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Razor E Prime III Review

This scooter is great for short commutes where carrying the machine is required
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Razor E Prime III Review (The innovative and effective folding mechanism makes carrying and riding a breeze. The scooter is light, too.)
The innovative and effective folding mechanism makes carrying and riding a breeze. The scooter is light, too.
Credit: Laura Casner
Price:  $500 List
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Manufacturer:   Razor
By Nick Miley and Austin Palmer  ⋅  Jul 24, 2020
64
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#7 of 12
  • Range - 25% 4.3
  • Power - 25% 6.4
  • Ride Comfort - 20% 7.3
  • Portability - 15% 8.9
  • Braking - 15% 6.0

Our Verdict

This scooter has great safety features as well as being easy to operate. While the travel radius is somewhat limited, and the recharge period is a bit protracted, this machine will be more than adequate for most commutes. Add to this a manageable weight that won't make it a burden to tote into an office, train station or lecture hall. If you want to see how it compares to the other models in our lineup, see our full best electric scooter review.
REASONS TO BUY
Light-weight
Easy to fold
Zippy
REASONS TO AVOID
So-so range
Slow to recharge
Struggles on steep hills

Compare to Similar Products

 
razor e prime iii
This Product
Razor E Prime III
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best for Most People
 Best Buy Award
Best Band for The Buck
 
Price $500 List
$533.58 at Amazon
$569 List
$569.00 at Amazon
$500 List
$499.99 at Amazon
$299 List
$290.00 at Amazon
$300 List
$299.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
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Bottom Line This scooter will appeal to commuters as it is speedy, fun, easy to collapse, and is relatively lightweightA powerful scooter with excellent range and a smooth rideA standard-performing scooter at a decent priceOur favorite budget scooter because of its top speed, range, and weightTackle longer distance rides or big commutes
Rating Categories Razor E Prime III Gotrax G4 Segway E2 Pro Maxshot V1 Hiboy S2
Range (25%)
4.3
7.5
6.6
6.8
5.6
Power (25%)
6.4
7.9
6.3
6.9
6.7
Ride Comfort (20%)
7.3
8.0
8.0
4.0
4.0
Portability (15%)
8.9
8.3
7.1
8.0
7.4
Braking (15%)
6.0
7.7
7.7
8.5
9.0
Specs Razor E Prime III Gotrax G4 Segway E2 Pro Maxshot V1 Hiboy S2
Measured Maximum Speed 18.4 mph 19.8 mph 15.7 mph 17.5 mph 17 mph
Measured Effective Range 8.2 miles 22 miles 17.2 miles 18.2 miles 14 miles
Measured Charge Time 6 hours 5.8 hours 4.5 hours 4.2 hours 5.7 hours
Measured Weight 24.0 lb 37.8 lb 42.1 lb 27.5 lb 32.0 lb
Average Measured Braking Distance 24.7' 19.0' 19.7' 17' 14.3'
Brake Type Front electronic brake and rear fender brake Rear disc brake and E-ABS braking system Front drum brake with a rear electronic brake Drum braking and eABS regenerative anti-lock braking Front regenerative and rear disc
Tire Type Pneumatic front
Solid rear
Pneumatic Pneumatic tubeless air-leakage-proof Solid (honeycomb) Solid rubber
Tire Size 8" 10" 10" 8.5" 8.5"
Lights Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Screen No Yes Yes Yes Yes
App No No Yes Yes No
Manufacturer Maximum Load 220 lbs 220 lb 265 lb 264 lb 220 lb
Manufacturer Motor Size 250 Watt 500 Watt 750 Watt 350 Watt 350 Watt
Bell No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Battery Type Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion Lithium-ion

Our Analysis and Test Results

What made the Razor E Prime III a standout in a class of scooters offering stiff competition is that it's an obvious fit for those who make short but frequent commutes that involve carrying the scooter. Obvious candidates are college students and urbanites that use a bus or train as part of their daily travels. The machine is light, easy to fold/unfold, and it has a smooth ride. So, when you're running a bit late, reach for this practical (and fun) machine as it won't let you down.

razor e prime iii - simple, lightweight, and effective. the razor e prime iii is a great...
Simple, lightweight, and effective. The Razor E Prime III is a great pick for the college crowd.
Credit: Laura Casner

Performance Comparison


To make accurate and reproducible assessments of the scooters reviewed here, we developed tests that reveal the products' strengths and weaknesses regardless of marketing hype or looks. These exhaustive tests cover common (and some not so common) uses of these products so you know what you'll be getting into before making a purchase. Below is an account of the testing process and the E Prime III's performance.

razor e prime iii - fleet, fun, and reliable. one tester making out for a spin.
Fleet, fun, and reliable. One tester making out for a spin.
Credit: Laura Casner

Range


For many would-be scooter commuters, range is at the top of the list of considerations. If you fall into this category, the 8.2 measured effective miles of flat ground cruising that the E Prime III delivers won't be all that impressive. Nor will its 46-minute runtime. If these limitations don't bother you, you might raise your eyebrows when you find out that it will take a whopping 6 hours to recharge a fully depleted battery.

