Since June 2018, the electric scooter has become a new means of travel widely used in major cities.
Practical and environmentally friendly, scooters have won over many French people and are now part of urban traffic. Would you like to use one, but are hesitating between renting or buying? We’ve put together a list of the pros and cons.
Self-service scooters
Advantageous service
First of all, it’s very easy to rent an electric scooter in an urban environment. In the city, the terminals are relatively visible thanks to the signage. What’s more, it’s now possible to search for available scooters within a radius of a few kilometers. These applications geolocate unused scooters.
Another advantage is that the cost of rental is attractive, to say the least. Generally speaking, to unlock a scooter, you have to pay €1. Every minute thereafter costs €0.15.
After 120 minutes, the scooter stops automatically. The scooter rental service pays for itself when used for short, occasional trips. For regular users, opt for subscriptions to avoid spending too much.
Finally, renting a scooter doesn’t commit you to anything. If you don’t like the model you’ve chosen, it’s no problem. Just try another model or brand.
Service limits
For a start, while in some cities it’s easy to find these little marvels, in others it’s hard to rent them, especially at peak times. It all depends on the mobility of other users. Unfortunately, you can sometimes run into shortages of electric scooters.
Another disadvantage not to be overlooked: defective cars. It can happen. With frequent use, some scooters lose their capacity and may even be defective.
Until recently, you could park your vehicle anywhere, but this is no longer the case. In order to regulate parking, checks are regularly carried out in certain towns, with the aim of forcing you to park in a specific area.
Buying an electric scooter
Numerous advantages
Of course, buying an electric scooter is expensive. However, if you’re going to be using your scooter on a daily basis, buying one is the best option. Long-term use quickly pays for itself. A scooter costs between €500 and €2000 for an adult model, and electricity will cost you around €75 a year.
Logically, if you have your own scooter, you won’t have to worry about availability. If you remember to recharge your device, you can be sure that it will always be available when you need it.
What’s more, with your own scooter, there’s no more unpleasant surprise of battery failure. It’s up to you to recharge your scooter. No more stress about not knowing whether the scooter you’ve rented has enough batteries for your journey. You become the master of your vehicle.
What’s more, while rental electric scooters have a fairly limited lifespan, your own scooter will last a long time. And if you buy, you won’t be unlucky enough to come across one in poor condition.
Are there any drawbacks?
The main disadvantages of owning your own scooter are maintenance. As well as having to check the battery from time to time, you need to remember to check the screws and brakes. You’ll also need to clean it to prevent deterioration. If this maintenance isn’t carried out regularly, buying back parts will end up costing you dearly.
The theft of electric scooters is becoming increasingly common. Every year, around 400,000 electric bikes and scooters are stolen. Police recover just under 50%. Be careful not to leave your scooter on the sidewalk, out of your sight.
As you can see, renting an electric scooter on a daily basis represents a long-term budget. But if you’re a regular user, it’s worth buying. Today, there are many models on the scooter market. You’re bound to find a model to suit your needs.
