Why should I buy a personal electric vehicle?
Lets face it: getting around most cities is a pain.
In places like New York, cars are often theslowestvehicle for getting around town.
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An e-bike or scooter suffers from none of these problems.
In many cases, travel times are better than cars, trains, or buses.
But what about a plain-old analog bicycle, you ask?
But for many people, analog bikes are not the most practical form of everyday transport.
Its a similar story if you live in a very hilly town.
Others might have disabilities that make extensive riding without support difficult or impossible.
Okay, you convinced me.
So which do I choose?
For many, the choice of e-bike or e-scooter will be obvious.
Need something that fits in the trunk of your car and doesnt break the bank?
Want an optional workout?
There is too much variety among electric scooters and e-bikes for that to make sense.
Instead, I hope to point out some general trends that can help you make a more informed decision.
Most scooters Ive tested fit in the trunk of a sedan.
Most bikes do not.
This comparison isnt a universal rule, of course.
There are heavy-duty, high-speed scooters thatweigh over 100 pounds.
And a few bikes have folding stems to become quite flat or you couldadd your own.
There are even tiny e-bikes like theBrompton ElectricandBike Friday e-Pakitthat can fit in a suitcase.
The latter even uses batteries small enough to be allowed on an airplane!
Price
Electric scooters are, as a whole, more affordable than electric bikes.
Meanwhile there are few e-bikes I would happily recommend under the $1,000 mark.
The upcomingRad Power Bikes RadMissionandPropella 3.4come to mind.
In Europe,Analog Motionmakes bikes for999.
But theres sparse reputable competition below this price point.
The price-to-performance trend is also different among e-bikes and e-scooters.
But not so fast this is a more complicated question than it initially seems.
New York is a bit unusual, specifically limiting e-bikes to 25mph.
In Europe, most e-bikes are limited to 25 kph or 15.5 mph.
As noted in the earlier section, electric scooters are far less regulated.
There are even scooters capable of going over100mph!
Granted, depending on where you ride, these speeds are often largely for show.
Theyre easier to manuever through hallways and up and down stairs.
More importantly, e-bikes are still fully functional when the power runs out.
By comparison, its much harder to use an electric scooter when the battery is depleted.
You cant quite do that with the typical e-bike.
Safety
For the most part, e-bikes seem like the obvious choice for safety.
The big wheels can largely brush off potholes and debris and tend to provide better traction on wet roads.
On the other hand, sometimes I do feel just as safe on a scooter.
Im much nimbler, at least, more easily able to weave between traffic and pedestrians with a deathwish.
Problem is, it variestremendouslydepending on the specific scooter youre riding.
Research on the topic is not totally conclusive, but it unsurprisingly seems to favor bikes.
However, Im not sure those results totally translate to the comparison ofpersonale-scooters versus personalelectricbikes.
Many electric scooters meant for personal use have suspension and beefier tires, and their riders are more practiced.
In fact, I see more people wearing helmets on their personal scooters in NYC than I do cyclists.
Utility
Theres no question about it.
If you are using your electric vehicle for cargo, an e-bike is the better choice.
There is no shortage of utility-oriented bikes on the market, from the affordableRadRunnerandAriel Rider M-Classto the premiumTern HSDandGSD.
If you want to go really heavy-duty, there are basket bikes like theUrban Arrow ShortyandReise & Muller Load.
Got a fat wallet?
Why not both?!
I usually keep a powerful e-bike and lightweight scooter in my apartment.
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