New release E scooters 2024 - reviewed

The best electric scooters 2024

I googled ‘best electric scooters 2024’ and the results were surprising. There was not a single 2024 release model on any review I found.

And yet true innovation in electric scooters is happening. The latest releases arrived in New Zealand late 2023 and early 2024.

Freed Scooters services a wide range of electric scooter brands so we get to try everything on the market and we select and stock only what we think is the best. Here they are.

Best ultralight Scooter

E Twow Booster Plus S: Weighing in at just 11.5 kg the E Twow Booster is the lightest adult electric scooter on the market in NZ. It is extremely easy to fold and unfold, has a decent front headlamp, solid tyres, rear suspension, and now comes with a lever operated drum brake. It has a (peak) 500w motor and the speed is factory limited to 25km/h. 

This scooter will glide happily up a slope of 10 - 12  degrees for most folk. It is not the fastest or most powerful but it is certainly the lightest and it is super low maintenance. At a price point of $1099 they are terrific value for money.

Xiaomi have also released a new range in 2024 and the Xiaomi 4 lite is our pick in this range. With all the best features of the 365 but with hollow core tyres this will be a very low maintenance scooter for under $700. PB tech are the only big box retailer who service the scooters they sell so they get a tick from us too. Freed Scooters service Xiaomi wherever possible but do not carry a full range of parts

Best Budget scooter

This was a tough choice as there are loads of good choices but the Blade range from Teverun has the style and the features that make them top sellers.

The Blade Q at $1499 is a logical choice for best budget e scooter nz as it is a new release. It is compact at 26 kg and with dual 350 w motors has no problems with hills. It is super low maintenance with solid wide profile tyres.

The Blade Mini Pro has a ton more features and unbelievably the price has come down to $1999 due to the option of a smaller battery.

Dual 500w motors - enough to get a 100kg human up a 15 degree incline at about 17 km/h without stressing. A 15.6 amp hour battery, a 20.8 or a 29 amp hour battery. 

The 9 inch tyres are heavy duty and don’t puncture easily, however the rim will take a 10 inch tyre. This will give better range and allows installation of solid and self healing tyres.

A folding handle bar is available as an upgrade. The water rating is IPX 54. Standard for the majority of electric scooters it is resistant to water spray. And it is not too heavy at 28 kg.

The best feature is the highly visible light array. Stem and deck LED’s in brilliant yellow, turn signal indicators, tail light, brake light and handlebar height headlamp. 

Best commuter scooter

The new range of Punk Rider electric scooters offer genuine innovation that the market has been asking for for years. They are waterproof to IPX 67 and offer a range of brand new features not seen together on any other scooter at any price.

Both have the 600w and dual motor 1200w offer the most extensive range of useful features

• IP6 waterproof chassis and IP7 internal components.
• Dual rubber cartridge suspension
• 10 inch self healing tyres
• Bright, large digit easy read display
• Smart BMS with App controls
• Built in GPS followed in the App
• App locking
• Battery monitoring
• Full length side turn signal indicators that extend the length of the deck AND the stem.
• Sun guard for the display that also shields it at night to prevent night blindness from the brightness of the LED display
• App adjustable power and acceleration.

It is a little bit heavy. If you need to carry it around it may not be the ideal option for you. 

These are only available from Freed Electric Scooters in Auckland City and Electric Scooter Shop on the North Shore but both stores ship across NZ.

Runner up commuter scooter

An honourable mention goes to the Inmotion Climber. It is waterproof to IPX56 which is decent and will cover you for all but the worst conditions. It has dual 450w motors on a 36 volt system, enough power for medium size adults to go pretty much anywhere and for the rest of us to go almost anywhere. Because it does not have any suspension it is lower to the ground and lighter than the Punk scooters. If you need a waterproof scooter for the bus or if you need to carry it, is the one for you. These are available from most specialist E scooter stores and from 99 bikes.

Best Big Scooter

If you are tall or heavy you need a bigger scooter. No need to spend a fortune. At $3699 Blade GTII  has a ton of features including app control, programmable speed modes, battery monitoring and indicator lights.

This is a powerful uphill scooter with dual 1500w motors. The suspension can be upgraded easily to support up to 150 kg. The large deck has a rigid tail fin to accommodate long legs and the tall stem rises 1070 mm above the deck. 11 inch tyres have self healing gel as standard. The IP rating is 54 but the sensible design resists water better than some popular brands that boast IP 55. Yet it weighs just 35kg.

We also like the bright LED lights all the way up the stem and along the deck. This much lighting is perfect for winter nights.

Specialist scooters

3 wheel and 4 wheel e-scooters make personal electric mobility accessible to a much wider range of people who might struggle with balance or have mobility difficulties.

The Freed Pro Urban Trike has gimbaled rear wheels so the vehicle can lean, and all 3 wheels maintain contact with the ground.

It is a dual motor, seated scooter.  2 x 500w motors make it powerful and it has a top speed of 48 km/h, but it is easy to ride because of its low centre of gravity.  The hand twist throttle is suitable for differently abled people  without the need for highly developed fine motor skills.

It does need the ability to use your legs to support your weight when seated as the scooter does lean so may suit everyone but for many folks this 3 wheel electric scooter has already given them back a freedom they thought they had lost.

Although the handle bar does fold for storage it is not a folding chair type of vehicle and while you will be able to ride it onto trains and buses at level platforms it is too heavy to lift for one person. 

The Teverun Tetra is the first of its kind in New Zealand in 2024. A powerful, offroad, 4 wheel electric scooter with option for a seat.

The Tetra’s 4 wheels all move independently so this ‘quad scooter’ can handle any terrain and is sold as an off-road vehicle. It has a huge battery, 4 piston hydraulic brakes and 5 fully programmable speed modes with full app control.

If anything this vehicle is overpowered for the most logical users who are golfers and differently abled people and the price is accordingly quite high. But it does have the advantage of being capable of genuinely off road terrain and has the option of a seat.

It has a 2 wheel drive and a 4 wheel drive option. Add a carrier for the golf clubs and you can drive to the course, play a full round, and get home all on one vehicle.

It is large and heavy so you won't be lifting it in and out of the car. Still, we think this is a genuine mobility option for some differently abled people and with its IPX rating of 5 think it's a great golf cart option that will not break down every other week.

These are our top picks of new releases and upgraded favourites in 2024. All are available from Freed Electric Scooters, with many also available at other retailers as indicated. Freed are centrally located right at the Nelson St off ramp of State Highway 1 in Auckland and have a full service workshop with free Auckland CBD parking.