Best Street Legal Electric Scooters Posted in: Electric Scooters – Tags: best street legal electric scooters, electric scooters main
Convenience is a very important factor to consider in these times. Not only are traffic jams getting worse, but the number of our day-to-day responsibilities are just piling up. So most people can benefit from a way of reaching their desired destination in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
Good thing there are electric scooters, specifically street-legal scooters that can be used to commute or just get around town.
That’s what we’ll be talking about in this article. Here, we’re going to show you what it means to be street-legal, as well as the requirements. We’ll also help you choose the best street-legal electric scooter for your circumstances and talk about the pros and cons for a variety of models.
If you’re in the market for a street legal scooter then keep reading you'll learn a lot from all the research we did.
Top 5 Street Legal Electric Scooters
Extremely fast! Top speed of over 50 mph
The Taotao Powermax is one of the best street-legal electric scooters due to its capability and durability. It is powered by a 4-stroke single-cylinder engine that’s rated at 149cc that goes smoothly with its kick start or key ignition.
With 10 horsepower and a fully-automatic CVT belt drive, you can fully count on this. Ignition is CDI electronic and it’s got forced air cooling to avoid overheating.
It’s one of the fastest electric scooters as it can reach a top speed of up to 55 mph. Front brakes are hydraulic while the rear ones are mechanical.
The Powermax has a wheel base of 52.8 inches and has a twin-inverted hydraulic front suspension alongside a dual-rear hydraulic spring.
Simply control it using its fully-automatic twist throttle and you’re good to go. Weight capacity is at a maximum 350 lbs. It weighs 295 lbs. and measures 73 in. x 26 in. x 44 in.
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Cool dirt bike styling
The Razor Electric Street Bike is another street-legal electric scooter you might want to include in your list of choices. It’s powered by a fully-capable 350-watt motor that’s chain-driven and considered as a high-torque model.
What makes this a great deal is that its chassis is made from premium steel tellis. It’s also got a low-profile windscreen design to block flying debris from obstructing your view or causing inconvenience.
While thinking about buying this, you might thought about people asking you, “Is your electric scooter safe enough for street riding?” Well, surely it is because it has mag wheels measure 12 inches and features a 10-spoke design.
Throttle is twist-grip and the disc brakes are hand-operated. Batteries are rated at a total of 36 volts from each of the three 12-volt rechargeable batteries. This allows it to run for a straight 50 minutes.
The Razor Electric Street Bike has handlebars which can be adjusted. This comes with grips made from premium rubber and a kickstand that can be retracted on your liking.
There’s even a storage compartment for your things, which is ideal for long travels. Maximum weight capacity is at 170 lbs. and top speed is at a decent 17 mph. It has a measurement of 26 in. x 30 in. x 53 in. and weighs 124 lbs.
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Smooth shifting automatic transmission
Here’s another street-legal electric scooter from Taotao. The Taotao ATM50 is a bit more reserved and low-profile. But don’t take this lightly as this still packs a huge punch especially on efficiency and comfort.
It’s powered by a 50cc motor and comes with a trunk compartment for your things when traveling.
The ATM50 is fully-automatic as well as you simply need to twist the throttle for it to accelerate. This measures 67 in. x 30.7 in. x 51 in., making this ideal not only for teenagers, but for adults as well.
Also take note that it weighs 250 lbs., which is just enough for optimum comfort and reliability. Maximum weight capacity is 225 lbs. as well, thanks to its front and back tires measuring 10-inches and are copped by premium steel rims.
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Nice e-Scooter like owning your own person BIRD scooter
The Xiaomi Mi is an electric scooter that deserves to be included on the list of best ones due to its reliability, capability, and portability.
It might look like it's not on par with the first three products because this one doesn’t have a seat just like a motorcycle, but it’s not all about that.
This one is all about portability, convenience, and full-on reliability thanks to its powerful 250 watt motor that propels it to a top speed of 15.5 mph. This is even made better as it can reach 18.6 miles on a single charge.
And it’s got a portable folding design and weighs a featherweight 27 lbs. This is what you need if what you’re after is portability. But don’t take this lightly because it’s made from premium aerospace-grade aluminum.
This also has a double-braking system alongside an eABS anti-lock braking. Controls are spot on intuitive and user-friendly that it bagged the Best of the Best Award and iF Design Award from Red Dot.
The Xiaomi Mi Electric Scooter measures 42.5 in. x 16.9 in. x 44.9 in. and weighs 27 lbs.
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Best Overall Street Legal Scooter
The Segway Ninebot ES4 eKick Scooter is powered by a bustling 800 watts motor that lets it reach a top speed of 19 mph and reach 28 miles on a single charge. Maximum weight capacity is 220 lbs.
Meanwhile, its battery is lithium ion so you don’t have to worry about reliability. There are shock absorbers on its front and real wheels and the tires are also large to ensure capability on rough terrain and in high speed situations.
This makes it a fully-capable electric scooter that’s lightweight, nimble, and convenient. It even has an anti-lock braking system that’s both mechanical and electric to ensure proper and safe braking.
