It’s winter, it’s raining. You want to go riding in the rain on your electric scooter, but first you need to know: “What scooter can I ride without killing it?” And “What scooter can I ride in the rain without it killing me?”
An e scooter is, after all, an electronic device, and electricity and water don’t usually mix. So, can you ride an electric scooter in the rain? The answer is yes! If you know what you’re doing and you pick the right scooter.
You won’t get electrocuted if that’s what you’re worried about. Electric scooters are covered with rubber and other insulating materials to keep riders safe.
But as anyone who’s ever dropped their phone in the toilet can tell you, water can turn a battery powered device into a brick in seconds. Learn all about the best electric scooters for riding in the rain here.
Almost no electric scooter warranty will cover water damage, so there is some risk to riding in inclement weather.
But we’ll show you how to minimize risks to both you and your scooter, based on our experience of 20 years of riding, rain or shine, on motorcycles and electric scooters.
Water Resistant Electric Scooters vs. Waterproof Electric Scooters
Repeat after us: there is no such thing as a completely waterproof electric scooter.
Instead, electric scooters have varying degrees of water resistance. Many electric scooters are resistant to water splashes and low pressure water jets and others are suitable for heavy rain, high pressure water jets, or even temporary full immersion in water (though we don’t recommend it).
An electric scooter that has been tested for water resistance will be given an IP rating by the International Electrotechnical Commision (IEC).
IP Rating
Like most electronic devices, most electric scooters are rated for ingress protection from dirt and liquids. You’ll see this number in the specs, such as IP54. Sometimes, you can even find it printed on the scooter itself.
The first digit in an IP rating is for dust protection and the second number in an IP rating stands for water protection. The higher that one is, the better.
Learn more about IP ratings and electric scooters in our full explanation here.
An IP54 scooter will be fine in light rain, for example. Just don’t ride through any puddles, even if they don’t look deep at first.
Whatever the IP rating, you should do your best to towel off the scooter after you ride in the rain and park it in a warm, indoor location or garage so that it has a chance to completely dry out before your next ride.
If you’re going to be riding in the rain a lot, take the time to inspect your scooter, especially the battery compartment and anywhere cables enter the frame. It never hurts to add a little black silicone in areas that look vulnerable.
Wet Weather Features List
What about the dangers to you, the rider? Is riding in the rain too risky? It can be if you don’t have the right scooter or don’t practice safe riding habits.
We’ve come to the rescue with wet weather riding tips and the top 7 scooters we think work best for riding in the rain.
All of the electric scooters on our list have at least 5 of the following 6 features, making them great for riding in the rain.
(You’ll notice we didn’t include any solid tire scooters on the list, because solid tires just don’t have great traction on wet surfaces.)
- A high IP rating
- Rear wheel drive (or switchable dual wheel drive)
- Large, air-filled tires with great traction on wet roads
- Good deck grip and hand ergonomics in wet weather
- Bright lighting for maximum visibility
- Fender protection to keep you from getting covered in mud + water
The 7 Best Electric Scooters for Riding in the Rain
Best for Rain + Mud: Kaabo Wolf Warrior X GT
The Wolf Warrior X GT comes with grippy hybrid off-road tires that work great in wet or muddy conditions. While we don’t recommend going crazy in deep mud, the high mounted front fender is specifically designed to not clog up with mud if you do.
It’s a dual motor scooter, but can be switched over to rear wheel drive on wet roads to prevent you from spinning the front tire in corners. It might seem like more motors would give you more traction, but the opposite is true for two-wheeled vehicles. This is why you never encounter front wheel drive motorcycles.
Rear wheel drive makes you less likely to crash in the rain on an electric scooter because when you accelerate, most of the weight goes to the rear tire. In the rain that leaves just enough weight on the front tire to provide traction for steering, but not enough traction to steer and accelerate.
So look for scooters that either have rear-wheel drive or the option to switch from dual motors to the rear motor, like the Wolf Warrior X GT.
This one does have the shortest rear fender of the group, but it’s easy to extend it if you’re going to do a lot of rain riding.
Read our full review of the Kaabo Wolf Warrior X GT here.
Available in the United States from Fluid Freeride
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Best All-Weather Commuter: Apollo City Pro
If you want to go a little lighter and less expensive, the Apollo City Pro is a great commuter for bad weather because of its high water resistance rating of IP66 (one of the highest IP rating in our database).
We’re big fans of its combination of regenerative braking and drum brakes since they’re less prone to locking up and skidding on slippery roads.
We also like that it has turn signals and flat resistant 10 inch tubeless tires (because the last thing you want in the rain is a flat tire)!
On scooters like this one that give you deeper levels of control, in the P-Settings or within an app, we recommend setting your initial acceleration softer, as well as opting for softer regenerative braking.
Keep your braking, steering, and throttle inputs smooth to make the most out of the traction you have, and ride about 10% slower, but otherwise ride normally. You might be surprised to learn that you usually have 90% as much traction on wet pavement as you do in the dry. We measured it.
Just stay away from manhole covers and wet leaves, because we measured those too, and they’re slippery when wet!
Read our full review of the Apollo City Pro here.
