In this post, I’m going to be looking at 7 of the best cheap electric scooters available for under £300 in 2023. All of the e-scooters featured in this article have been selected based on specification, customer reviews and overall value for money.
Are cheap electric scooters any good?
Over the last couple of years, the choice available to the consumer has exploded with 100’s of different models to choose from. It’s not always easy to separate the good from the bad and even some of the more established brands can suffer gremlins.
Generally speaking, the cheap electric scooters currently available are fairly reliable. Unbranded lithium cells will mean the batteries may not have the same longevity as their more expensive counterparts. The technology used in the electric motors on these e-scooters is not particularly complex and therefore quite reliable.
The display units and motor controllers used are also fairly simple, but one area these cheap electric scooters tend to lag behind is in waterproofing. A lot of e-scooters available for under £300 only have basic waterproofing, meaning they’re okay to use in light rain, but riding in persistent and heavy rain with waterlogged road surfaces may cause problems.
Where can you legally use an electric scooter?
Unfortunately, if you live in the UK you’re not meant to use an e-scooter in public spaces or on roads. Electric scooters still aren’t covered by law and instead come under the umbrella of the road traffic act and are classified as a ‘powered transporters’. This means if you are caught riding one of these, you face having your e-scooter seized and it’s likely you’ll get 6 penalty points on your driving licence (if you have one).
I personally completely disagree with the law as it stands and share the frustrations of thousands of responsible e-scooter riders who just want a cheap and efficient means of transport to go about their daily business. The law is archaic and needs overhauling right now.
In Europe, the laws are much fairer and in most European countries e-scooters are a common sights.
Can you use a cheap e-scooter for commuting?
All of the cheap electric scooters featured below could be used for a fairly short commute to work. But this will depend on a few variables. If there’s any hills or even slight inclines, you may need to get off and walk as a 250w or 350w motor isn’t going to be powerful enough on it’s own to propel an adult uphill. If your commute is flat, then I don’t see a problem.
Battery range will depend on rider weight and power level used. The e-scooters below all have fairly low energy batteries, so maximum range is going to be in the 7-10 mile region.
The 7 Best Cheap Electric Scooters are…
And so, on to my shortlist of the 7 best cheap electric scooters available in 2023.
Gotrax XR Ultra
Target
GOTRAX
Fun Bikes
| Price history for GOTRAX Xr Ultra Commuting Electric Scooter - Black | |
|---|---|
|
Latest updates:
|
|
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Best seller with lots of positive feedback
- Decent performance
- High quality LG lithium cells
- Well-built
- None
Kugoo S1 Pro
Kugooscooter.uk
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Very good performance for the price
- Compact design
- Lightweight
- Honeycomb tyres lack feedback
- Generic lithium cells
Xiaomi Mi 1S
Amazon.co.uk
Halfords
| Price history for Electric Scooters | |
|---|---|
|
Latest updates:
|
|
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Lightweight at only 12.5kg
- High quality construction
- Regen braking
- Decent lights
- May be underpowered for larger riders
- Generic lithium cells
Eleglide S1 Plus 🏆
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Excellent performance for the price
- Suitable for larger adult riders
- Longer range battery
- 10 inch Pneumatic tyres
- Heavy at 16kg
AOVO PRO ES80
Aovopro.com
Theelectricfuture.co.uk
AOVO STORE
Dastrad.co.uk
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Best allrounder for range and performance
- E-Brake and rear mechanical disc
- Surprisingly lightweight
- IP54 water resistant
- Generic lithium cells
Gotrax GXL V2
Jolta.com
AliExpress
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Good customer feedback
- Solid build quality
- Smooth motor
- Short range
Niubility N2
| Key Features | |
|---|---|
|
|
- Good value for money
- Sturdy with large deck
- Smooth power delivery
- Feels underpowered for large riders
- Quite heavy
Conclusion
If I had to pick a winner based on specification, the the Eleglide S1 Pro wins hands down! For just under £300, it offers a thoroughly decent spec with a 450Wh battery and 400w motor. Next in line would be the Aovo Pro ES80, with a 36v 10.4Ah battery and 350w motor it’s a lot of e-scooter for the price.
The Kugoo S1 Pro is another decent cheap electric scooter – I’ve personally owned one of these and it goes surprisingly well, and seems to be reliable over the longer term.
All the other cheap electric scooters featured here will do the job, but some will be only suitable for the smaller rider due to their lower power output.
Whatever you decide, riding an e-scooter is a fun way to get around and hopefully the UK government will change the outdated laws in the very near future. In the meantime, ride safe, be respectful and don’t draw attention to yourself.
