The electric urban scooters are the phenomenon of the moment, thanks also to the mobility bonus which will save you 60% on the list price. For months now, they have been filling our cities, silent, folding, owned or rented.
The transport of the moment is also a candidate for a prominent place in the locker of our boats. Electric urban scooters weigh as much as a bicycle, take up much less space and allow you to go shopping easily.
What you need to know about electric urban scooters
Electric urban scooters can be ridden by anyone over the age of 14, but be warned that a helmet must be worn until the age of 18, and in all cases it is absolutely forbidden to ride with “passengers”.
The speed limit set by law is 25 km/h on cycle paths and on urban and extra-urban roads where bicycles can also circulate, while it drops to 6 km/h when circulating in pedestrian areas.
As with bicycles, they must be fitted with an acoustic signalling device (a bell) and lights for when it is dark, white at the front and red at the back.
It can be recharged from a normal electric socket and will give you enough autonomy to get back to the boat, but if you are planning a longer trip, just take the charger with you (as you do with your smartphone) and ask a bar to charge it while you have a drink.
The “dockside” models
Following the Italian Government’s decision to push the accelerator on sustainable mobility incentives, we have seen dozens of different models come onto the market in recent months. We have selected for you those most suitable for use mainly on the quayside.
The most important features we have examined are weight, recharging speed and size, but there are many variables to consider. Solid or inflatable wheels? Wide platform for greater stability or narrow platform for less space on board? Low range in a vehicle with a very low weight or high range but with a few extra kilos?
Autonomy and weight
Understanding what to choose according to your needs is fundamental to the purchase, because contrary to what you might think, electric scooters are really very different from each other.
A few examples? The Nilox Doc Eco 3 Black is very light, one of the few that does not exceed the threshold of 8 kilograms, but has an autonomy of “only” 10 kilometres: ideal for those looking for a lightweight scooter to go to the supermarket, but not for a trip out of town (or out of town) a little longer.
If you plan to spend more time on the ground, perhaps looking for a high ground from which to enjoy the sunset, it’s better to opt for the Ducati Pro II or the Mi Electric Scooter by Xiaomi, which won’t leave you stranded for at least 30 kilometres but are more demanding in terms of weight: both weigh over 12 kilograms. Also pay attention to recharging time: if your stops at the port are short, it is better to choose a model that can reach 100% charge in a short time, such as the Vivobike e-scooter S1.
Solid or inflatable wheels?
There are two types of wheels for scooters, those with inner tubes and solid or tubeless wheels, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.
Tubed wheels are undoubtedly superior to solid wheels in terms of comfort and roadholding, increasing the shock-absorbing effect and absorbing unevenness in the terrain (such as the difference in level between rafters), but what a pain when you get a flat…
Changing the inner tube of a scooter’s wheel is no big deal, but it’s not for everyone, and especially forget that it’s as simple as changing the one on a bicycle. In addition, it is much more difficult to find spare parts of the right size if you are travelling around the world, or even just in the Mediterranean.
So you’re better off with solid tyres? “Ni”, because on the one hand you’ll avoid the problem of punctures and won’t have to worry about checking if your tyres are inflated, but on the other hand you’ll have to put up with the vibrations and jolts that even the smallest of stones can cause.
Solid tyres are made of special foams or silicones that are very resistant, with an excellent durability but with practically zero cushioning: if you suffer from backache, an inflatable wheel is better, you will pay the price in practicality, but it will make your ride much more comfortable.
Here you can find all the models in our comparison
- Handy Mile Pro – BIMAR
- PRO II – DUCATI
- Littleboard Booster – GREEN UTILITY VEHICLES
- Spillo The One – ICONEWAY
- Skull – ITEKK
- Lex R8 Lite – LEXGO
- Kronos 2.0 – MECHANE
- Colibrì – MICRO
- Monaco 85 – MOMODESIGN
- Segway ES2 – NINEBOT
- Doc Eco 3 Black – NILOX
- N1e – NITOBIKES
- e-scooter S1 – VIVOBIKE
- Mi Electric Scooter – XIAOMI
