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rent or buy an electric scooter what is better?

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Lightweight, ecological and silent, the electric scooter is on the rise with city dwellers anxious to move quickly and without sweating. Self-service electric scooter rental systems are gaining ground in Switzerland. This is particularly true in German-speaking Switzerland, where they are almost part of the landscape. Brands like Lime, Circ, Tier and Bird already offer scooters without an attachment point ("free-floating" system) in cities like Zurich and Basel. eScooter Rent or buy ; A question arises, however: is it more interesting to rent self-service scooters, or to buy your own electric scooter? Which solution is the most profitable? Find out more in this article!

 

1. How does the rental of electric scooters work?

Electric scooter rental services in Switzerland operate on the "free-floating" principle: this means that they do not have a fixed location, and that they can therefore be dropped off anywhere after use.
Depending on the brand, the driver will generally have to take the following steps:
- Register on the brand app.
+ Find an electric scooter nearby thanks to geolocation.
- Unlock via smartphone, for a defined price (eg: 1 Swiss Franc for unlocking), to which is added a flat rate for use (eg: 30 cents per minute of use).
+ Use the scooter, then drop it off (where you want it, unless otherwise specified by the city or the supplier) and lock it after the trip.
In other words, in the example above, by making a trip of twenty minutes, you will have to pay CHF 7. While half an hour will cost you the sum of CHF 12. To this is added a "detail" that can quickly add to your bill. If you unlock a self-service scooter while your smartphone has a low battery level. And it switches off before your arrival at your destination, your race will continue to be billed to you ...

 

2. Why buy your own electric scooter instead of renting it?

Owning your own electric scooter can quickly become more interesting than renting one.
To verify this, just do a quick estimate. For example, if you use an electric scooter twice a day and you ride for 20 minutes (on each trip) to get to your place of work and then to return to your home (and this 5 days a week), then the calculation Is simple ;
By assuming that you are using a self-service brand billing you according to the example given above, we arrive at:
(2 x 20 minutes at CHF 0.30 per minute) + (CHF 1 unlocking x 2) = CHF 14 / day.
In comparison, it is possible to get an entry-level electric scooter model (and approved for Switzerland). Such as a VMAX R90 WHEELY PRO for CHF 479.
Following the calculation below, we can therefore see that the purchase. An electric scooter will become profitable after only 1 month and a half - in the above case of daily use (5 days a week) with two 20 minute trips.

 

3. Buying an electric scooter: a practical solution

We have just seen that it is undoubtedly better to invest in an electric scooter for medium to long term use. Not only will you save money, but you will also gain in comfort. By having your own electric scooter at hand! Owning your own electric scooter only has advantages.
No need to worry about the battery level of the one you just rented. Or to have to rush to quickly reach the first geolocated vehicle located in the area (and which can sometimes be close to a kilometer from you ... ).
Gone are also the many technical problems encountered with certain rental models (which may be more numerous, given the variety of users and the incivility of some). Or the concern for scarcity in certain areas of your city.
eScooter Rent or buy. Due to vandalism and improper use by some users, the lifespan of a self-service electric scooter rarely exceeds two months. Many quickly end up in the landfill or even in the rivers that cross Basel and Zurich ...

 

4. Things to consider when buying an electric scooter

It should be noted, however, that owning an electric scooter involves other additional costs that you will have to take into account. But don't worry. If you take care of your scooter and choose the right one for your use, these costs will be lower.
- Think about the cost of loading, to count in your expenses. The good news ? Charging an electric scooter doesn't cost a lot. Allow around CHF 0.46 for a complete recharge of your battery once connected to the mains (charging time of about three hours).
- To ensure that your battery lasts a long time and that you do not need to change it for a long time, be careful! This is because your use and type of driving may shorten your battery life. Do not hesitate to ask the KissMyWheels team for advice or to refer to the scooter manual for the best practices to adopt. Did you know by the way that it is possible to charge a lithium battery almost 1000 times? This gives you plenty of time to use it before you even need to consider changing it!

 

5. In conclusion

After these calculations and explanations, you will understand. If you use this mode of travel often enough, renting an electric scooter will cost you much more than buying your own vehicle. We therefore advise you to invest if your use is regular enough. Because buying your own electric scooter will save you money in the medium and long term.

In addition, there is no need to spend a lot when buying your electric vehicle. Indeed, for less than CHF 500, you can already get a quality scooter AND approved for Switzerland! Quickly discover the whole selection of electric scooters from KissMyWheels: https://kissmywheels.ch

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