Why the Boosted Rev is the most cost-effective way of transport

Boosted recently launched their first premium scooter. Boosted Rev, the world’s first vehicle-grade electric scooter. With a higher then usual price tag some of you are wondering, “Is it worth it?” or, “Wouldn’t it be cheaper to rent a scooter for just €6 per ride?” While these are valid questions, they’re the equivalent to asking, “Why would I buy a car when I can ride Uber or Lyft for an average cost of €22 per ride?” or “Why would I buy a house or condo when I can stay in a hotel or Airbnb for a few hundred dollars a night?”  The answer, of course, is that if you plan on using the scooter with any regularity, you’re much better off buying it.

Boosted Rev vs. Scooter Share

If a person rents a scooter to commute to and from work at the well-established price of about €4 per ride, that adds up to €8 per day, or €40 per five-day week. Over a year, this amounts to over €2,000, and over two years it swells to over €4,000! And that’s just the cost of taking two rides a day.

The reality is that most people take short trips much more frequently throughout the day—to grab a coffee, get lunch, meet friends, and run errands. More realistically, a person takes three to four rides a day, including weekends. Renting a scooter for even four rides per day at €4 per ride quickly adds up to €4,000 per year, or €8,000 over two years. In addition, there’s no guarantee that you will have a scooter waiting outside your apartment or restaurant the minute you step out. Someone else may have swiped (or rented) your scooter!

By comparison, Boosted Rev costs €1.899. And it’s always immediately available because you own it. It’s yours.

Boosted Rev vs. Car Ownership

If you’re traveling long distances, clearly a car makes sense. But half of all car trips are less than three kilometers! The total cost of driving, including the cost of the car plus gas and insurance, is about €0.50 per kilometer. The average commute is about 15-30 kilometers each way,  totaling about €10 by car. Now factor in parking, which costs about €10 in smaller cities and €35+ in cities like Amsterdam, and your €10 trip just became a €20-€45+ trip. By comparison, owning a Boosted Rev, at €2 per day (assuming even two years of use), represents a massive savings if you plan to use it with any regularity. No parking, no traffic, and cheaper by the mile.

Boosted Rev vs. Public Transit

Most transit fares, from bus to subway to train, cost about €2-€5 per trip. So once again, the cost is €4-€8 per day if you’re going to and from work or school, and more if you’re taking additional trips during the day. Boosted Rev costs just €2 per day, no matter how many miles you put on it.  With a battery range of up to 32 kilometer, it also has the capacity to meet virtually all of your last-mile transportation needs.

Boosted Rev vs. Other Scooters

The math proves that ownership is overwhelmingly more economical than any other alternative. But what about buying a less costly scooter? There are budget scooters on the market for €400-€800, and for some, this may be a great option.

The main questions to consider are: Will the vehicle last more than a year or two max? Can it withstand the rigors of a regular commute? Will you end up buying a replacement unit several times over?

These cheaper alternatives are notorious for their short lifespans and it’s well-documented that they typically last as little as 28-60 days in a scooter share environment.  In addition to mechanical failure, their low-grade batteries start to degrade after a mere 100 charge cycles. When it comes to performance, these scooters are incredibly underpowered and as a result, can’t climb even slight hills or ramps and fail to accelerate and decelerate to keep up with the flow of traffic. In summary, they tend to be toy or leisure-grade quality products that are not intended to handle real traffic conditions. Ultimately, you get what pay for.

See all specs for the Boosted Rev here.