When Raina and I moved into our home just a mile from the synagogue, it seemed logical that I would walk to work on nice days. But the first time I did, I needed my car and had to sprint home. I haven’t walked since. Now, thanks to the Razor E Prime Air electric scooter, I have a third option.
At an MSRP of $419, the Razor E Prime Air isn’t inexpensive, but it certainly is an affordable way to get a well-built and reliable electric scooter. It is rated for riders ages 14 and up, can carry a maximum weight of 200 pounds, and it can go up to 15 miles an hour for 40 minutes before needing to be recharged. That does not, however, tell the full story of this new offering from Razor.
Razor’s most sophisticated electric scooter offers a sleek design, high-torque, brushless hub motor, and a large, pneumatic (air filled) front tire for the smoothest ride around. Throttle with thumb-activated, variable-speed, paddle control puts the power at your fingertips!
The scooter arrived in a large box. The only thing I needed to do before I was able to use it was to attach the handlebars and charge it. The handlebar assembly was a quick process, and the included materials walked me through it. It took less than a minute.
The charging port is a small area on the lower portion of the scooter. Covered by a tight rubber cap when not in charging mode, the included cable lets you charge it with ease. I’ve been charging it at night, so I can’t give a good read on how long the process takes but suffice it to say the E Prime Air doesn’t offer quick charging. The 30-40 minutes you’ll get per charge is what you should expect to get. I wouldn’t rely on being able to use the scooter, plug it in briefly, and get back on it minutes later.
The scooter weights 21.5 pounds. That’s light enough to make it easy to pick up and carry from one place to another when not using it. As you can see from the video embedded below, that means it is easy to place into a car’s trunk and retrieve it. It also means you can carry it upstairs if you are riding for a time but then need to go into a building or train station.
Transporting the scooter is made even easier by its folding design. When folded, it is easy to pick up the scooter by the aluminum frame.
When it is time to go for a ride, you simply pull back on the quick lock mechanism, raise the handlebars and turn the quick lock system to lock the handlebar in the upright position. Once that is done, it is time to raise the handles to the right height for you. This, too, is easy and requires no tools. You simply release the lock on the “downtube,” adjust it to the proper height and then lock it back in place.
The folding, collapsible design is brilliant and makes the scooter great for commuting which is one of the main reasons why I wanted to review this. Once the scooter is charged, and the handles are in the upright locked position it is time to ride.
The control is in the lower portion of the handlebar support. A long press turns the scooter on, and the LEDs above the power button let you know how much charge you have remaining in the battery.
Then it is time for a ride.
Comfort, performance, and style? The Razor E Prime Air premium electric scooter has it all! With a sleek, sophisticated design, 8” (200 mm), pneumatic front tire, and aluminum frame, the E Prime Air is perfect for commuting to work, running errands, (local laws will apply) or just riding around town.
The scooter can be used as a manual scooter. The 8” pneumatic front tire and 8” airless, flat-free rear tire roll easily and offer a smooth ride when pushing yourself along. But while that might be the case, one doesn’t buy the Razor E Prime Air to push it along. One buys the E Prime Air to ride under its, not your, power.
A smooth ride, every time, simply activate the throttle to feel the power of the high-torque, brushless hub motor at speeds of up to 15 mph (24 km/h). Ride in comfort – and in style – for up to 40 continuous minutes on a single charge.
To get the scooter’s motor running, you press down the accelerator aka “thumb throttle” and start pushing the scooter along. When the scooter gets to a certain speed the motor kicks in, and you’ll start moving under its power. The thumb throttle can be used to speed up or slow down.
When it is time to break, or you need to get your speed under control, you can brake using a control on the right side of the handlebars.
If you prefer. However, you can place a foot on the red bumper and press down to break using friction.
Featuring our patent-pending, anti-rattle technology and adjustable-height handlebars, the E Prime Air gets every rider where they need to go with the electric efficiency you’ve come to expect from Razor. Comfort, speed, and style, the Razor E Prime Air has it all.
I was immediately impressed by how smooth the ride the scooter provided was. Once the motor kicked in, I silently moved along at a pleasant, albeit not to fast, clip.
Large 8” (200 mm), pneumatic (air filled) front tire and 8” (200 mm), airless, flat-free rear tire soften even the roughest terrain for a smooth ride, every time.
When I started going up a hill, the scooter kept going but slowed considerably. That’s not surprising since I am toward the upper level of the weight recommendations for riding the E Prime Air. When I was going downhill, the scooter picked up significant speed, and I found myself riding the brake much of the time. Steering was intuitive, and a slight lean to the left or the right resulted in a quick move in one direction or the other. It was easy to get moving and even easier to ride. I would describe the experience as intuitive since I was able to get the hang of it within a few minutes. Most of all, riding the E Prime Air is just fun. As you can see in the embedded video, I zipped around in a parking lot initially and then, once I felt confident I could ride the scooter, I moved on to riding it on my local streets. It’s fun, efficient and can get me from point A to point B without the need to start an internal combustible engine or put miles on my leased car.
Specifications and Features:
- Motor: Kick-to-start, high-torque, brushless, hub-driven
- Throttle: Thumb-activated, variable-speed, paddle controlled
- Brake: Thumb-activated paddle and rear-fender controlled
- Grips: Prism-shaped design, molded in soft rubber
- Downtube: Aluminum, featuring a patent-pending anti-rattle folding mechanism
- Speed: Up to 15 mph (24 km/h)
- Run Time: Up to 30 minutes of continuous use
- Frame: Aluminum
- Fork: One-piece billet, aluminum
- Grips: Prism-shaped design, molded in soft rubber
- Deck: Length 16.75” (425 mm), width 5.5” (140 mm)
- Tires: Extra large, 8” (200 mm), airless rubber
- Handlebars: Adjustable-height
- Kickstand: Retractable
- Battery: 36V lithium-ion pack, rechargeable
I’m digging the Razor E Prime Air. For years I thought about getting an electric scooter. I’m glad when I finally got my hands on one it was the E Prime Air. It is solidly built yet light enough to pick up and throw in a car’s trunk. It is easy to set up but just as easy to break down for transport. Despite being about to fold the scooter, it’s designed prevents shakes and rattles as it rolls along. And while the scooter doesn’t have the most powerful engine and, as previously noted, I’m at the upper weight range for riding it, it moves along at a healthy clip on all but the steepest hills. The Razor E Prime Air is one of those rare products that is both fun and practical. I’m having a blast riding it. Check it out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample
What I Like: Solid; Offers decent use per charge; Folds easily for transport or storage and sets up just as easily; Smooth ride; Gets fast enough without being unsafe; Easy to ride
What Needs Improvement: Motor struggles a bit with an adult while going uphill
