With more college campuses loosening their personal electric vehicle (PEV) restrictions, what is the best electric scooter for a college student? In our opinion, this comes down to 3 main factors: portability, safety and price. In this review we’ll go over some standout scooters in each of these categories, as well as a couple options that perform well in all three.
Portability
In order to score high on our portability rankings, a scooter must fit into the back of a typical sedan (for example a Toyota Corolla), it must be foldable (the stem) and lock in place when folded, and it must be less than 40 lbs. Bonus points if the handlebars also fold down for extra compact portability.
When I was a college student and had a scooter (an Emove Cruiser), I found myself frequently having to lift the scooter up flights of stairs (such as at my apartment building), into the back of my car (to take it to a shop for tire maintenance), and up curbs and over other obstructions in construction zones on campus. I found the Emove Cruiser to be overall a little too big and cumbersome, so that scooter won’t make today’s rankings.
Safety
Important safety features for any electric scooter, especially one being ridden on college campuses include:
- Horn or Bell for alerting pedestrians
- Lighting adequate for night riding (front and rear)
- Brakes (front and rear), bonus points for electric brakes
- Tires (at least 9-inches) adequate for large potholes and bumps
While my Emove Cruiser definitely had all of these things, finding them all in a more compact and more affordable scooter isn’t always easy.
Price
College students are probably some of the most price-conscious members of society. Juggling expenses like tuition and textbooks, food and rent, all without a full-time job (usually) means that scooters with a price tag of above $750 will be considered “unaffordable” for our rankings.
Megawheels S10
Weight: 26 lbs
Price: $219 (latest price here)
Safety features: NONE
I owned one of these for a few months (read about my full experience here) and greatly enjoyed the lightweight, compact design of this scooter. This is definitely the most portable scooter I’ve ever owned, but there were some build quality and safety concerns that prevent this from being my no. 1 pick for a college student. For example, this scooter has no mechanical brakes, small 8.5-inch tires, no horn or bell, and the front light isn’t even bright enough to illuminate the ground right in front of you when it’s pitch black.
Levy Light
Weight: 26 lbs
Price: $549 (latest price here)
Safety features: bell, rear brake
This is another great lightweight scooter which we made a full review of here. The Levy Light also gets a bonus for having a removable battery, bringing down the weight even further if you separate the battery from the scooter and transport them separately. The removable battery also eases range anxiety, as you can bring along an extra battery (3.3 lbs) if you deplete the first one. However, this scooter is also missing bright lights and larger tires, so won’t be our no. 1 recommended electric scooter for college students.
Segway Ninebot Max – The Best Electric Scooter For A College Student
Weight: 39 lbs
Price: $699 (click here for the latest price)
Safety features: Adequate lighting (front and rear), 10-inch tires, mechanical and electric brakes, bell
We made a full review of the Segway Ninebot Max here almost 5 years ago. It’s still available on the market, and it’s still a great choice. It checks all of our safety features (except it only has one mechanical brake instead of two), barely makes it under our 40 lb weight limit, and is priced under $750. It’s hard to wrong with a Segway; they are one of the biggest names in the electric scooter industry and have been around for a long time. The Segway Ninebot Max has solid build quality, and will easily last 4 years or more with daily riding in a college campus setting.
In our opinion, the Segway Ninebot Max is the best electric scooter for a college student. Pick yours up here for $699.
Runner Up #1: Apollo Air (If Money Is No Object )
Weight: 36 lbs
Price: $849
Safety Features: Mechanical + electric brake, 10-inch tires, electric horn
Additional Safety Features: Handlebar turn signals, IP66 water-resistance rating, UL-certified battery, self-healing tires, battery management system
We did a full review of the Apollo Air here, and it’s clear to see that if your budget exceeds $750 (current price is $849 on sale), the Apollo Air pretty much has it all. It has a UL-certified battery, ensuring safety against fires, self-healing tires to prevent flats, IP66 water resistance rating for full confidence riding in the rain, and even handlebar-mounted turning signals. The Apollo app also integrates seamlessly with numerous customizable features on the scooter. All Apollo products also come with a 2-year warranty that extends to all key components like the motor and frame.
If quality is what you’re looking for, pick up your Apollo Air for $849 here.
Runner Up #2: Inmotion Climber (For Hilly Areas)
Weight: 46 lbs
Price: $899
Safety Features: 10-inch tires, front + rear lights
The Inmotion Climber (read our full review here) is certainly a step up from the other entries on this list both in terms of speed and price. This scooter features both a front and a rear motor, which makes it excellent for tackling hills. If you live in a hilly area, the other scooters on this list won’t be sufficient unless you plan to limp slowly up the hills. The Inmotion Climber costs $899 (buy yours here), and reaches a top speed of 24 mph. It also weighs 46 lbs, considerably over what we would consider to be “lightweight”, but if you want extra power, this is a great option.
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