Electric Scooter Charging Cost [Calculator + 5 Tips To Save $]

Last updated: January 30, 2024.

Get electric scooter charging costs for a range of e scooters. Use the calculator below to see your own electricity costs and reduce them with 5 simple electricity cost saving tips.

More and more people are deciding to buy electric scooters. But one cost that may not be factored into the purchase decision by many is the ongoing charging cost. 

On average, in the US, electric scooter charging costs range from:

• 2 cents to charge a low capacity electric scooter
• 4 cents to charge the most popular scooter
• 12 cents to charge a mid-capacity e scooter
• 45 cents to charge a high capacity electric scooter

Continue reading to see how this was worked out. You’ll also see how electric scooter charging costs compare to electric bikes and cars. 

The results from this unbiased, independent study are trusted by leading electric scooter manufacturers and retailers, including Unagi Scooters, Pico Mobility, and Apollo Scooters.

Skip to the bottom of the page to get x simple ways to reduce your charging costs. Or jump directly to the Electric Scooter Electricity Cost Calculator to work out your specific costs.

But first let’s look at how much electricity is required to charge an electric scooter.

How much electricity is needed to charge a scooter

The battery capacity of electric scooters vary widely. Mass produced, adult electric scooters require 125Wh to 3,024Wh of electricity.

The lower capacity 125Wh batteries are typically budget scooters, which travel less distances on a single charge. 

Premium electric scooters tend to have larger battery capacities, over 3kWhs in some cases, and reach further distances on a single charge. 

Electric Scooter Guide’s database lists manufacturer specifications for over 160 electric scooters. It’s a great resource – check it out here. I’ve used the information in that database throughout this post.

How much does it cost to charge an electric scooter

The following table gives an overview of electric scooter charging costs in the US across a range of e scooters.

The table above splits electric scooters into different battery capacity categories – low capacity, mid-capacity and high capacity. And assumes a kWh price/unit price of 15 cents.

With a 280Wh battery capacity, the world’s most popular electric scooter, the Xiaomi Mi M365, costs just over 4 cents to charge, on average, in the US.

At 125Wh, budget / low capacity electric scooters (e.g. the iWatBoard R6) cost close to 2 cents to charge on average.

Premium e scooters (e.g. the Dualtron X II), with a large battery capacity of 3,024Wh, cost just over 45 cents to charge in the US.

Electric scooters with mid-capacity batteries, specifically 809.83Wh, cost 12 cents to charge on average. At 832Wh, the Inokim Quick 4 falls within this category. 

The cost of charging an electric scooter once is interesting. But how much does it cost to charge an electric scooter over a longer period of time?

Electric scooter charging cost for 1 year

To get the 1 year charging cost estimate, let’s use the same categories, their battery capacity and charging cost. But now we have to introduce manufacturer figures for range and the average distance travelled on e scooters.

Referencing a 2018 r/ElectricScooter survey, Electric Scooter Guide notes that, on average, owners of electric scooters travel 1,456 miles per year.

The table below shows the average weekly, monthly and annual electric scooter charging costs in the US.

On average, in the US, owners of the most popular electric scooter, the Xiaomi Mi M365, can expect to pay just over 6 cents per week, 27 cents per month and $3.22 per year in electricity.

In the US, owners of budget, low capacity electric scooters can expect to pay $3.03 per year, on average, to charge their e scooter enough to reach the 1,456 mile average. The charging costs work out at under 6 cents per week and 25 cents per month.

To travel the average distance, it costs US owners of mid-capacity electric scooters 8 cents per week, 33 cents per month and $4.02 per year in electricity.

The annual charging costs of high capacity electric scooters is $7.10 on average in the US. This works out at 14 cents per week and 59 cents per month, if travelling the average distance of 1,456 miles.

It goes without saying that the cost of charging an electric scooter over 1 year will depend on many variables. Actual distance travelled, the terrain, battery quality, unit rate of electricity, and more impact the cost.

To get a better sense of your costs, use the Electric Scooter Electricity Cost Calculator below.

Electric scooter electricity cost calculator

If you don’t know your electric scooter’s battery capacity, you’ll likely find it in Electric Scooter Guide’s database, in the “Battery” column.

