Why Get an Inokim Electric Scooter in NYC?
Why Get an Inokim Electric Scooter in NYC?
[September 2022]
o Subway crime continues to remain higher vs. pre-pandemic years
o With congestion pricing proposals being discussed, the cost of an Uber is expected to continue to rise in the coming years
o Bus lanes have improved service for buses in recent years, at the expense of car traffic. However, due to the nature of this method of transport it will always be slower than a personal motor vehicle (particularly a bike/e-bike or electric scooter)
o Although only 50% of New York City residents own cars, this percentage may decrease further despite a reduction in subway ridership post-pandemic. If a combination of higher rates of auto theft, high insurance premiums, increased costs of borrowing (auto-loans) and 24/7 speed cameras (more traffic tickets) wasn’t enough, let’s add general inflation and higher gas prices to the mix. Now ask yourself (particularly if you are single with no children) is it really worth it to own or lease a car in NYC these days?
o With Grocery Delivery services such as Amazon Fresh, Instacart, Fresh Direct, Uber Eats and Doordash, etc. along with Laundry delivery services – Reasons for owning a car in NYC also decrease. When comparing the costs of car maintenance vs. delivery surcharges for these services, it appears that keeping a car is still the more expensive option, plus the added stress of battling traffic while actually shopping and doing these errands.
So there you have 4 convincing reasons to get an electric scooter.
But why should you get Inokim specifically instead of an e-bike or another electric scooter?
- Why not Citi Bike?
o Citibike has unpredictable inventory/capacity and is not always reliable. It’s also less hygienic and more of a hassle than owning your own e-bike/e-scooter
- Why not an e-Bike?
o Many similar powered e-bikes are not foldable/collapsible and cannot be carried. Their speeds also tend to top out around 15-18 mph. Most Inokim models for adults meet or exceed this
- Why not another cheaper e-scooter brand?
o Many Inokim models have hydraulic suspension. NYC Roads can be terrible and filled with potholes. Riders relying on just a basic Segway or Xiaomi model with inadequate suspension have gotten some pretty bad injuries. There is a limit to what hard 8 inch pneumatic tires can handle
o Cheap scooters are more expensive to repair than replace. Over a 5 year span you may have to buy 2-3 Segways for example when you could have just bought one Inokim
- Why not a Hi-Boy, Varla or other high end brand?
o Many of these companies are based in China and have no offices or reliable telephone number where a human actually picks up (let alone an email) that you could contact for service. If you have a problem with your Varla scooter for example you will need to either get it repaired locally by a 3rd party which could void the warranty, or ship it back to the company’s US shipping center in California. Most electric scooters have batteries which can only be shipped via ground and cannot be flown internationally either. Ground shipping is subject to many delays and issues caused by inclement weather. So when you deal with a brand that has no physical store (particularly as a NYer), you may be out of a scooter for anywhere from 2 weeks to even 3 months depending on the latest supply chain issues that are occurring around the world.
- What about a Moped?
o With an e-bike or e-scooter you’re getting the best of both worlds. The flexibility of a traditional kick scooter or bike, but with more power and speed. However, a Moped crosses the threshold from a legal standpoint into Motorcycle territory and is basically a motor vehicle. Mopeds require registration and must be parked outside on the street, which increases the chance of theft and damage when not in use.
o Even worse, a Moped often can’t go significantly faster than an e-scooter or e-bike. For example an E-Bike Class 1 can go up to 20mph legally according to the NYC DOT, while a Moped Class C also has a 20mph speed limit. Yet all Mopeds regardless of speed needs to be registered.