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Best Long-Range Commuter for Rain: EMOVE Cruiser
The Cruiser is the world’s most famous wet-weather commuter due to its IP67 water resistance rating. And if you’ve got a really long commute, the EMOVE Cruiser is our pick for the best long range electric scooter to ride in the rain.
This rear wheel drive scooter has full suspension, 10 inch tubeless tires, and a huge deck, all of which make for a smooth ride in the rain, and with a range of around 50 miles, you’ll definitely appreciate this electric scooter’s comfort.
The Cruiser’s long wheelbase and excellent fender protection make it an especially stable, safe ride on wet roads.
A word of caution: you do need to watch your footing near the smooth, beveled edges of the EMOVE Cruiser’s deck. We highly recommend adding more grip tape at the edges, if you’re planning to commute in the rain.
Read our full review of the EMOVE Cruiser here.
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Best Budget Scooters for Riding in the Rain: NIU KQi2 Pro and KQi3 MAX
NIU’s KQi2 Pro is our pick for best scooter under $600, and that’s true when it’s raining too. Its big 10 inch tubeless air filled tires feel secure and comfortable on the road and have good grip.
The KQi2 Pro also has excellent visibility thanks to an always-on halo of light around its bright, high-mounted headline, and a fender mounted tail light that also acts as a brake light.
The KQi2 Pro has an IP54 rating for light rain; the front drum brake plus regen brake give you plenty of stopping power without locking up; and grip tape gives it excellent deck traction and makes you feel sure-footed in wet conditions.
Read our full review of the NIU KQi2 Pro here.
Check price and availability for the NIU KQi2 Pro in your country.
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KQi3 MAX
If you want even more range, the NIU KQi3 MAX goes 48% further, and has another advantage: Flat resistant tires, which make it less likely that you’ll end up doing the walk of shame in the rain.
The KQi3 MAX’s dual-disc plus regen brakes are the strongest of any brakes on this list, so we recommend practicing emergency stops in a parking lot first, before heading out on your first rainy commute with the KQi3 MAX.
Come to think of it, that’s good advice for all of the scooters on this list. It’s best to get comfortable riding in the rain when you’re not already late for work.
Read our full review of the NIU KQi3 Max here.
Check price and availability for the NIU KQi3 MAX in your country.
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Best Proven Reliability in the Rain: Segway Ninebot Max
The Segway Ninebot Max is known for being the most durable scooter on the planet. In addition to protecting itself from the weather with an IPX5 rating, the Max keeps the rider dry and safe by having some of the best fender protection for a commuter e scooter, as well as the best brake configuration for predictable, powerful wet-weather braking with a wet-stopping distance of 10.8 feet.
An easy-to-control front drum brake and electronic-ABS rear brake yield effortless emergency stopping power. Pneumatic tires provide great traction, and while the Max’s rubber foot grip doesn’t provide the ultimate traction of grip tape, it still makes the rider feel surefooted, providing the same level of grip whether wet or dry.
In fact, the Max has astonished us, matching each of its dry performance numbers in the wet.
It’s also confidence-inspiring knowing that the sharing market has been operating thousands upon thousands of Ninebot Max-variants, rain or shine, for years now. Companies like SPIN have used variants of the Ninebot Max as rental scooters and they stay outside, day and night, in all weather, and just keep working
The Segway Ninebot Max is our winner for the most reliable electric scooter in the rain.
Read our full review of the Segway Ninebot Max here.
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Best Premium Electric Scooter in the Rain: Segway GT2
There are plenty of great, affordable, scooters that will get you safely to your destination in the rain.
But Segway broke new ground when they introduced the “Super Scooter” GT2, the first scooter we’ve tested that has traction control.
The GT2 lets you use dual motors on wet roads because it senses when the front motor starts spinning and reduces power to that wheel.
It’s also the first scooter we’ve seen with an entire fairing surrounding the front wheel for ultimate splash protection.
Just be sure you have somewhere to park it, because this is a big scooter with a lot of surfaces, and that means if you bring it inside, you’re bringing a lot of water inside too.
Read our full review of the Segway GT2 here.
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Scooter Warranty Disclaimer
If you take a look at most warranties for electric scooters, even for those that carry an IP rating, water damage is not covered under warranty. Manufacturers often do not cover water-related damage.
For example, the warranty for the Segway Ninebot Max limits against damage caused by water submersion, high pressure water spray, and freezing, and the riding instructions tell owners not to ride through puddles.
It’s important to understand your scooter’s warranty policy and its limitations when it comes to water damage before braving the rain on your electric ride. Err on the side of caution.
Concluding Safety Tips
Whatever you’re riding, make sure you can see and be seen. Turn on your headlights and your swag lights if you’ve got them. Add additional lighting to your handlebars and helmet if your scooter isn’t bright enough to be seen.
You should always wear a helmet, but in the rain a full-face motorcycle helmet really comes in handy. It’s like a tiny umbrella, but better. You can ride for hours, and your head and neck will stay completely dry.
Wear shoes with plenty of grip.
Give yourself extra following distance and look far ahead, so you don’t get any last minute surprises. That way you can keep all of your throttle, braking and turning inputs smooth so you won’t skid or lock up the brakes.
And finally, once again, no matter how high your IP rating, remember: no electric scooter is completely waterproof, and water damage typically isn’t covered under any warranty, so stay out of deep puddles, and use your common sense.
