Skateboards and bikes have been the traditional outside activity for kids of yesteryear.  With the emergence of scooters, that trend is changing.  Granted, scooters have been around for decades but have not really caught on until recently.  Now the kick scooter has evolved from gas to electric which has opened the door to "green" fun.  Electric scooters provide a series of benefits over gas and kick scooters.

• Price:  When it comes to cost, the categories are:
  • Non-Motorized
  • Electric Scooter
  • Gas Scooter (most expensive)
• Velocity:  Gas offers more velocity, up to 30 miles per hour.  You can expect speeds of 12-25 miles per hour in electric and a kick scooter depends on how fast you can kick.
• Noise:  Electric and kick scooters are barely audible, where gas engines are noisy as lawn equipment.
• Environmental Impact:  Electric motors and kick scooters do not produce smog emissions like their gas counterparts.  If gas still interests you, but you're still concerned about the environment, C.A.R.B. motors will produce less exhaust emissions.
• Range:  Electric motors can go up to roughly 10 miles before needing a charge.  Gas scooters need a mixture of oil per increment of gas, not something you'd easily find at a gas station.  So the difference is mainly the value of convenience in recharging the electric motor versus the mixing required for a gas scooter.
• Warranty:  All electrical, gas and kick scooters should come with a warranty.  Any viable manufacturer will offer some sort of warranty so if you do run into one that offers no warranty at all, it would be advisable to avoid them.

-

January 20, 2010  by  Brian Gagnon