Just like other vehicles, electric scooters do need maintenance to run smoothly for long periods. But how often maintenance is needed and what are the associated costs you should assume before taking an electric scooter? We know these questions will buzz around in your head and today I am going to answer all of that.
During my 5-year e-scooter journey, I’ve tried out a dozen electric scooters and unfortunately damaged a few while learning how to maintain them.
In this blog post, I’ll discuss whether electric scooters require high maintenance or not. I’ve also addressed other maintenance-related questions, so make sure to check those out too.
Are E-scooters Require High Maintenance?
If you compare an electric scooter with a traditional scooter, moped or even an electric bike, you will find out an e-scooter has the lowest maintenance of all of them.
An average commuter electric scooter maintenance costs around $120 to $150 per year. Premium electric scooters may incur higher maintenance costs of up to $250. Electric scooters are quite economical to maintain and require less maintenance than traditional scooters.
Let me give you an example I currently own two electric scooters one is the OX from INOKIM and the other is Zoom Stryder EX. Both are great scooters for their different uses.
I use the INOKIM OX as my daily driver for long trips and completed 3418 miles (5500 km) a year of use, while I ride the Zoom Stryder EX about 15-21 miles (25-35 km) a week max as I only use it to cover short trips like going for evening rides.
I will share with you my consumables and replacement schedule for my INOKIM OX scooter based on my usage. Here is the breakdown of my electric scooter maintenance costs:
| E-scooters Parts | Distance (Miles & Kms) | Costs |
| Brake pads | 1243 miles (2000km) | $20 |
| Brake rotor | 1864 miles (3000km) | $20 |
| Battery | 7456 miles (12000km) | $500-$1000 |
| Pneumatic front tire | 1243 miles (2000km) | $15 |
| Pneumatic rear tire | 621 miles (1000km) | $15 |
| Hub Motor | Unknown life | $120 |
Note- The numbers listed in the table may vary depending on the specific electric scooter you have. Use this as an example to estimate the average maintenance cost for an e-scooter.
I spend around 15 to 20 minutes once a month doing some basic maintenance of the Ox electric scooter like cleaning the scooter, checking the brakes, tightening the screws and bolts, lube etc.
For the Stryder Ex scooter, brakes are not included in maintenance I need to only worry about the tire replacement and battery. I will easily ride this scooter for more than a year before needing to do any maintenance. The cost of maintenance is somewhere around $100/year for an occasional tire swap. The batteries are also quite affordable to change.
Electric Scooter vs Car Maintenance Costs
Electric scooters are fun to ride, super portable, and quite economical. They are much cheaper to buy, run, and maintain than combustion engine cars.
On average, a US car owner expects to pay $4,500 a year in gas consumption and other costs like servicing.
Buying a $650 e-scooter and maintenance expenses, electricity consumption would only cost around $650 in the first year. So that means you could expect to save $3850, in your first year of investing in an entry-level e-scooter. Electric scooters’ cost impacts are much smaller than those of maintaining a car.
If you limit the lifespan of your e-scooter to five years, you would save $1,450 through your e-scooter ownership, really getting the most of your electric scooter’s worth. This is nothing compared to the upfront cost of buying a car which costs tens of thousands of dollars for a normal sedan or SUV.
At last, with gas imports becoming more expensive due to geopolitical instability, this gap will continue to grow and we hardly see any drops in the gas prices.
In the long run, electric scooters are not only environmentally friendly alternatives that will help to save the environment, they will save you thousands of dollars over the least a few years.
7 Tips to Maintain Your Electric Scooter
Clean Your E-scooter
First and foremost keep your e-scooter clean. Unless you are only a fair-weather rider or keep your scooter up on a mantel for display purposes only. Chances are your scooter builds up some dirt and debris. You only need a damp cloth and a cleaning solution to get your e-scooter its fresh look.
Keep Your E-scooter Dry
While most of the good electric scooters have some sort of IP rating for water resistance that does not mean they are fully waterproof. Even the most water-resistant e-scooters with an IP68 rating are not fully waterproof. So try to avoid throwing them into a pool or stream. But give them a quick wipe down after each ride to help keep your e-scooter looking fresh.
Charge Your E-scooter in a Right Way
One of the common questions we get is how best to charge your scooter and keep it charged. Contrary to popular belief you do not and should not let your battery drain to zero.
E-scooter batteries have a limited number of charge cycles and letting your battery completely drain can actually hurt your battery capacity and even prevent your scooter from turning on again.
On average, an electric scooter batteries have 600 to 800 charge cycles. So it’s best to charge your e-scooter in small short bursts. Charging your scooter when it has around 40% to 50% left is a sweet spot and you can leave your scooter plugged in overnight without damaging it. Just don’t leave it plugged in long term it may get affected.
Inflate Your Tires in the Correct PSI
Your e-scooter has two tires but that doesn’t mean it should be tired. Keeping your inner tubes properly inflated will decrease your chance of getting a flat and increase your chances of having fun. On average, 40 to 50 PSI is the recommended tire pressure for most electric scooters.
You Always check what’s printed on the side of your tire or inner to verify. Like Goldilocks, you don’t want your tires to be too firm or too soft but just right. Over-inflation can lead to extra punctures and under-inflation can actually damage your rims.
Maintain Your Brakes
Good breaking is an important part of a safe and enjoyable ride. Be sure to regularly maintain and address your brakes, so you can always stop on an inch.
We have an in-depth article on how to adjust each style of braking system so whether you have disc brakes or hydraulic brakes we have you covered. If you have squeaky brakes, this is the number caused by dirt and debris on the brake disc.
Ride Safely at All Times
We all love to go fast, well most of us do right? But it’s important to always ride your scooter safely and securely and always be aware of your surroundings.
If you are riding on busy city streets slow down and avoid having to slam on the brakes at the last minute. You should have full control of your e-scooter at all times so you can handle unexpected situations.
Use Your E-scooters as Intended
Each electric scooter is designed for different purposes and while they can handle a variety of different situations, it’s best to use your e-scooter as intended.
For example, I use my Stryder EX scooter as a commuter so I can’t do off-roading with that as I can with my I INOKIM OX. Remember leave all freestyle stunts to the professionals.
Are Electric Scooters Hard to Maintain?
No not at all, electric scooters are quite easy to ride and need little maintenance, you just need to tighten the screws and brakes. Check the condition of motors and tires once a month and clean your scooter using a damp cloth. Annual you can check the condition of motors and tyres for any replacement.
This is all you need to do to maintain your eclectic scooter. However, if you are a regular rider then once a week you should check the tires pressure if you have tube tires in your electric scooter.
Which Tires are Better in Terms of Maintenance?
Tubeless tires require less maintenance than tube tires because they are made of plastic and need to be replaced when completely damaged. However, replacing tubeless tires is costly because the entire wheel needs to be replaced, whereas if a tube tire gets punctured, only the tube needs to be replaced, which is less expensive.
How Long Do Electric Scooters Usually Last?
On average, a well-maintained electric scooter has a lifespan of four to five years. As the battery is the main component of the scooter, usually lasts for 400 to 500 charge cycles. However, factors such as frequency of use, charging habits, and battery management also play an important role in determining the overall longevity of an electric scooter.
I am very surprised if you bought a decent electric scooter and you don’t get 3 to 5 years from the battery. Either you bought your scooter from a third-party website that offers no warranty or your e-scooter battery is damaged early on.