Gotrax G6 electric scooter review

REVIEW – I’ve reviewed one other electric scooter for this site, and it was honestly disappointing. It had a cool design, but really lacked the power to get around. This one is different – lots of power, comfort, and safety, but in a bit of a bland package.

The Gotrax G6 is an electric scooter that can really move!

Miles Per Charge: 25-35 MilesMax Speed: 20mphMax Rider Weight: 264lbsWaterproof Rating: IP54Motor Size: 500wBattery Size: 48v 15ah Lithium-Ion Battery (720wh)Tire Size: 10″Product Weight: 45lbsDimensions: 45″ X 18.5″ X 48.9″Warranty Length: 1 Year LimitedFrame Material; Aluminum Alloy A6061 & SteelColor(S); Gunmetal GrayInner Tubes: 10″Brakes: (Front & Rear) Disc Brake + Electromagnetic Brake (claimed – they look a lot like drum brakes to me)Suspension: Front Wheel Suspension SystemDisplay: Led DigitalHeadlight: LedTail Light: Reactive Tail LightCharger: 54.6v 3aCharge Time: 6 HoursKick 2 Start: Yes

The assembly of the Gotrax G6 electric scooter was pretty straightforward. All I really had to do was attach the handlebar with the included Allen key, unfold it, and charge the battery. The instructions includes discussion of connecting the brake cables, but this was already completed. I did adjust the brakes a bit to make them grab a bit earlier in the lever stroke, but that was really easy to do and not really necessary – just a point of personal preference. Once charged up, it’s ready to go!

The Gotrax G6 scooter is very similar to rental scooters available in many cities today. There’s a thumb throttle on the right hand, and brakes on both hands that work the same way as on a bike, so they will be familiar.

There is a small suspension fork on the front wheel, and the tires are 10-inch pneumatic, these two things combined provide for a very smooth and comfortable ride. The 500W rear-drive motor provides plenty of power, and the brakes felt very secure and could slow the scooter quickly if needed. The brakes are mated to the rear light, which flashes when the brakes are applied for extra safety. In addition to the tail light, there is a front headlight and cool purple LEDs underneath that have a subtle “breathing” effect.

The display is in the stem and has one button which is used to power on and off, change the three-speed settings, and turn the lights on and off. The controls also feature an optional passcode to help prevent theft. It locks the rear wheel until you enter the right code. One handy feature is cruise control – keep the throttle pegged for 10 seconds, and it will stay there until you hit the brakes – no need to keep pressing the throttle.

The Gotrax G6 electric scooter has a large rubberized deck providing plenty of room to stand on, and maybe even to help support some cargo. The scooter folds down and clips in place easily, for convenient carrying, although it is 45 pounds, so you won’t want to carry it far.

A kick-stand on the side was stable and easy to use, and a handy bell is included to let people know you’re coming.

The Gotrax G6 electric scooter’s design is a bit bland – it’s mostly gray and black, with some light gray branding. It’s not going to stand out, but maybe that’s a good thing, with the rate at which these things get stolen. Some more unique color choices might be an opportunity for personalization.

We took the Gotrax G6 electric scooter (and one other) when we went to visit my parents at a resort town over the July 4th holiday. Traffic is notoriously bad at this time of year, so we were hoping the scooter would be a great alternative – we were right! The Gotrax G6 provided all the power, braking ability, and safety we needed to zip around town and up to the beach confidently and quickly – and parking is so easy! The G6 easily cruises at 20 MPH, and gets up to that speed quickly, thanks to the torquey 500W rear-drive motor. I’m not sure the front suspension did much, as it seems extremely stiff, but the 10-inch pneumatic tires did soak up minor bumps and road chatter.

My only real gripe about the Gotrax G6 electric scooter is that the display is basically invisible in even dim daylight. To see anything on the display, I really had to cup my hands around it and get my face down to block out almost all light. That was a minor disappointment in an otherwise great scooter. The headlights and taillights, as well as the purple “breathing” lights underneath, were all very bright and provided lots of nighttime visibility. The headlight was a bit narrow and focused too close to the front of the scooter, though. At maximum speed, I felt like I was over-running the light. It’s not adjustable so there was nothing I could do about that. But in terms of being seen, which is maybe more important, it was adequate. Battery life was great – we were at the beach for a week, using the scooter multiple times a day, and never had to recharge. It was close to out of juice when we left, but we got a lot of use out of that one charge.

Back at home in our Appalachian mountain town, it was time to put the Gotrax G6 to the test on some hills, which were a challenge on another scooter I had tested. Not so with the G6. Hills are no problem. The scooter did slow down a bit on hills, but it did not struggle and was able to maintain momentum up some pretty steep grades, which was impressive.

If you are looking for a solid commuter for rough and hilly city streets, the Gotrax G6 electric scooter is a good choice.

Price: $649.00Where to buy: Gotrax and AmazonSource: The sample for this review was provided by Gotrax.