Aside from that, its tech side is also spot on as it features Bluetooth capability alongside a vibrant LED display, cruise control, as well as ambient lighting colors.
You can even customize it using your phone via Segway’s mobile app. If you’d want to experience modernity at its purest form, then this one’s for you. The Segway Ninebot ES4 measures 40 in. x 17 in. x 45 in. and weighs a featherweight 30.9 lbs.
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What is the Best Street Legal Electric Scooter?
Overall rating : 5/ 5
The Segway Ninebot ES4 came out as the best street-legal electric scooter out of the five reviewed products.
Not only is this a fully-capable scooter thanks to its 800 watts motor that enables it to reach top speeds of up to 19 mph and cover 28 miles on a single charge, but it’s also very portable and lightweight, weighing only at 30.9 lbs
Although it might be a bit expensive, that’s not a big deal as this is because its quality and highly durable materials make up for it.
It even has shock absorbers at its front and back to ensure utmost comfort. Aside from that, you can also customize it according to your liking thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity. And it sure looks good because of its sleek and modern design.
The Segway Ninebot ES4 is surely what you need if you want the best street-legal electric scooter.
What does it mean to be Street Legal?
Horn
One of the most important things to be considered street-legal is to have a horn. This might be a very simple factor to consider, but it has a huge effect on one’s safety.
It is through this that you make your presence known especially if you are going to pass near another vehicle or another person. Others need to be alerted that you are coming in case they have a hard time seeing you. The noise your horn makes make up for the lapses in seeing you.
Mirrors
Mirrors are required in order for a mode of transportation, such as an electric scooter, to be street-legal. This way, you don’t just see what’s in front of you, but also what’s at your back. This is very important so you know if you can safely move in a reverse path.
Steering Wheel
Steering wheel is another consideration to make for a vehicle to be street-legal. In the case of an electric scooter, it’s the handle bar. You need to have a firm grip on a device that enables you to control your path and movement.
Brakes
Brakes are a no-brainer when it comes to the requirements needed to become street legal. An electric scooter should have a proper and functioning braking system.
This can either be through a hydraulic system or mechanical system. Hydraulic systems are better as they have more braking power. However, they are more expensive than mechanical brakes.
Tires
Tires need to be capable and safe for a vehicle such as an electric scooter to be street-legal. A good example of this is that they shouldn’t be discharging or throwing too much debris from the surface towards other vehicles.
Emission Control
A street-legal vehicle shouldn't be a pollutant, or at least, not too much. However, this isn’t a problem for electric scooters because these don’t produce any form of pollution such as in the case of cars and motorcycles that emit greenhouse gases. These are run by electricity alone, so there’s no need to worry about emissions.
Lights
A street-legal vehicle should have lights, both at the front and at its rear. Specifically speaking, these are headlights, stop lights, turning signals, and tail lights. They should also have colors limited to white and yellow only.
License Plate
License plates are another necessity for one to become street-legal. These can either be placed in front or at the rear of the vehicle. They shouldn’t be too big to obstruct the movement of the vehicle, or too small for it to be easily seen by other motorists.
What are the street legal requirements for different states?
California
Electric scooters in California need to limit their speed to only 15 mph and they should only run on official public roads and bike lanes. These are also prohibited from running in roads with speed limits of 25 mph.
Florida
Meanwhile, electric scooters that don’t have a seat aren’t legal in Florida. Although these don’t require any registration and it’s alright to not wear helmets as long as you’re aged 16-years-old and above, you still need to have a driver’s license.
Kansas
Electric scooters aren’t allowed on sidewalks, but on streets and bike lanes only. Riders also are encouraged to wear helmets despite it not being mandatory.
These also shouldn’t be ridden near entryways, crosswalks, establishment entrances, and any place that pose hazards to pedestrians and other vehicles.
Nevada
You must be at least 16-years-old to drive an electric scooter in Nevada. Owners also need to be registered in the local government for one’s scooter to be street-legal.
Ohio
Regulations on electric scooters in Ohio aren’t very strict. In fact, you can own one and ride it anywhere you like as long as you ensure safety and ride in moderate speeds as much as possible.
Owners aren’t also mandated to have a helmet, although wearing one is encouraged. Additionally, all owners should also have a liability insurance. But you’re not required to have one if the electric scooter you have is a kick scooter.
Oklahoma
Electric scooters are prohibited from running on sidewalks and city streets. There’s even an ordinance banning the use of all electric scooters, but it’s not yet clarified as there is also a separate ordinance which bans anyone 18-years-old and below from riding an electric scooter without wearing a helmet.
Texas
Electric scooters can be driven on streets and highways as long as it doesn’t exceed the 35 mph speed limit. Traffic laws are also similar to bicycles.
Also, electric scooters aren’t required to go through regular safety inspection as well as be registered or get an insurance for it to be used on the streets.
Washington
Meanwhile, electric scooters can be ridden on streets, highways, and alleys, but not on bike lanes, sidewalks, and streets which have speed limits beyond 35 mph.
Meanwhile, riders who need to use their electric scooters due to their disability can pass through the aforementioned banned locations, but in a careful and slow manner.