Self-service scooters are no longer on the rise. Nor in the capital, where they were withdrawn on September 1. Nor in Marseille, where their days seem numbered. Already, 400,000 users would be deprived. Among them, many are not about to give up and wish to invest in a practical and non-polluting mode of transport, already adopted by 2.5 million people in France.
Not so easy: not all scooters are suitable for the same types of trips (occasional, daily, with or without intermediate transport). And while scooter rental by subscription is growing, the offers for purchase are multiplying with prices varying from simple to tenfold. By selecting for you four scooters sold from 279 euros to 1,799 euros, 20 minutes advises you and allows you to compare.
Economical for a good start: E2 Plus E, from Segway-Ninebot
The manufacturer Segway-Ninebot sign with its new E2 Plus E, a relatively accessible and rather well-equipped scooter.
To be reserved for users weighing 90 kg maximum and having short distances to cover (maximum autonomy: 25 km, with its 220 W battery), this model, powered by a 300W motor (500W peak) will be able to climb hills up to at 15%. However, it will be uncomfortable on damaged roads.
The E2 Plus E, from Segway-Ninebot, is particularly useful in town with its 8.1-inch anti-puncture honeycomb tires which will better absorb small shocks, but also its three operating modes: Walk (5 km/h); Standard (up to 15 km/h); Sport (up to 25 km/h). Weighing 14.4 kg, it remains manageable in intermodality. Front light and reflectors contribute to the safety of its user. From 279 euros.
The secure way to get to the chest: ES Serie 5, from Acer
A recent player in the world of scooters, the computer product manufacturer Acer offers with this ES Series 5 a scooter perfectly equipped for regular trips and weighing 18.5 kg.
Weighted with 10-inch tires, front/rear lighting, reflectors and an application allowing it to be locked with a single gesture, the machine offers a nice promise in terms of safety. Parents can approach it with confidence to equip their offspring for their trips to middle school or high school.
Its driving, based on a 350 W rear motor (470 W peak), three speed modes, hill climbing up to 15°, electronic front and rear disc brake, and autonomy up to 65 km, will suit most users up to 100 kg. Otherwise its somewhat long charging time (eight hours), the only thing it could lack is a front suspension for better absorption of road irregularities. 499 euros.
The muscle for big guys: Electric Scooter 4 Ultra, from Xiaomi
The exciting design of Xiaomi’s Electric Scooter 4 Ultra reveals a scooter equipped with a dual front/rear suspension system. Added to this are 10-inch tires for a particularly smooth ride.
Under the paving stones, the beach ? Yes, we verified it during a test on the streets of Paris! With a power of 600 W (940 W peak), its motor, housed in the rear road, allows it a certain nervousness, even for users of good size (up to 120 kg) and even on hills (up to at 16%). Four driving modes are available, from Pedestrian to Sport, to be selected on its central screen.
Rather massive, this scooter should be reserved for fairly long journeys, door to door, for which its autonomy of up to 70 km and its large deck of 880 cm2 provide a feeling of comfort and security. Be careful, its weight of 24.5 kg makes it rather impermeable to public transport, where it will be heavy and bulky. It is compatible with an application which quantifies the data from each journey and estimates its remaining range to the nearest kilometer. 999 euros.
The ultraportable laptop for intermobility: KQi Air X, from Niu
Do you know carbon fiber? It is based on this woven material, three times more resistant than aluminum, and which equips Formula 1 cars, that Niu, Chinese manufacturer of scooters and electric scooters, has built its KQi Air.
Result: mounted on 9.5-inch tires, this scooter weighing only 11.7 kg (or 40% less than a conventional scooter!) offers a level of portability that most do not have. It is ideal for intermodality to combine it with trips requiring the use of public transport.
But the mount, with a 350 W motor (700 W peak) and a range of up to 50 km also has other arguments. Like its complete application, which allows you to personalize its use by choosing its startup mode; by modulating the charge of its battery according to its needs to extend its lifespan; by adjusting its acceleration modes, etc. The icing on the handlebars: the KQi Air
On pre-order on September 19 at 1,799 euros. Also available at 1,399 euros in a simple KQi Air version (11.9 kg, based on 70% carbon fiber and 30% magnesium).