WHERE TO BUY E-SCOOTERS IN BRISTOL
Written by Ed Wiles, Scootered Founder
Key Points
What is an e-scooter?
Electric scooters (e-scooters), such as those in the new Xiaomi range, are powered transporters suitable for teenagers and adults. They came to prominence in the USA and Europe when scooter hire companies Bird and Lime put thousands of them on urban streets. They remain controversial in the UK (as of March 2021) due to not being legal on public roads (unless hired). Bristol falls within a Future Motor Zone, where e-scooters have been trialled by Swedish company Voi. However, although Avon and Somerset Police have previously claimed to have no information on how they police e-scooters, they recently reported to have seized 100 e-scooters in the city. So Bristol is a bit of a contradiction.
Where to buy e-scooters in Bristol?
There are very few bricks and mortar stores selling electric scooters in Bristol (or elsewhere in the West Country). Halfords has been the main store selling them, with their store on Brislington Retail Park displaying a Xiaomi (not available for testing. Argos also sells some cheaper, less well-regarded scooters (as does Halfords) but Argos does not display scooters of course. Pure Electric, as part of its loss-leading business model, recently opened up a shop but it has been closed throughout lockdown. The other option for Bristol residents looking to buy an e-scooter is to buy from an online retailer like Scootered. Of course, you may wish to see or try out an e-scooter before buying one. Voi have been using a modified version of the Ninebot G30, which is very similar to the Xiaomi Pro 2. You may also want to consider visiting London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where Bird is hiring them using the Xiaomi M365, and charging £1 to unlock them. However, both Bird and Lime have been updating their scooters with non-retail bespoke models.
Why Buy From Scootered?
Scootered was founded in 2019 with the aim of offering the best e-scooters at the best prices with a reassuring two-year, UK-based warranty. The southeast has been our biggest market but there is no reason why residents (and students) in Bristol should not benefit from our discounted scooters too. At the time or writing, Halfords are selling the Ninebot-Segway ES2 for more than £100 more than us. Of course, if you are buying online you could argue that it does not matter where the company is based and this is essentially true: the most important things to bear in mind are where the stock is held (it is best if the stock is housed in the UK), the warranty offered with the e-scooter and that the company is UK registered (in case something goes wrong).
The Xiaomi 1S
Conclusion
Although more stores selling electric scooters may pop up in Bristol, it is also worth noting that High Streets are transforming across the country, including in the West Country, as consumers increasingly purchase goods online. The cost of renting a shop means that real-world retailers are forced to sell at a higher price to cover their costs, which is why so many High Street retailers have struggled against e-tailers. This is why we believe you will struggle to find a better deal in Bristol for well-regarded electric scooters, such as the Xiaomi 1S or the Pro 2. Added to this, you have the peace of mind of dealing with a UK company offering full warranties.