How far can a mobility scooter go? How long will your battery last?

If you are looking for a mobility vehicle to help you get around, then a mobility scooter is an excellent option. They are very good for outdoor use and generally have very good battery life. This means they can be used over long distances and are perfect for local use.

But how far can a mobility scooter go on a single charge? This will depend on the type of scooter, but the batteries charge life will range between 5 and 30 miles. As you can see this is quite a big range and this can have a big impact on the type of scooter you choose.

There are 3 main types of mobility scooter:

• Lightweight mobility scooters
• Mid-range mobility scooters (these are most common)
• And larger road legal mobility scooters

In most cases, the smaller mobility scooters will have a shorter range than larger ones. Below we have listed more details on each type of scooter.

How far can a lightweight mobility scooter go?

Mobility scooters in this range will have a travel range of between 5 and 15 miles on a single charge. This makes them ideal for local use and small days out.

There are various types of lightweight mobility scooters. The most common are boot scooters and folding mobility scooters. These are both usually very lightweight, which makes then great for transporting in the boot of a car for days out.

The weight of this type of scooter will usually range between 45lb and 65lb. However, they can be even lighter. The lightest scooter currently available in the US is the EAONE D9X PRO, this is what we would consider an ultra-lightweight mobility scooter.

The main benefits of this type of mobility scooter is their weight and size. They are very compact, which makes them excellent for travel and storage. Folding mobility scooters are extremely convenient. Once folded they can be stored away inside the house, in a cupboard, or tucked away in a corner somewhere and take up very little room. They will also fit in the boot of most cars.

Who would not benefit from a lightweight mobility scooter?

A lightweight mobility scooter, is probably not going to be the best choice, if you intend to do any of the following:

• Travel over longer distances. Due to a shorter range they are better for local use and short days out.
• Use on rough terrain. This type of mobility scooter is not usually designed to be taken off-road. They will usually struggle with uneven, rough, or loose terrain.
• Steep hills. This is not to say that lighter scooters cannot handle hills, they can. However, they will often lose some performance on very steep inclines. If you will be using your mobility scooter on hills regularly, you may want to opt for something a little larger and more powerful.

How far can a Mid-range mobility scooter go?

Models in the mid-range are the most common type of mobility scooter. It is generally the type that you will see most often in everyday life.

This type of mobility scooter can go around 10 to 20 miles on a single charge, which means they have a slightly better range than options in the lightweight section.

A mid-range mobility scooter would usually be considered a good all-rounder. This is for several reasons that can be seen below:

• They have good battery range. For most people, a range of up to 20 miles is plenty for performing daily tasks. Most people will not need a battery that can last longer than this.
• They are better on different terrain. You will usually find that models in this range are slightly better on different terrains than lightweight models.
• Better on hills. In most cases you will find that scooters in this range are slightly better on hills than lighter models
• Price range. These types of scooter tend to be some of the most affordable. You usually pay a premium for lightweight and folding scooters. And larger road legal models are often quite a bit more expensive

The main disadvantage with this type of mobility scooter is they are just bigger. This means they are slightly harder to transport in a car. They may not fit in smaller boot sizes and some cannot be dismantled at all, which would make them much tougher to travel with.

Also, this would affect their ability to be stored indoors. In most cases you will need to store this type of mobility scooter outside.

Finally, they are going to be less flexible for indoor use. Scooters in the mid-range, tend to have a larger turning circle, so they are not as good at dealing with small spaces.

Class 3 road legal scooters

Class 3 road legal scooters are your final option. These tend to be much bigger and more robust than the previous two types of mobility scooter. Generally, they are also by far the most expensive.

Scooters in this range will have battery range as high as 35 miles on one single charge. This means they are perfect if you are looking to use your scooter over longer distances.

A class 3 mobility scooter is also road legal; this means that it can be used on both the pavement and the main road. You will need to register this type of mobility scooter with the DVLA before it can be used on the road, but it is road ready out of the shop.

Class 3 mobility scooters come complete with the following:

• Rear view mirrors
• Indicators
• Front and rear lights and reflectors
• Amber flashing light for use on dual carriageways
• Maximum speed of 8 mph
• Speed limiter that can reduce speed to 4mph for use on pavements

This type of mobility scooter is much larger and will not have any of the space saving advantages of the previous two types.

Due to the size of this type of scooter it is much harder to transport. Usually, the only type of vehicle it will fit in, is one you can literally drive it into.

This also means that you are much more limited to where this type of scooter can be used. Indoor use is almost entirely impossible. This means it is not the ideal solution for people with very bad mobility, as you will usually need to get out and walk once you reach your location.

Main benefits of class 3 mobility scooter

Where this type of scooter shines is its speed and power. The previous two types (lightweight and mid-range) are class 2 mobility scooters, this means they have a top speed of 4mph and are not allowed on the road. A larger class 3 can travel at 8mph when used on the road, making them twice as fast as smaller models.

This increased power also translates to the terrain they can travel on. Traveling up hill and on rougher terrain is usually no problem at all for this type of scooter. They will not lose power on inclines and are quite comfortable with uneven and lose terrain.

Which scooter type is right for you?

Whilst the battery range of your scooter is important, there are many other things you will need to consider before purchasing a new mobility vehicle.

How you will be using your scooter from day to day will determine which is the best fit for you personally.

Below are the main things you will need to consider

• Battery range
• Storage
• Travel
• Accessibility
• Speed
• Terrain and hills
• Your budget

We hope you found the information here useful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.