Also, if you don’t know your “Electricity price” / unit rate of electricity, check your recent electricity bill or electricity provider’s portal.

Alternatively, just use your country’s average – Statista lists average electricity prices in 2020 across 30 countries, here.

How much does it cost to charge Xiaomi M365 Pro?

Using the calculator above, I’ve worked out the cost to charge the Xiaomi M365 Pro, which has a battery capacity of 474Wh and a 28 mile range.

On average, in the US, it costs 7 cents to charge the Xiaomi M365 Pro. This works out at $3.70 per year or 30 cents per month when travelling the average annual mileage of an electric scooter. Per mile, it costs just 1 5th of 1 cent to run the Xiaomi M365 Pro.

Per mile, it doesn’t appear to be expensive to run electric scooters. But how do they compare with other EVs? Are they relatively expensive to charge?

Is it expensive to charge an electric scooter?

Electric scooters are not expensive to charge. On average, in the US, it costs $0.019 (just under 2 cents) to charge a low capacity e scooter, while high capacity scooters cost $0.454 (just over 45 cents) to charge.

While some might argue that these costs are expensive, it is clear that electric scooter charging costs are not in the realm of household energy guzzlers.

For context, let’s compare the charging cost of the most popular electric scooter, the Xiaomi Mi M365, to the cost of running other household appliances.

• It costs 5 times more to run a standard space heater for just 1 hour
• A single load in a washing machine costs 4 times more than a full charge of the M365
• One full charge is equivalent to boiling an electric kettle 4 times

How about compared to an electric bike and electric car – is it expensive to charge an electric scooter?

I used the Electric Bike Electricity Cost Calculator and the Electric Car Electricity Cost Calculator, along with the Electric Scooter Electricity Cost Calculator above, to work this out.

The most popular electric scooter is the least expensive to charge compared to the most popular electric bike and electric car.

However, electric scooters are slightly less efficient compared to electric bikes and, therefore, are slightly more expensive to run. The electricity cost per mile for scooters is nearly ½ of 1 cent more than the aBike.

When compared to electric cars, electric scooters are unsurprisingly less expensive to charge and to run.

Despite electric scooters being inexpensive to charge, it’s always good to reduce our electricity bills.

5 tips to reduce the cost of charging your electric scooter

There are ways that you can reduce your charging costs without changing how or how often you use your e scooter. 

Below are 5 simple ways to reduce your electric scooter charging costs.

1. Charge at night. Often energy providers offer discounts for electricity usage during off-peak hours. Check if you’re on the appropriate energy plan with your provider. Charging your electric scooter at night could reduce your electricity costs by 75%.
2. Charge at work. If you commute to work, why not be cheeky and charge your scooter there? This could reduce your own charging costs by 100%. At 4 cents to charge the M365, I doubt your employer would complain. Well, I hope they don’t.
3. Change your electricity provider. This is a great way to reduce your overall electricity costs. The reduced rates that energy providers use to get new customers can be substantial. So shop around if you’re out of contract.
4. Use alternative power sources. Not everyone has this option. But if you have a renewable energy system already set up then consider using that to charge your e scooter. If you have capacity then off-grid electric scooter charging can keep your electricity bills low / essentially non-existent.
5. Maintain your electric scooter. Keeping your battery, tires and overall e scooter running smoothly will mean that you’ll consume less electricity. As a result, less charging will be needed so your electricity costs will be minimized.

Final thoughts

Electric scooters are one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport. 

Unfortunately, in the US about 63% of electricity is generated by burning fossil fuels.

If you’re interested in going even greener, ask your energy provider about green energy options. Roughly 50% of people in the US have access to green energy.

If electric scooters are not for you, an alternative environmentally friendly form of transport is the electric bike. 

See how much it’ll cost you per charge, month, year and mile for an electric bike.

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James F

James F (not to be confused with ECS co-founder James) is our lead author, content & website manager. He has a BSc. in Digital Marketing, and a Diploma in IT. He became a qualified electrician while studying electrical engineering part-time.

From wind and solar photovoltaic installers, James F worked with many certified energy practitioners and energy consultants before joining the core ECS team. He also helped build the most downloaded energy saving app while working with a leading utility company.

Read more about James F or connect directly on LinkedIn, here.