Thinking of buying an electric scooter or other transport tool? This is where you can numerically compare Personal Light Electric Vehicles‘ (PLEVs) based on your own specific needs. At the time of writing there is nothing like this anywhere else online. To understand how a decision matrix works see the 2 minute video below and then read on:
In the interactive self-adjusting decision matrix below, transport tools are shown in the left column and factors (considerations) are on the top row. For every factor you can enter a weighting (importance value) from 0 (totally unimportant) to 10 (essential). Just replace the default weighting of 5 with your own weighting (from 1 to 10). For example, if you feel ‘Portability’ is quite important you might give it a weighting of 7. If you feel ‘Top Speed’ is fairly unimportant you might give it a weighting of 2. For each factor (consideration) a transport tool already has an achievement score which is how well it performs in that factor area. The achievement score is based on OBJECTIVE data (see base of table for explanations). For example, the Urmo gets a low achievement score of 2.5 for the ‘Top speed’ factor because it’s fairly slow. The objective achievement score is multiplied by your subjective weighting to produce a weighting x achievement score. So for the Urmo in the ‘Top speed’ category it would be 2 (your weighting) x 2.5 (achievement score) = 5 (weighting x achievement score). The overall score for each gadget is the sum total of all weighting x achievement scores. The tool with the highest score is likely to be the most suitable based on your needs. The table will update automatically as you enter the importance values (weightings).
See below for a quick example video (the chart no longer works on the webpage as shown in the video so just use the buttons below to open it in Google Sheets or Excel):
A STATIC (NON-INTERACTIVE) COMPARISON TABLE (LIGHTWEIGHT PORTABLE TRANSPORT TOOLS)
SAFETY UPDATE IN 2021 – MAKE SURE THE STEM IS LOCKED IN BEFORE RIDING! The main stem on my Kugoo S1 Pro once gave way while riding, I had already gone a couple of miles on it when it came loose. It’s possible that I didn’t click it in properly or it may have come loose while riding. The result was not pretty and I’ve only just gained use of my right hand & wrist again so am typing this. The handlebar is a major reason why scooters outperform the other gadgets in safety, but please do make sure you check the handlebar stem is fully locked in place before riding, avoid riding at speed over rough terrain or at least check the stem lock after doing so. Also buy a scooter with an effective stem lock! NOTE: The Kugoo S1, both E-TWOW scooters and the Micro Explorer all use the same basic frame with the same stem lock!
UPDATE 2025
Having used the tables above to buy and try various transport tools I have settled on using my Micro Falcon scooter for short distance last mile transport. It rolls beautifully in active mode and actively kicking it along helps pedestrians to feel more at ease although usually I get off and walk past oncoming pedestrians. In places where escooters are banned so far I have always used the excuse that it is a ‘hybrid’ and so far that has worked. It’s so small and portable that it’s just less of an issue and I believe this has fantastic potential as an urban transport tool. It’s out of production at present but I hope that Micro produce an upgraded version with a light, a softer front tire and deck (I add jelly mats and rubber to help cushion the ride).
Also The Urmo is not currently available and production plans have come to a halt. ‘Zoom’ company seems to be out of business now. Also various other scooters not included here have been highly rated on Electric Scooter Guide.com so check them out as well HERE if interested.
For scooter rental schemes
If you are looking here for a scooter to use in a rental scheme with a capped speed lower than all the top speeds of the scooters shown then you should enter ‘0’ as a weighting (importance value) for the speed factor. Likewise, you may wish to give ‘portability’ a lower weighting given that most users will dock their scooters rather than push or carry them around.
If you would like us to make a revised matrix with additional factors specific to your rental scheme or with other transport tools added just let us know – happy to help!
OLDER CONTENT SHOWN BELOW
We believe that we now need to embrace lightweight portable transport to help slow global warming, boost people’s well-being through cleaner air & maintaining a safe social distance.
To see mindmaps showing pros and cons of different transport gadgets click HERE
Some older gadgets – a comparison chart made in 2015
Download
PDF: Transportables
Word File: Transportables
Gadget names
I suggested ‘Transportables‘ (transport tools that are portable)
& also ‘Lightweight Portable Transport‘ (LPT).
Here are some competing names:
Personal transport gadgets (PTGs?)
Personal Light Electric Vehicles‘ (PLEVs) (the term used by the UK government),
‘Powered Transporters‘,
‘Rideables‘ (possibly from Wired magazine).
”EUCS” or ”electric unicycles” involve no cyling so it’s a misnomer. Much better to call them Electric self-balancing wheels, electric wheels or just ewheels. Another suggestion I saw was motor wheels.
Green Transport Ideas 