In the electric scooter market there are standardised testing conditions under which manufacturers will test the range of their scooters. Standardising the testing conditions on an industry-wide basis allows there to be a like-for-like comparison of maximum range per charge across all models of scooters on the market. When testing the maximum range of a scooter, the manufacturer implements the following testing conditions;
- Riding mode; ECO or equivalent
- Riding speed; 15km/h
- Payload; around 60-70 kg
- Temperature; 25 degrees Celsius
- Environmental factors; tests are carried out indoors, on a rolling road, so there are no inclines, declines or wind
In the real world, this maximum range advertised by the manufacturer is typically not achievable because it is difficult to replicate the same conditions as per the factory testing. The rider will most likely be heavier, they will almost certainly be going faster than 15km/h and in a higher riding mode than ECO and there will be external factors like colder temperatures (lithium batteries perform less efficiently as it gets colder), wind and inclines.
For this reason, we have chosen to advertise what we call a “real-world range”, in order to give the customer a better idea of the sort of range that they can expect to get from a single charge. Our broad experience is that the achievable range for any electric scooter is about 50% of the manufacturer’s advertised maximum range. We do not undertake any testing to determine this real world range, we just divide the maximum range by 2 and that is typically quite an accurate indicator of achievable range. It is worth noting that we do not know how much you weigh, we do not know where on the broad spectrum of speed your riding style sits and we do not know if your journey is hilly or what terrain you are travelling on. For this reason, our real-world range is not guaranteed or binding in any way, but it is usually very close. Some people will get slightly more and some will get less. If you need to get more range from a scooter you already have, we recommend ensuring that your tyres are fully inflated and that you slow down. When buying a scooter, we recommend buying one that delivers a higher real-world range than your travel requirements.