Owning vs Renting an Electric Scooter

Electric scooters in Australia have become a popular means of commuting for many people. After all, e-scooters are a low-cost, efficient, fun, and eco-friendly way to go on short trips or commute daily. However, people who want to ride electric scooters for commuting have one big question: should you buy or rent an electric scooter?

This electric scooter guide will answer this question by giving the pros and cons of owning and renting an e-scooter. Hopefully, this guide can help you decide which option fits your lifestyle better.

Owning an Electric Scooter

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of owning an electric scooter.

PROS

1. Save cost in the long run

Some people might hesitate to buy an electric scooter because of the initial cost, but owning an electric scooter is more cost-effective in the long run, especially for daily commuters. When you buy an electric scooter, you pay for the usable lifetime of the e-scooter. As a result, it becomes cheaper per mile over time.

2. Go anywhere and anytime

Whenever you need to go outside, you only need to take out your scooter and go. Moreover, you can go anywhere, anytime because you don’t have to think about the cost per mile or the time limit to use the e-scooter. You can go home after work knowing that you have an e-scooter that you can ride.

3. Ride the e-scooter that you need

One of the best things about owning an electric scooter for adults is that you can choose the model that you need. Since e-scooter rentals tend to underperform or be uncomfortable, you can choose one according to the range, power, and comfort that you need. Plus, you can fully customise your e-scooter and truly make it your own.

4. Ensure safety

Finally, owning an electric scooter ensures that you are riding a quality, durable, and safe electric scooter. Since you inspect your electric scooter regularly, you know if it's in top condition to ride, ensuring your safety.

CONS

1. Make sure it’s always charged

Electric scooter owners should always ensure that their e-scooter is charged even when they don’t need to use it. This can be an inconvenience for some people, especially if they live busy lives. Plan when you’re using an e-scooter so that you can plan on when to charge it. After all, it takes hours to recharge an e-scooter completely.

2. Maintain the e-scooter

Besides charging your e-scooter, you also need to inspect it regularly. Although electric scooters are generally low maintenance, the time and effort to have it inspected by a mechanic or checking on it before and after rides could be tedious for some. This also means that you need to shoulder maintenance costs in case of damages.

Renting an Electric Scooter

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of renting an electric scooter.

PROS

1. Save on cost

Renting an electric scooter doesn’t cost much. In fact, unlocking a scooter usually costs $1, and then you’re charged around 50¢ per minute, which can be cheaper than riding a taxi. However, e-scooter sharing is better only for occasional use or short trips. This way, you can maximise its affordability.

2. Don’t worry about maintenance

The best thing about renting an electric scooter is that you don’t have to worry about charging it or having it checked for maintenance. After all, the e-scooter sharing companies will be the ones to do that for you. Once you rent an e-scooter, it’s all good to go.

3. Perfect for infrequent use

As mentioned previously, renting an electric scooter is a better option for people who don’t need to commute often. If you want to take a stroll around the city or use it for occasional trips to a store, then renting an e-scooter is the efficient, affordable, and fun way to do it.

CONS

1. Finding one can be inconvenient

Since shared e-scooters can be left anywhere by the last rider, it can be difficult to find an electric scooter near you. And if you do find one, you might need to take a few more walks just to ride it, which can be quite inconvenient. Sometimes, the electric scooter near you could also end up being unusable.

2. Concerns on safety

Since renting electric scooters means you’re sharing them with the public, you don’t know the last person who used them and how they rode them. There might have been some damage to the e-scooter, and you might not know about it. Riding a damaged e-scooter increases the risk of accidents and injuries.

3. Low performance and comfort

The best electric scooter for adults offers fast speeds, long ranges, and comfortable rides. However, since rental e-scooters are mass-produced, it usually has a low motor and speed. Moreover, it can be quite uncomfortable for some riders in terms of the e-scooter size or ride quality.

Should you buy or rent an electric scooter?

After considering all the pros and cons of buying or renting an electric scooter, owning an electric scooter offers more advantages than renting one. Both are low cost and effective, but they differ in terms of convenience. However, serious e-scooter riders will benefit more from buying a reliable electric scooter.

Remember that owning or renting an electric scooter will depend completely on your needs and lifestyle. If you don’t have the time for maintenance and ride occasionally, renting an e-scooter is better. Meanwhile, if you need a daily first and last-mile solution for your commutes and you want to save in the long run, buy an electric scooter instead.

If you’re looking for an electric scooter, check out Mearth’s line of commuter and off-road electric scooters here.