Way back on January 9th, I ordered an electric scooter from Zoom. At the time, I had no clue that gas prices would be near $5/gallon. I mostly just wanted a fun way to commute to work, which is less than 2 miles from my house. I chose it over a couple of other electric scooters I was looking at from CSC and Flux Mopeds. Was it a good choice? It’s too early to tell, but I wanted to do a legit review on the Zoom E-Scooter, because very few are available online. I’m a true buying customer. It wasn’t sent to me, and I plan to use it as a commuter during warm weather. So, here are my first impressions.
It took exactly two months to receive the scooter from Zoom. There was no ability to track shipping, so I communicated with the owner a few times, and he reassured me it was on its way. Of the few customer comments I had been able to read, most said they loved the scooter, but thought the company was a bit on the shady side.
Zoom is owned by the same company as the Bloom. In fact, the shipping company’s receipt lists the sender as Bloom Mobility. While Bloom seems to have faded away, Zoom is still around. Supposedly, they are assembled in California, but I have no way of verifying that.
All I know is that I received the scooter, and it works. For how long, I don’t know. But for now, I’m happy with it.
There was one problem with the order, though, and that is they forgot to send the charger. I just emailed customer support, so I’ll let you know how that goes.
The scooter came by freight from R+L Carriers. I received a text message about 5 days before it came to schedule the delivery time. It came on a pallet, inside a metal cage, and cardboard box. Luckily, it wasn’t too difficult to disassemble the cage. The bolts unscrewed without a fuss. I was able to get the scooter off the pallet without killing myself or harming the scooter.
It came with no damage, but also no charger. Luckily, it had a full charge, so I was able to take it around the block a few times. It is zippy right off the line! The motor is almost silent. All I can hear is wind noise and some creaking plastic from the front panels.
It seems to have plenty of torque, and took me up a fairly decent hill without any issues. I’ll be riding it on mostly flat roads, so it should have good range and power for my needs.
It has three power settings, with 1 being the lowest, which will cap out at a top speed of about 12 mph. The top speed is supposed to be between 30-35 MPH. I didn’t go that fast, since I’m still new to scooters, which was reinforced in my next move.
As I was pushing the scooter in my garage, I apparently twisted the throttle, and well, I personalized the front end of the scooter with some nice cracks in the front panel. Ugh! I can live with it, and have a sense of humor about things, but…UGH!
It was totally my fault, but you have the benefit of learning from my mistake. ALWAYS TURN OFF THE SCOOTER when pushing it. The twist throttle is very sensitive. I should have known better.
Other than that, it rides good. It is equipped with front and rear hydraulic shocks, and the seat is comfortable. The hinges for the seat leave something to be desired. They’re a little flimsy. It has three batteries beneath the seat, and the charging port is beneath the front side of the seat. It has a USB port and a pocket for holding a phone, keys, etc. There is also a bag clip, which is handy.
The front and rear brakes are hydraulic, and have good stopping power. It also has a reverse function, which I am not brave enough to use, since the scooter has some kick to it.
I can sit on the seat and almost flat-foot it on the ground with both feet. I’m only 5′ 1″, so it’s ideal for a shorter rider. The seat is 29″ from the ground. I feel like I have good control over it.
It has a cool LED halo front light, and an attractive rear light. It comes with front/rear turn signals, rearview mirrors, alarm, and horn. The space beneath the seat can hold a half-helmet, not a full-face one. But, compared to a lot of electric scooters, the underseat storage is actually quite good.
You can order a rear rack and trunk for it, as well.
The display is basic, but easy to read with the information you need to know. It would be preferable to have a percentage of the battery remaining displayed, rather than just 5 bars. A turn signal icon does display when turn signals are used, but there isn’t an audible indicator.
Many people prefer lithium-ion batteries, but I’m okay with the old tech lead acid batteries it ships with. They’re safe, proven, and they’re cheaper to replace. Zoom does sell them, but I do worry about getting parts in the future. That’s a risk you take with lesser-known companies. If I can get a few good years out of it, I’ll be happy. I’m sure I’ll be upgrading to a faster scooter in the future. This is a good one to start with.
So, now I wait for the charger and the paperwork necessary for registering it with the state of Illinois. Many states will require registration and liability insurance. Most states will only require a standard driver’s license, but check where you live.
Overall, the scooter does what it’s supposed to. I’ll be testing out range and top speed, once I have it registered. And while I didn’t really order it to save on gas money, considering prices now, I’m glad I did. It’ll be handy for short commutes in the city.
Check back for a much more thorough review.
