Electric scooters (e-scooters) are all the rage now, arenāt they? Theyāre not just a fad and there are some good reasons why.
Environmental Safety
The main reason people buy an e-scooter is for its environmental benefits. More and more, e-scooters are made with recyclable material and small, rechargeable batteries to keep them out of landfills. Since theyāre electric, thereās also no need to worry about gasoline emissions. So far the cities that have allowed people to use e-scooters, such as Paris, France, have drastically lowered their carbon emissions by more than 300 tons, according to a report by Lime in 2019.
Physical Therapy
Riding an e-scooter has ways of getting us to be more healthy. Right now, e-scooters seem to have four physical benefits:
- Balance
- Coordination and focus
- Strength
- Flexibility
Balance
It makes sense when you think about it. The typical construction of the scooters requires the user to stand and balance on the deck, using the handlebars to help them. By its very design, it forces us, as riders, to improve our balance by improving our core strength in the lower and upper torso, pelvis, hips, and spine.
Coordination and focus
Scooters are more interactive than a car though both require intense focus. With an e-scooter, however, you have to be more aware of everything around you. It doesnāt take much effort to steer your scooter too far in a given direction, unlike a car where you have to slowly turn the steering wheel.
Strength
In addition to your core, it also makes you exercise other muscles, such as your leg biceps and gastrocnemius muscles. You may not strengthen your muscles as much as if you were manually pushing the scooter, but you are strengthening them more than if you were sitting down in your car.
Flexibility
Better flexibility is kind of a stretch.
Seriously though, using an electric scooter as an electric scooter wonāt improve your flexibility. However, since you will be working your muscles in this light workout, it will motivate you to do light stretches such as static stretches or leg swings before you ride could help prevent cramps.
Financial Help
I know looking at the initial cost of $700 for a scooter is going to initially make you say, āno way,ā but hear me out. How much does it cost to fill 6 gallons of gas? You know, about half a tank? Please excuse me as I nerd out for a second.
The average cost of gasoline per gallon in the United States in 2021 is $3.19. For 6 gallons of gas, the cost comes to $19.14. The typical commute to work is 16 miles, which means the average American might drive 32 miles to and from work every day.
In a car with 24.9mpg fuel economy, you would use approximately 0.6 gallons of gas driving to work, or 1.2 gallons driving to work and back. In 5 days youāll use about 6 gallons, so in 6 months that could mean spending $689.04 just on the gas.
I wonāt even mention tire rotation and replacement, topping off levels, changing filters, brakes, alignment, oh, and insurance.
Meanwhile, after the initial cost of the e-scooter, the maintenance of the brake and the batteries are all you need to worry about. Batteries for e-scooters come in three types: Sealed lead-acid for approximately $80, Nickel Metal Hybrid (NiMH) for $100 or less, and Lithium-Ion between $100-$500.
The sealed lead-acid batteries have to be charged the most frequently and for potentially 12 hours, but when it finally comes the time to replace it, only costs about $80.
The NiMH batteries charge in about 4 hours but have to be completely empty before you can charge them. They are lighter than the lead-acid batteries but are $100 to replace.
Finally, the lithium-ion batteries are the lightest, only have to be charged for 4-6 hours, and last a lot longer than the other options. When the batteries have to be replaced, you are looking at a price between $100-$500.
The cost to recharge each battery will vary on your electricity provider, but for a cruising vehicle that lets you go more than 25 miles before having to be recharged, youāre looking at an impressive ROI (return on investment). Itās fair to warn you that whether you need a license and insurance to drive an e-scooter will vary from state to state in the U.S. For now, GENERALLY, it seems you are required to have a license, but not insurance.
Mental Improvement
If I told you I had an affordable way to bypass the crowded and sketchy public transportation, would you take it? It would help anyoneās sanity, right? These e-scooters really do have unbelievable effects on your overall mental and emotional status.
When youāre not trapped in a car, itās amazing how much youāre benefiting from riding in the sunshine. Itās like youāre one step closer to nature, and you canāt help but feel calmer.
Weāre also social creatures. We just canāt help it, and the e-scooters have no problem helping you to reach people. Isnāt it so much easier to communicate without rolled-up windows?
Besides, an enjoyable ride is sure to put you in a better mood! Anyone who had a scooter as a kid can tell you how much fun they had on it. Youāre not going to be able to be stressed out listening to anything unpleasant when you have the wind blowing all around you.
Life Experience
The last benefit I noticed was that these small cruisers just let you experience more. For their size, they have an impressive range to let you explore and are phenomenally portable!
Theyāre not primarily on the roads, so you can skip the dead-end traffic and get to where you actually want to be quicker. Even those of us with certain disabilities that prevent them from driving will actually have a fun and fast way to get around.
I guess thereās something about not having a carās blind spots that suddenly makes you notice those cool local shops youāve been meaning to visit.
Conclusion
Now that you understand the benefits of having an electric scooter, you can start looking for the best one for you with this convenient buying guide.
By Trevor Fenner
About the author:
Trevor Fenner is the founder and owner of Mobility Paradise, a one-stop-shop for all kinds of mobility equipment. Years ago, Trevorās grandma had an accident that made her dependent on a wheelchair; this forced Trevor and his family to put her into an elderly care facility. Since then, Trevor would visit her to take a walk around the neighborhood. Mobility Paradise was born out of Trevorās frustration finding an online store that offers a wide selection of mobility equipment paired with suitable resource materials. What started as a business focusing on electric bikes grew to include all kinds of mobility products. You can shop for the most reliable mobility products at Mobility Paradise.