Electric and Gas Scooters

Which Is Best?

Electric and gas scooters are 2 different power options when you consider which scooter to buy.

The most common kind of motor scooters are gas-powered scooters. Just like cars, they use gas as fuel and propulsion. Gas is plentiful (though increasingly more expensive!) and easy to access. It also lasts a long time in a scooter. 100 miles on one tank of gas... hard to beat that!

But gas scooters aren't your only option when it comes to scooter power. You can buy both electric AND gas scooters that look and operate quite similarly. There are some significant differences between gas and electric scooters, though, so let's look at each in a bit more detail...

Gas Powered Scooters

Most gas scooters found in the US today run on either regular unleaded or premium gasoline. My Genuine Buddy requires premium. My dealer said it was because of the size of the engine, that it could easily be harmed by non-premium gas. I also need to avoid gas with detergent in it, like that sold at a lot of retail outlet stores.

Premium gas can be pretty pricey – currently about $3.60 here in Boise – but it goes a long way, so it doesn't seem that bad.

Some newer scooters are LPG-powered. LPG stands for liquefied petroleum gas. LPG, which is also known as LP Gas or autogas) is a mixture of hydrocarbon gases that are used as a fuel in vehicles. LP gas is starting to replace chlorofluorocarbons as an aerosol propellant and a refrigerant to reduce damage to the ozone layer. Common LPG mixes include propane and butane.

Autogas has been used in some countries as an alternative fuel since the 1940s. It is non-toxic, non-corrosive and free of lead and other additives. It also has a high octane rating. Autogas burns more cleanly than regular gas or diesel. It's not all good though... It burns more quickly, so you'll go through a tank of gas more quickly. Lack of lubrication can damage valves.

So gas, or alternative fuels like autogas are one side of the picture, but another option, especially if you're shooting to go "green", are electric scooters.

Electric-powered Motor Scooters

Gas is getting more and more expensive every week, with no end in sight to rising fuel prices. So, even though scooters don't use much gas and it costs no more than a few bucks to fill a tank that will last for 80 to 100 miles in small to mid-sized scooters, you may still be looking for a more renewable form of fuel for your new scooter.

An electric scooter could be just the ticket!

By the way, the idea of an electric scooter is not really a new one. Of course, most mobility scooters are already battery-powered and recharge when plugged in. And you're probably familiar with the little mopeds that kids and teens have been driving for decades, not to mention electric bicycles.

But true electric road-worthy scooters are a bit more cutting edge. Of course, there are the traditional battery-powered electric road scooters. These tend to be on the smaller engine-displacement end of the spectrum, usually limited to 49cc or 50cc scooters.

But some new technology is producing electric scooters and motorcycles that can truly keep up with the big boys!

In Summary...

Only you can decide whether an electric scooter or a gas scooter will best meet your needs and preferences. But one thing is for sure... your options for electric and gas scooters are increasing all the time. So take the time to research what's out there, just to be sure you make the best choice for YOU.

Related Pages in This Section

• Overview of Motorized Scooter Types
• Scooter engine sizes
• Matching road scooters to your needs

More pages you might enjoy reading...

• Finding a gas scooter store
• Buying motor scooter insurance
• Scooter riding FAQs