Further hurting the Razor's standing in the range assessment is the fact that the scooter's top speed and power tapered gradually as the battery charge drained. As a result, the top speed for the majority of the range test was approximately 12 mph. This is a far cry from the max speed of 18.4 mph observed in the power tests (see below).

razor e prime iii - the battery charge indicator letting you know that you have plenty...
The battery charge indicator letting you know that you have plenty of power left to cruise.
Credit: Laura Casner

Power


As with the Range assessment, the power tests render less than impressive results that landed the Razor E Prime III at the bottom of the class. It wasn't all bad, however. When fully charged, this model will cruise at 18.4 mph, which is well above the class average. Additionally, the scooter will work its way up hills as steep as a 3.5% gradient at approximately 5 mph.

Okay, bright spots aside. The Razor's top speed is not maintained throughout the battery's charge and started decreasing around mile 2 in our battery test. By 50% battery life the max speed was around 12 mph. Additionally, the steeper of our test hills which averages a gradient of 10.5 % stopped the E Prime III dead in its tracks.

razor e prime iii - there are loads of great electric scooters on the market for...
There are loads of great electric scooters on the market for commuting, running errands, or simply getting out and having fun.
Credit: Laura Casner

Ride


No one likes a bumpy ride. That's why we use one of the worst roads in town to run the scooters here reviewed up and down to test the feedback from bumps and cracks. The Razor E Prime III sports a pneumatic front tire (great for shock absorption) and a sold rubber rear tire. Solid tires are nice as they require little to no maintenance but they tend to create a rattly ride.

We use a crack and bump-riddled section of street near our lab to test the smoothness of the ride. This road is traversed on all models more than once and allows testers to comparatively assess the scooters. The Razor's unique combination of a front pneumatic tire and a solid rubber rear tire shows that the front tire is the most important for shock absorption as this tire carries the most weight and is in direct line with the hands and forearms which suffer the most from cracks and bumps.

razor e prime iii - life is full of bumps in the road. the front pneumatic tires and...
Life is full of bumps in the road. The front pneumatic tires and suspension will help keep you rolling.
Credit: Laura Casner

Braking


The Razor E Prime III uses both an electric brake in the front and a fender brake in the rear. Fender brakes are simple friction brakes and have proven to be effective for rapid stops. While the E Prime III manages to maintain safe and comfortable speeds while descending our 15% test slope, it delivered a lackluster performance in the flat ground stopping tests.

The flat ground stopping test is repeated three times and the stopping distances are averaged. The tester throttles the scooter to approximately 12 mph and at a preset mark engages the vehicle's brakes. The E Prime III averaged 22.7 feet to stop. This is significantly above the average for models with fender brakes.

razor e prime iii - the electric front brake is paddle actuated and easy to opperate.
The electric front brake is paddle actuated and easy to opperate.
Credit: Laura Casner

Portability


The Razor E Prime III gave a stellar performance in the portability evaluation. As the name suggests, this metric evaluates all things dealing with the ability to transport the vehicle when it is not being ridden. As such, the model's feather-weight 24 pounds, hassle-free folding mechanism, and easy to grip carrying handle make this model a standout for the commuter that will be regularly carrying the vehicle.

Most electric scooters collapse the steering column across the standing deck for transport and storage. This is convenient but also poses safety concerns if the steering column isn't properly secured. As such, the safety latch is a focal point in the portability evaluation. Happily, Razor has come up with a slick design that incorporates a secondary locking mechanism into the primary latch that is undone with a simple twist.

razor e prime iii - the innovative and effective folding mechanism makes carrying and...
The innovative and effective folding mechanism makes carrying and riding a breeze. The scooter is light, too.
Credit: Laura Casner

The only knocks against the E Prime III are that the steering column/carrying handle is a bit big, potentially making it difficult for those with smaller hands to grip for prolonged periods. Additionally, the scooter is fairly long at 41 1/4" folded. Besides these minor issues, we found this model to be a great fit for the campus commuter.

Value


The Razor E Prime III offers consumers a good, but not great, value.

Conclusion


In the above review, we have taken a deep dive into the performance of the Razor E Prime III. Specifically, we have looked at the range, ride, power, braking, and portability of this machine. Our testing and analysis revealed this model to be economical, of high-quality while offering innovative safety features. Additionally, we found that this scooter is particularly well-suited to short-range commuting where carrying the vehicle is frequently required.

Nick Miley and Austin Palmer