electric scooter. And that is at least as important as the cost. For something you’ll be using every day, you’d be better off spending a few bucks more if that means top quality, right?

In addition, there are a number of hidden costs with electric scooters, which you should also take into account.

Battery Costs

The most important part of an e-scooter is probably the battery. And there is quite a difference in quality between one battery and the other. A battery of poor quality has two major drawbacks:

• The range of the electric scooter is limited because you can drive fewer miles with a single charge than with a better battery
• In addition, the lifespan of a cheap battery will be considerably less than that of more expensive electric scooters. This means that the battery drains faster and gives less and less power.

Compare it with the battery of your mobile phone, which often starts to deteriorate after one or two years. Your phone then suddenly has to be charged much more often. You will also have to deal with this faster with an electric scooter with a battery of lesser quality.

Is this a bit too expensive for you, but do you want some security for your battery? Then choose a reputable brand like Xiaomi, it doesn’t break the bank and is a reputable brand.

Of course, with electronics, you never know how long the battery will last, but by choosing a recognized brand you at least increase the chance of a long life. There are many cheap Electric scooters on the market, but you never know what quality you are buying.

The risk of extra costs due to legislation and regulations

An important aspect to take into account is whether your electric scooter can be used on the road.

Because did you know that in some countries electric scooters can not be used legally? This has to do with the fact that they are seen as special mopeds by the law. In some countries, an E-scooter must first be approved by a government agency.

You risk a fine of $380+ and confiscation of your scooter. This makes a cheap electric scooter suddenly a lot more expensive!

Do not insure yourself and your e-scooter if it is not approved for use on public roads. This means that you are personally liable for damage that you cause. Moreover, driving around without insurance is punishable in some (European) countries, and has some hefty fines when you get caught.

How much does it cost to insure your electric scooter?

Speaking of insuring your electric scooter, that also entails costs. Usually about $100 a year.

As you can see, that adds quite a bit of cost to your electric scooter. Now, you can of course choose not to insure your electric scooter.

However, not insuring can become a lot more expensive. If you cause an accident, you will be responsible for the costs yourself. Suppose someone ends up in hospital because of you: you really don’t want to be presented with the bill.

That is another reason to choose insurance for your e-scooter.

Conclusion: a (slightly) more expensive electric scooter is often cheaper in the end

The question “how expensive is an electric scooter?” depends on more things than its price tag. For example, it is important to ask yourself how long the battery of your electric scooter will last before it needs maintenance or needs to be replaced.

You can often just as well buy a new e-scooter. A battery life of a few more years already makes a big difference in the total costs.

Insurance is also an important aspect to take into account. It is an extra expense, but the misery of an uninsured scooter can be great if you cause damage.

Hopefully, after reading this article you will have a better idea of ​​what the cost of an electric scooter consists of and you can make an informed decision!