How to Save Money Buying an Electric Scooter
Refurbs, rentals and sales: We'll help you skip paying full price for your next electric ridable.
Kaabo Wolf King GT Pro running around New York City
Electric scooters can be a big financial investment. Some cost as much as a car. But, unlike a car, you don't have to worry about parking, insurance or gas. So in the interest of saving you some money up front and get to the cost-cutting benefits, we've put together this list of shopping tips for scooters.
A Great Gift Any Time of the Year
This might seem obvious, but just like TVs and appliances, electric scooters go on sale around major events or holidays. I recommend researching and narrowing down your top picks beforehand to ensure that the prices haven't increased due to demand and that the sale price is actually a deal. But if you want a better price, shop during any holiday, Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
Preorder when possible
This option requires some patience. Just like there are new iPhones every year, scooter manufacturers also release new or updated models. Many offer preorder discounts to get gauge public interest. After all, scooters take up a lot more space than an iPhone, and manufacturers don't want to make more than they can sell.
Also read: Best Electric Scooter for 2022
Look for refurbished scooters
FluidFreeRide Miami showroom
We've all gotten used to making so many purchases online, it's easy to forget you can still shop in person for things, including electric scooters. Taking time to go to a scooter store or a local repair shop can help save some money. They frequently get inventory returned due to damage in shipping or as returns for one reason or another, such as too powerful or not powerful enough. The shop then repairs or replaces any damaged parts and sells the scooter at a discounted price. They also typically provide a limited warranty.
FluidFreeRide, with locations in New York, Miami and San Francisco, and Voro Motors in New York and Los Angeles, are two that come to mind. You can even test-ride scooters before you buy. FluidFreeRide offers a 10% discount to those in the military and to veterans.
Voro Motors offers a 7% discount to first responders and those in the military. Both require verification on ID.me, and the discount will be applied at checkout.
Dualtron Storm electric scooter in front of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
Regardless, if you have a local shop, go in and see what deals they might have. As the old saying goes, you won't know if you don't ask. They may have scooters that were repaired but never picked up. You might be able to get one for just the cost of the repair. (At the same time, you should check that no additional repairs are needed.) Also, try to ask in person and not over the phone. You don't want to get one price on the phone only to get another price in person.
Try before you buy
Unagi Shop New York
If you're still not ready to lay out hundreds of dollars on a scooter but are curious enough to want to try it out, scooter maker Ungai has a great subscription service. For $49 a month and a one-time $50 setup fee, you can rent one of its sleek, powerful scooters. Unagi also has a storefront in New York, but its scooters are also available at Best Buy and too many places to list where you can see the scooters up close. If you can't make it to one, they also can deliver the scooter to you.
Search for a code
Like every other online store these days, scooter vendors regularly have a discount code available to knock some money off the price or at least get you free shipping. Scooter companies will also regularly create codes for media sites like CNET that can be applied at checkout for a discount or sometimes extra accessories.