Review of the EcoReco M3 E-Scooter Electric Scooter

When I told my colleagues that I got an M3 for review, they rushed down to the garage with envy to look at this miracle of technology. But I was not talking about the legendary BMW M3 weekend sports car, but about the EcoReco M3, an electric scooter. Unlike the “Boomer”, the M3 scooter is driven by electricity, it folds up for easy storage and accelerates to just 32 km / h.

Design and specifications

Like an ordinary scooter, the M3 electrosammo has a deck with wheels and a steering column with handles. But instead of a foot drive, in the deck are lithium-ferrophosphate batteries, which feed a 250-watt electric motor in the rear wheel.
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Components of the scooter are made of thick aluminum, giving the scooter a sense of reliability. Wheels made of hard rubber imply a greater roll forward but less cushioning while driving. The front shock absorber with a small spring helps quite a bit. There is a very comfortable stand that allows you to leave the scooter in a vertical position anywhere.



On the steering wheel are controls containing the handbrake, accelerator knob, power button and a round LCD display that displays speed, battery charge, or odometer reading. Cables and wires go from the steering wheel to the steering column, and then to the deck. Feels like cable insulation could be better.

The scooter itself and the charger are included in the delivery package; it is a black box that connects to the 110-volt network and charges the scooter through the charging slot. The charge level is displayed on the LCD-display, the charger also has an LED that turns green when charging is complete. According to EcoReco, a full charge takes 4.5 hours, charging up to 80% takes only 2.5 hours. The company also indicates that the lithium-ferrophosphate batteries used retain capacity up to 2000 charge-discharge cycles.


The black aluminous frame of the M3 scooter makes it look more like an adult vehicle than a child's toy.

Acquaintance

When I received the M3 electro scooter, it was charged, and I eagerly set about testing. I put my foot on the deck, pressed the accelerator and ... nothing. I turned it off and turned it on, but it still didn't work out.

Finally, having scrolled through the instructions printed on environmentally friendly inferior paper, I found that to start it was necessary to push off with my foot and only after giving a certain moment the accelerator could be activated. This is apparently a useful feature that prevents the danger of unwanted or accidental activation.

When I figured this out, I began to rush back and forth through the halls of the CNET office. There was plenty of room on my deck for my legs and I was able to slow down for a careful ride around the office cells. The engine did not allow coasting, so I could slow down, I only use the accelerator knob - to brake the engine.

The brake, which stops only the rear wheel, the scooter is very adequate. For safety, pressing the brake turns off the engine, so in the case of panic pressing both handles, the scooter will still stop.

In search of adventure, I took the M3 scooter on Treasure Island, a man-made island in the center of San Francisco Beach. Having decided to drive a circle or two on the island, I jumped on a scooter and went. And at once several things became obvious. Firstly, the trip was far from comfortable on uneven asphalt. The vibration of the scooter was hard on my ankles, and the longer I went, the worse it got. When driving on the pavement from vibration, I could barely concentrate on the road.

The location of the LCD display on the right handle made it difficult to monitor the speed. Central location would be more convenient. The display has a backlight that is comfortable in the dark, but the M3 scooter does not have front and rear lights. A white front lamp and a red rear panel would make a scooter much safer to drive in the dark.

The LCD-display has several modes: speedometer, odometer and charge indicator.

Not immediately, but I squeezed the accelerator to the maximum. But, judging by the display, I reached only 24 km / h, in contrast to the stated 32 km / h. I weigh about 82 kg, and I think this is not a very big load for a scooter.

Finishing a circle on the island, I covered 5.3 kilometers, judging by the odometer, and I was not able to continue this punitive trip. To be honest, it was quite acceptable to drive on smooth concrete, but I met many areas where the ride was very uncomfortable. Over 5.3 kilometers, the charge indicator lost 2 of 5 divisions, which is too much. EcoReco claims 32 kilometers, but at that rate it would be good to drive at least 16 if I could ride it for so long.

Later, I took a scooter M3 to ride through the hilly streets of San Francisco. Having raced on a flat road, I continued on my way up the hill. After the stored inertia ended, the scooter slowed down to a stop. The built-in engine was not enough to continue lifting. I tried on a less steep hill and got the same result. This electric scooter does not have enough power to overcome the urban environment in San Francisco.


The charging port is just behind the step.

EcoReco created the M3 e-scooter as a means to overcome the “last kilometer”, as something that you can take with you on a commuter train or a bus, and then reach the final destination. Thus, this scooter is designed for folding. I noticed that it is easy to fold the steering column with the deck, but the mechanism for folding the steering wheel knobs is sometimes quite capricious. Since the folding mechanism must hold the weight of the rider, this loop must be very strong, and as a result, it is not always easy to budge.

After I folded the M3 scooter, I was able to lift it by the steering column. However, 15 kilograms is a bit more than the weight that can be carried along the flights of stairs every day. A strap or handle could ease this task.

Conclusion

EcoReco set the price at $ 999 for an M3 e-scooter, which makes it somewhat expensive for a casual buyer. Other electric scooters usually cost about half that price. But M3 weighs less than most of the others, and the stated number of charge-discharge cycles implies a longer operation than other scooters.

For this price, I expected more features, such as the lights mentioned above. But what really leaves a bad impression is the ride quality. If you do not live in an area with very smooth asphalt, you do not want to ride it for a long time.

PS From the translator: I have a simple scooter without shock absorbers, but even with him a walk along the asphalt paths of the park turns into an amusement event. On the coarse-grained asphalt, of course, there is vibration and bounce, but it's still nice to ride. I do not know why the author so scolds the vibration.