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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 a manageable weight that won't make it a burden to tote into an office, train station, or lecture hall.
REASONS TO BUY
Light-weight
Easy to fold
Zippy
REASONS TO AVOID
So-so range
Slow to recharge
Struggles on steep hills
What other electric scooters should you consider?
While we like how light this scooter is, it is a much poorer value in most other areas than the competition. The Maxshot V1 costs less and goes about twice the range. The Razor is technically faster by 1MPH, but most people won't notice the difference. The Prime also has a smaller motor and won't climb hills as well. If you want to see how it compares to the other models in our lineup, see our full electric scooter review.
This scooter will appeal to commuters as it is speedy, fun, easy to collapse, and is relatively lightweight
A smooth-riding scooter built for long commutes at top speeds that does better on most hills but falls short on the steeps
A burly and fast scooter with great performance on rough terrain
A powerful scooter with excellent range and a smooth ride
This budget scooter is a favorite due to its impressive top speed, range, and portability
Rating Categories
Razor E Prime III
Niu Kqi3 Max
Isinwheel GT2
Gotrax G4
Maxshot V1
Range(30%)
4.3
9.9
9.6
7.9
6.9
Speed and Hills(30%)
5.6
7.1
9.0
6.9
6.2
Ride Comfort(20%)
7.3
8.7
9.2
8.0
4.0
Portability(20%)
8.8
6.5
3.1
8.2
7.9
Specifications
Razor E Prime III
Niu Kqi3 Max
Isinwheel GT2
Gotrax G4
Maxshot V1
Measured Maximum Speed
18.4 mph
20.1 mph
26.3 mph
19.8 mph
17.5 mph
Measured Effective Range
8.2 miles
29.8 miles
28.5 miles
22 miles
18.2 miles
Measured Weight
24.0 lb
47.0 lb
54.6 lb
37.8 lb
27.5 lb
Motor Size
250W
450W
900W
350W
350W
Peak Power
250W
900W
1400W
500W
500W
Max Load
220 lbs
265 lb
330 lb
220 lb
264 lb
Battery Size
187Wh
608Wh
720Wh
374Wh
375Wh
Tire Size
8"
9.5"
11.5"
10"
8.5"
Brake Type
Front electronic brake and rear fender brake
Front and rear disc brake and rear electric brake
Front and rear disc + EABS brake
Rear disc brake and E-ABS braking system
Drum braking and eABS regenerative anti-lock braking
Tire Type
Pneumatic front
Solid rear
Pneumatic tubeless and self sealing
Off-Road Pneumatic
Pneumatic
Solid (honeycomb)
Measured Charge Time
6 hours
7.8 hours
7.1 hours
5.8 hours
4.2 hours
App
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Our Analysis and Test Results
What made the Razor E Prime III stand out 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 who use a bus or train daily. The machine is light, easy to fold/unfold, and has a smooth ride. So, when running a bit late, reach for this practical (and fun) machine, as it won't disappoint you.
Simple, lightweight, and effective. The Razor E Prime III is a great pick for the college crowd.
Credit: Laura Casner
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.
Fleet, fun, and reliable. One tester making out for a spin.
Credit: Laura Casner
Range
The range is at the top of the list of considerations for many would-be scooter commuters. 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 discover that it will take 6 hours to recharge a fully depleted battery.
Further hurting the Razor's standing in the range assessment is that the scooter's top speed and power tapered gradually as the battery charge drained. As a result, the top speed for most 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).
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 produced less-than-impressive results, landing the Razor E Prime III at the bottom of the class. However, it wasn't all bad. This model cruises at 18.4 mph when fully charged, well above the class average. Additionally, the scooter can climb hills as steep as a 3.5% gradient at approximately five mph.
Okay, bright spots aside. The Razor's top speed was 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.
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 reviewed up and down to test their 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 and require little to no maintenance, but they create a rattly ride.
We use a crack and bump-riddled section of the street near our lab to test the smoothness of the ride. This road is traversed on all models more than once, allowing testers to assess the scooters comparatively. 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.
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 an electric brake in the front and a fender brake in the rear. Fender brakes are simple friction brakes that have proven effective for rapid stops. While the E Prime III maintains 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, significantly above the average for models with fender brakes.
The electric front brake is paddle actuated and easy to opperate.
Credit: Laura Casner
Portability
The Razor E Prime III performed well in the portability evaluation. As the name suggests, this metric evaluates the vehicle's ability to transport when it is not being ridden. The model's featherweight (24 pounds), hassle-free folding mechanism, and easy-to-grip carrying handle stand out for commuters who regularly carry the vehicle.
Most electric scooters collapse the steering column across the standing deck for transport and storage. This is convenient but poses safety concerns if the steering column isn't properly secured. The safety latch is a focal point in the portability evaluation. Happily, Razor has developed a slick design that incorporates a secondary locking mechanism into the primary latch, which can be undone with a simple twist.
The innovative and effective folding mechanism makes carrying and riding a breeze. The scooter is light, too.
Credit: Laura Casner
The only knock against the E Prime III is 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 examined the performance of the Razor E Prime III. Specifically, we have examined this machine's range, ride, power, braking, and portability. Our testing and analysis revealed that this model is economical and 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.
