I’ve been meaning to get a Gogoro for ages, but now that I’m ready to do it I hit a snag. I live well outside the city and there are no battery swap stations within quite a distance, so a home charger is essential. However, the salesperson told me that even if I buy their charger and pay for the juice to charge batteries at home I still have to pay the full rental fee for the batteries! This made me think twice, and while I still want an electric scooter I want to consider other options.
Can anybody recommend decent makes and models based on their own experience? The ability to charge at home is obviously important here, otherwise I’m open to pretty much anything (even if it involves the same kind of battery rental deal).
This is one of the things that stoped me getting one, also the fact it worked out more expensive than petrol and less convenient when out in the Mountains.
When I was looking into it I found most of the better/ more reliable scooters still used the gogoro network so same problem.
The can’t charge at home problem is the only reason we don’t have a gogoro already as well. It becomes a racket pretty quick like that. I remember when I was serious about getting an electric scooter, maybe 5 or 6 years ago, I was told by a few mechanics that kymco was refusing to sign onto the gogoro hopeful monopoly of battery swapping. Perhaps they went forward and are an option now? Worth an ask, i didnt keep up with it as it was a bit too greedy for my liking. We went gas in the end because at the time no one had home charging available (at least larger ones for 2 adults and speed) to which we were easily convinced to not buy their product.
Yes this is Ionex, basically Kymco’s own network of scooters and battery swap/ charging stations. I wish it would get more investment as it’s always better to have a decent bit of competition, not just for the consumer but also for innovation.
The Kymco network is actually the closest battery station they have to my home! Beats Gogoro by about 100 metres. I think one of my coworkers knows the mechanic at the shop which has that station, will see if she can ask him what the deal is.
Totally understand that, but I can’t bring myself to buy a new gas scooter now. I’d rather find a way to make it work with my bicycle and the sparse public transport, maybe even an electric bike. Hopefully the Kymco network will be an option.